ftp.xmission.com

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ ftp.xmission.com / 2014.06.ftp.xmission.com.tar / ftp.xmission.com / pub / lists / movies / archive / movies.9810 < prev next >

Wrap

Internet Message Format | 1998-10-29 | 724KB

From: juliet912@juno.com (C R) Subject: Re: [MV] Spice World Date: 30 Sep 1998 23:53:13 -0400 christina stanley- i've heard of meatloaf. though i've never heard of hard days night. i'm only in high school. what's hard days night about, can u buy a book version of it? ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (October 1, 1998) Date: 01 Oct 1998 11:11:19 -0400 (EDT) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (October 1, 1998). If you live in the Washington, D.C. area, and would like to sign up for the opportunity to receive free passes to Sneak Previews of Upcoming Movies, please visit the following page for more information: http://www.screenit.com/sneak_previews.html This week at the movies, a spectacular computer animated film opens, as does a movie based on a skit from "Saturday Night Live," a throwback to screwball comedies from yesteryear, a somber, all-star look at the afterlife, and a horror film written by and starring the lead singer of Twisted Sister. On home video, an Oscar-winning foreign film, a well-done art house flick, and a moderately successful suspense/thriller and remake of an old, campy sci-fi TV series hit the rental shelves this Tuesday. PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of "Holy Man" (Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum), "One Tough Cop" (Stephen Baldwin, Chris Penn) and other new releases. __________________________________________________ NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2ND: "ANTZ" (1998) (voices of Woody Allen, Sharon Stone) (PG) Animated Adventure: A worker ant (Allen), hoping to get his Colony's beautiful princess (Stone) to notice him, ends up the unlikely hero as he helps thwart the totalitarian plans of a renegade general. Featuring computer animation that's far superior to that found in "Toy Story," this picture might not be quite as good as that film, but it's still a lot of fun. The film's PG rating comes from mild profanity and some scenes that may be suspenseful or frightening to younger kids. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/antz.html __________________________________________________ "DEE SNIDER'S STRANGELAND" (1998) (Kevin Gage, Dee Snider) (R) Horror: A cop (Gage) tries to find his missing daughter, the apparent victim of an Internet-based stalker (Snider) who's looking for young women to subject to tribal rituals and rites of passage. Not screened for the press, we can't tell you anything about the film until we've seen it (the MPAA reason for the film's rating was also unavailable). (National Release) (Coming Soon) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/dee_sniders_strangeland.html __________________________________________________ "THE IMPOSTERS" (1998) (Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt) (R) Comedy: Two unemployed, Depression-era actors (Tucci & Platt) must contend with a bevy of idiosyncratic characters after finding themselves stuck on a cruise ship trying to elude a famous actor who's charged them with assault. A throwback to the screwball, slapstick comedies in the tradition of the Marx Brothers, the film is lightweight, fluffy and amusing, but not as funny as it could and should have been. The R rating comes from profanity. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_imposters.html __________________________________________________ "A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY" (1998) (Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan) (PG-13) Comedy: Two brothers (Ferrell & Kattan), who don't realize they're losers, try to get into the exclusive Roxbury club while dreaming of opening a club of their own. Proving once again that it's difficult to transform a three or four-minute skit (from "Saturday Night Live" -- featuring the guys who continually bob their heads to a disco beat) into a feature length film, "A Night at the Roxbury" is sporadically funny at best, but mightily strains to fill its brief eighty minute runtime. The PG-13 rating comes from profanity and some sexually related material. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/a_night_at_the_roxbury.html __________________________________________________ "WHAT DREAMS MAY COME" (1998) (Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding, Jr.) (PG-13) Drama: Upon his death, a man (Williams) must deal with leaving his human existence as well as trying to find his wife, his soul mate with whom he still has a connection that's transcended death. Featuring occasionally spectacular special effects and production design, this straight drama (few laughs from Williams) is a depressingly somber look at the afterlife. While it looks nice, its lackluster plot prevents the film from being as good as other similarly based films such as "Ghost" and "Always." The PG-13 rating comes from profanity and heavy thematic issues (death, grieving, suicide, etc...). (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/what_dreams_may_come.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6TH: (Notice: Release dates subject to change) (Not all video stores will carry all titles) "CHARACTER" (1998) (Fedja Van Huet, Jan Decleir) (R) Drama: After being accused of killing his own father (Decleir) in 1920's Rotterdam, a young lawyer (Van Huet) recounts a lifelong tale of events that eventually led to a deadly conclusion. The 1997 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film, this is an interesting and decidedly offbeat picture that bears a striking resemblance to the central plot element of the "Star Wars" trilogy (read our review for further explanation). Grossing around $700,000 domestically, the film's R rating comes from violence. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/character.html) __________________________________________________ "LOST IN SPACE" (1998) (William Hurt, Gary Oldman) (PG-13) Sci-fi: A family (including Hurt) on an interplanetary space expedition becomes lost in space after a renegade doctor's (Oldman) terrorist plans throw them off course. Based on the campy 1960's sci-fi TV series, the movie looks great, but the producers should have spent some of the film's millions on getting a decent, or gripping story, for this turns out to be one lackluster film. Rated PG-13 for "intense sci-fi action," the film grossed nearly $70 million domestically. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/lost_in_space.html) __________________________________________________ "A PERFECT MURDER" (1998) (Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow) (R) Suspense/Thriller: A wealthy businessman (Douglas) coerces his wife's lover to murder her (Paltrow), but must then scramble to cover himself as his well-conceived plan unravels. An update of Alfred Hitchcock's lesser known 1954 film, "Dial M For Murder," this is an old-fashioned suspense thriller that should please fans of the genre. As long as the subject matter doesn't bother or repulse you, you'll probably also get a kick out of this film. Grossing around $67 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from profanity, violence, and sexually related material. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/a_perfect_murder.html) __________________________________________________ "THE SPANISH PRISONER" (1998) (Campbell Scott, Steve Martin) (PG) Suspense/Thriller: A man (Scott) finds himself the victim of an elaborate plan to steal the top-secret formula that he's created for his company and discovers that he can't trust anyone (including Martin). Much like the traditional "Hitchcockian" theme where an ordinary man gets caught up in extraordinary circumstances -- the film should please moviegoers who like plots where the protagonist gets deeper into trouble and learns he can trust no one. With a PG rating for "thematic elements including tension, some violent images and brief language," the film grossed around $10 million domestically. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_spanish_prisoner.html) __________________________________________________ Do you find the Screen It Website useful? If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in your community or country may benefit from this information. Contact information can be found at the following address: http://www.screenit.com/press.html __________________________________________________ Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make sure that first you Screen It! Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents http://www.screenit.com __________________________________________________ Since we respect your privacy and time, we'll always keep these messages brief and we'll never sell or give your e-mail address to anyone. If at any time you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply let us know at reviews@screenit.com and we'll remove you from our list. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Honwa Chau <nihonitchy@ibm.net> Subject: [MV] wise soldiers/Spice World Date: 02 Oct 1998 01:23:54 +0900 Yusheng wrote: When your army is full of those wise soldiers who would not send 8 men to save 1 man, then I believe this army could be easily beaten by the army that is full of those so called idiots.Because those so called wise soldiers will choose the wisest thing on the battle field---'run'. "Run,you live;Fight,you probably die" You're absolutely right. The smartest army would wear sneakers. I know I would. All this talk about horny teens and "Spice World" leads me to a single important question: Is there nudity in "Spice World"? itchy [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: WHAT DREAMS MAY COME Date: 01 Oct 1998 11:14:23 -0600 (MDT) WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (Polygram) Starring: Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra, Max Von Sydow, Jessica Brooks Grant, Josh Paddock. Screenplay: Ron Bass, based on the novel by Richard Matheson. Producers: Stephen Simon and Barnet Bain. Director: Vincent Ward. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (profanity, adult themes) Running Time: 109 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, a sort of post-mortem romantic fantasy-drama, shows us a world which is unlike any we've seen before on screen. Oh sure, plenty of films have ventured into the realms of the afterlife, from the sublime (DEFENDING YOUR LIFE) to the ridiculous (JACOB'S LADDER). This, however, is a heaven of a different, considerably gaudier color. It's the heaven created by Chris Nielsen (Robin Williams), a pediatrician who dies in an auto accident. Torn from his wife and soul-mate Annie (Annabella Sciorra), Chris finds the transition easier when his personal Paradise, complete with the family dog, resembles one of Annie's oil paintings -- bright, shimmering and fairly sticky, since it is actually composed of oil paint. Those scenes in Chris's heaven-of-his-own-making highlight WHAT DREAMS MAY COME at its finest, creating spectacularly imaginative visions of the Next World. Production designer Eugenio Zanetti (Academy Award winner for RESTORATION), in conjunction with the special effects team, conjures up impressionist landscapes, a golden city on a hill, and visions of eternal torment which are genuinely transporting. Unfortunately, those same scenes also highlight the film's most glaring weakness. As Chris explores the new world of his afterlife, he is instructed first by his one-time medical mentor Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.) then by a mysterious Tracker (Max Von Sydow) in various rules and regulations. They explain what Chris can do, and why, what he can't do, and why, how he might want to proceed on his journey of discovery, and why. And WHAT DREAMS MAY COME grinds...to...a...halt. It's an inevitable part of metaphysical fantasies like this that someone has to bring the audience up to speed on exactly what they're seeing and why. That doesn't make it any less tedious, especially when WHAT DREAMS MAY COME isn't supposed to be about what makes particular cosmic gears turn the way they do. Based on a novel by science fiction/fantasy legend Richard Matheson, it's a story of intense human emotions, and the desire of one soul to make right in death what went wrong in life. The scenes of Chris's earthly life with his family, strewn throughout the film in a near-subliminal series of flashbacks, form a potent back-story of a life which isn't as suburban-ideal as it first appears. There's something compelling about the suggetion that love doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful. Those emotions should have carried WHAT DREAMS MAY COME to a transcendent level, if not for those nagging distractions. It's not just the constant exposition which causes the problems, either. An even bigger distraction is Robin Williams, whose performance can't quite capture the aching love he's supposed to be feeling. Williams is certainly a fine performer, but there are times when he's giving a "serious" performance that he looks like he's trying way too hard. The furrows in his brow, the perpetually fidgeting lip and the over-dramatized line readings turn too many interpersonal moments into exercises in How Not to Act on the Big Screen. Annabella Sciorra's convincing anguish could have grounded the story in heart-breaking reality if Williams hadn't kept pulling it into melodrama. Eventually, reality gives way entirely to a re-telling of the Orpheus myth, with Chris searching for Annie's doomed soul on a journey through the Other Place. Again, the marvelous look of the film draws you in, as Annie's shattered mindscape takes the form of the Nielsens' home turned a desolate grey. And again, a viewer is pulled away from the look of the film by tortuous exposition and emotional confrontations which only feel genuine on one side. WHAT DREAMS MAY COME will likely wring tears from those entranced by the GHOST-like prospect of romance beyond the pale. For others, it will seem like a missed opportunity. If a tale of primal fears and primal emotions can't grab you without a nattering narrator, something's very wrong. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 Orpheus-capades: 6. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Spice World Date: 01 Oct 1998 11:44:25 -0600 Ah, so you noticed the attempt to mimic the Beatles' movies. It was a lame attempt at best. JKRUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 1998 9:15 PM On Wed, 30 Sep 1998, C R wrote: > jkrudy- > i do agree with you that spice world was a complete waste of time > and also that it really didn't appeal to many teenagers. how old r ur > sons(i've never heard a parent call their sons horny)? myself, i'm in > high school and only a few guys thought it was a good movie because of > their skanky, sluttish clothing. though, i thought there was only 1 funny > scene where the lady waz in labor. Well, I thought it was pretty funny that Meat Loaf was their bus driver. The movie just makes you want to watch Hard Days Night again; the Spice Girls are caricatures (but they're a lot less heinous than "true" music fans would have you believe), and this attempt to re-create what Richard Lester and the Beatles did just doesn't work. Richard E. Grant isn't even very interesting in this, and those of you who know and love his movies know that's saying a lot. Watching Roger Moore was like watching a car crash .... this whole movie should've been a lot campier, but it was pretty innocuous. christina ______________________________________________________________ cristina@blarg.net The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can fake that, you've got it made. Groucho Marx [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Christina Stanley <cristina@blarg.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Spice World Date: 01 Oct 1998 11:46:03 -0700 (PDT) On Wed, 30 Sep 1998, C R wrote: > i've heard of meatloaf. though i've never heard of hard > days night. i'm only in high school. what's hard days night about, can u > buy a book version of it? A Hard Day's Night is the first Beatles movie, made in what, 1964, I think? It's still a very fresh movie today. It follows the Beatles around in their early period, when they were being mobbed all the time. They're shown at their clever, charming best. The Beatles weren't as squeaky clean as they were made out to be, especially during this early time in the band's history. Nice b&w cinematography too. Richard Lester wrote (I *think*) and direted; I have a thing for '60s british swinger films, so I always like his movies. There might be a book with stills from the movie or something, but what's the point of that? Just rent it if you're curious. christina ______________________________________________________________ cristina@blarg.net The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can fake that, you've got it made. Groucho Marx [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerry Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: Re: [MV] Pre 90's funny movies / depressing movies Date: 01 Oct 1998 22:51:16 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00DF_01BDED8D.FF67B440 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Even though "The day after" is relatively downbeat, I can assure you = that it is not half as depressing as the BBC made "Threads"........it = really hammers home the horrors of a nuclear war!~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -----Original Message----- >I just watched Jumping Jack Flash over the weekend. It was hilarious. = If >you watch it look for Jon Lovitz and Phil Hartman (credits have him = listed >as Phil E. Hartmann), if I'm not mistaken this was before SNL for them, = or >at least before they were well known. > >Also back to depressing movies, I tried to rent "Threads", but the = video >store didn't have it, so I rented "The Day After" because I remember = how bad >it scared me when I was a kid. As an adult with kids of my own now, it >scared and depressed me even more than when I was a kid. =20 > >JAMES K. RUDY > > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >=20 ------=_NextPart_000_00DF_01BDED8D.FF67B440 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>Even though "The day = after" is=20 relatively downbeat, I can assure you that it is not half as depressing = as the=20 BBC made "Threads"........it really hammers home the horrors = of a=20 nuclear war!~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with = animals,=20 they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long = and=20 long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do = not lie=20 awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing = their duty=20 to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of = owning=20 things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived = thousands of=20 years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole=20 earth. &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</DIV>= <DIV>-----Original Message----- From: = jkrudy <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:jkrudy@micron.com">jkrudy@micron.com</A>> To: <A=20 href=3D"mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'">'movies@lists.xmission.com'</= A> <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com">movies@lists.xmission.com</A>&g= t; Date:=20 29 September 1998 17:04 Subject: [MV] Pre 90's funny movies / = depressing=20 movies </DIV>>I just watched Jumping Jack Flash over = the=20 weekend. It was hilarious. If >you watch it look for = Jon=20 Lovitz and Phil Hartman (credits have him listed >as Phil E. = Hartmann), if=20 I'm not mistaken this was before SNL for them, or >at least before = they=20 were well known. > >Also back to depressing movies, I tried = to rent=20 "Threads", but the video >store didn't have it, so I = rented=20 "The Day After" because I remember how bad >it scared me = when I=20 was a kid. As an adult with kids of my own now, it >scared = and=20 depressed me even more than when I was a kid. = > >JAMES K.=20 RUDY > > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, = send the=20 message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:majordomo@xmission.com">majordomo@xmission.com</A> &n= bsp; =20 ] > </BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_00DF_01BDED8D.FF67B440-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/01/98 Date: 01 Oct 1998 16:30:34 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Peter and Bobby Farrelly, the directors and executive producers of the box office hit "There's Something About Mary," have categorically rejected plagiarism allegations made by an independent filmmaker. Writer-director Vince Offer sued the Farrellys, 20th Century Fox and several other people connected with "Mary" last week in federal court, saying they copied 14 "unique scenes" from his film "The Underground Comedy Movie." "We've never heard of him, we've never heard of his movie, and it's all a bunch of baloney," the Farrelly brothers said in a joint statement. "We wish the guy would just break into (David) Letterman's house and leave us alone." -=> * <=- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Computer graphics, once the rising stars of Hollywood for resurrecting dinosaurs and creating lifelike aliens, face a key test in two films opening Friday. Filmmakers will closely watch the box office returns for "ANTZ" and "What Dreams May Come," which rely heavily on computer graphics. Some filmmakers fear too many computer effects may make stories and characters unbelievable. As Sony Pictures Entertainment learned this summer with "Godzilla," if the effects don't look real audiences won't turn out. -=> * <=- ROCKY, BULLWINKLE, DENIRO Robert DeNiro is reportedly in talks to play the Fearless Leader in a live-action movie version of the animated '60s TV comedy "Rocky and Bullwinkle." The Hollywood Reporter says De Niro's production company will start shooting the picture in January. It's the latest in a series of Jay Ward TV shows to be made into a movie. "George of the Jungle," starring Brendan Fraser, was a hit in 1997. "Dudley Do-Right" is currently being filmed -- with Fraser as the inept Canadian Mountie who still manages to get his man. -=> * <=- * EXPECTING: David Duchovny and his wife, Tea Leoni, a baby, come spring, according to columnist Liz Smith. A statement from the couple is reportedly expected on Thursday. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Christi Eilleen Falk <umfalkce@cc.UManitoba.CA> Subject: [MV] urban legend Date: 01 Oct 1998 19:43:53 -0500 (CDT) Yes, I went to urban legend last weekend. What did I think? Well, having seen Disturbing behaviour, it was definately a step up, but it terriffied me. Isn't that silly? My girlfriend and I ended up staying over at a friends house with all the lights on. After much soul searching, we think we've figured out why. Urban legend doesn't have the 'famous faces' (at least to my idealism) to take us out of the story, so to speak. For instance, bruce willis hanging out of a highrise seems almost silly and although most of us try to identify, we usually say, man, that's bruce willis. There was also an absence of the clicheed sex scene. Basically, they looked like normal college kids. The thing that terriffied me was the plot seemed real. It could happen here. It could happen anywhere. I'm not going to be a spoiler, so I just thought I'd tell you all the ending is worth the 8 bucks, and contrary to others opinion, the ending can be figured out if you pay close attention. A word to the wise. See a matinee. My girlfriend and I were so terriffied we checked under the car and in the backseat twice before getting in. DEFINATELY A DATE MOVIE!!!!!! christi [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Tonya =)" <scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net> Subject: Re: [MV] depressing movies Date: 01 Oct 1998 21:55:26 -0500 I think one of the most depressing movies is "Mask". It would be so awful to be in that kind of situation. "David" is another depressing movie. This is the movie where a father kidnaps his little boy, then burns him up in a motel (but he doesn't die) because he can't have him (as in can't have custody of him). It is a true story too, which makes it even more depressing. I think it was a tv-movie. Any comments on this one? That's all I can think of at this time. I know I will think of more later. -Tonya scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net _______________________________ "Believe it is possible to solve your problem. Tremendous things happen to the believer. So believe the answer will come. It will." Norman Vincent Peale [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! ADVANCE: ANTZ - A Life Bugz Date: 02 Oct 1998 00:08:49 -0400 ANTZ - A LIFE BUGZ by Mark Ramsey http://www.moviejuice.com October 4, 1998 Let's evaluate the movie-goer's options this weekend: There's A Night at the Roxbury, that "Fruit of the SNL Loom" short subject writ long. The one with the head-bobber disco twins whose mission in life is to prove unambiguously that one funny late night minute can become a painful, 75 minute Life-o-suction ordeal (actually only 17 minutes long if you don't count the credits - or was that "crud-its"?). Roxbury brings you special guest slummer Richard Grieco in his fast-aging guise as nightcrawler Bela Lugosi Grieco, a.k.a. "Dracu-leico." Richard demonstrates the high art of grab-ass in a club flick that should be clubbed to death. Damn! These club-tomaniacs should stick to the small screen, where Dance Fever is a short Electric Boogaloo to the medicine cabinet and the Tylenol. Yes, friends, A Night at the Roxbury is forgettable with a capital "F," a small "f" and every "f" in between. F'in right! Hey, SNL: Instead of spawning lame-ass movies, why not spawn a final thirty minutes worth watching? And then there's Dreamworks' Antz, which is...a movie about ants! Actually, it's the first of two movies about ants, the second due from Disney later this year (and that doesn't count the animated epic on runner Steve Ant-fontaine, currently in turnaround). I hope the folks at Dreamworks are very proud of themselves. They beat Disney's wonderful Armageddon with the year's first Comet movie, the gloomy Deep Impact. Then Dreamworks announced they will follow up the success of their Comet movie with biopics of Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and the rest of Santa's reindeer several months ahead of Disney's nine-film reindeer saga. "There are only three ideas in all of Hollywood," explains Dreamworks kingpin Jeff Katzenberg, "and I have them first." In a separate but related story, the makers of There's Something About Mary are being sued by a guy who claims to have created numerous "unique scenes" of cum-based hair gel. "That's my ejaculate, every drop," said inventor Hans Stroker, whose special Salon Selective formula comes in two holds: "Motile" and "Extra Motile." Oh, back to Antz. In a world of expressions you never expected to hear, "a Woody Allen cartoon" has to be somewhere near the top - right between "a Jeffrey Daumer Cookbook" and rotund weatherman Al Roker's tell-all, "I'm not Fat, I'm Trans-Fatty Acid!" Yes, Ants is a movie for kids featuring the Wood-man, whose notorious attraction to kids is more than legendary and less than savory. Woody plays a neurotic ant named "Z," who needs therapy because, well, he's a fucking ant! How would you feel? "Z" rebels against the conformity of regimented life in Antz-ville. Yes, life for these bugs is more similar than the profiles of filmmakers Michael Bay and John Frankenheimer! Of course, these insects don't exactly look like ants. More like E.T. with a Jennifer Lopez ass. Aren't these the same buggers that once abducted Scully? Be an individual! Think for yourselves! Don't follow orders your whole life! These are just some of the lessons of Ants, or as these lessons are known by kind-hearted consensus-builder Harvey Weinstein at Miramax: "insidious propaganda." "Z" and his babe, the ingeniously named Princess Nala - er, Bala - set out on a quest: A search for the mythic oasis of "Insectopia," first documented by Saint Thomas More's book of the same name, and brought to you by the folks at Coke, makers of "Fruitopia," and Universal Studios, home of the new multimedia "Coppola-topia" attraction, where visitors ride a thrilling career rollercoaster through financing and creative ups and downs, winning Oscars, nearly going insane, and casting luckless offspring in high-profile projects before settling down to make wine. Ah, the good life! Hey, forget the E.T. Adventure, let's go on this one again! Antz features a few good gags delivered by top-notch voices from the likes of Gene Hackman, Sly Stallone, and Sharon "I'm a princess, damn it!" Stone, but despite this and some damn fine animation, the story's as complex as a Bazooka Joe comic. Not to make a mountain out of a mole-hill, but small wonder I was catching my Z's about 45 minutes in. My advice on Antz: Cry Uncle. Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved. NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR. ******************** Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.moviejuice.com. The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the laughs)! ******************** TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST: DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL! Just go to http://www.moviejuice.com and follow the directions at the top of the left frame. It's very easy. NOTE: YOUR NAME CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST UNLESS YOU UNSUBSCRIBE USING THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOU REGISTERED WITH). And don't write me lots of mean-spirited crap. I won't read it. ******************** IF YOUR LINES AREN'T WRAPPING If the lines extend way off into the right horizon, then look to your browser or email software for a setting called "Wrap Long Lines." Now, if your lines aren't RAPPING, then you should consider that normal. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] You've Been Removed! Date: 02 Oct 1998 06:35:21 -0400 This message is to confirm the removal of your email address: movies@lists.xmission.com from the MovieJuice UpDate Subscribe Me mailing list. We're sorry to see you go! If you change your mind, you may resubscribe at: http://www.moviejuice.com Thank you, MovieJuice UpDate [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] You've Been Added! Date: 02 Oct 1998 12:21:52 -0400 This message is to confirm the addition of your email address: movies@lists.xmission.com to the MovieJuice UpDate Subscribe Me mailing list. If you feel you have received this notice in error, please visit the MovieJuice UpDate Subscribe Me mailing list at our website: http://www.moviejuice.com to remove yourself automatically. Thank you, MovieJuice UpDate [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/02/98 Date: 02 Oct 1998 11:41:37 -0600 (MDT) On the set of her new film "Never Been Kissed," Drew Barrymore told "Access Hollywood" she thinks she is "so nerdy and 'losery!' If nerds and geeks are hip, then maybe I'm hip!" In the new movie, Barrymore plays a newspaper copy editor who gets a chance to go undercover and write a story about today's teens. -=> * <=- Claire Danes' apology for her disparaging remarks about Manila wasn't big enough for the Philippines' President Joseph Estrada. "She should not be allowed to come here. She should not even be allowed to set foot here," Estrada insists. On Tuesday the City Council declared the 19-year-old actress persona non grata and banned all her movies because she called Manila smelly, rat-infested and weird. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerry Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: [MV] Silly punch up question Date: 02 Oct 1998 23:39:30 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_00E0_01BDEE5D.E66E4F00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ~Is there any film that has a longer fight scene than the one in "They = live"? Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------=_NextPart_000_00E0_01BDEE5D.E66E4F00 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> </DIV> <DIV>~Is there any = film that has=20 a longer fight scene than the one in "They=20 live"? Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn = and live=20 with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look = at them=20 long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their = condition, They do=20 not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick = discussing=20 their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the = mania=20 of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that = lived=20 thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the = whole=20 earth. &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 Walt=20 Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</DIV></BODY></= HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_00E0_01BDEE5D.E66E4F00-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Silly punch up question Date: 02 Oct 1998 15:45:26 -0700 better yet, is there a unintentionally FUNNIER fight scene than the one in "They Live"? > -----Original Message----- > From: Gerry Taylor [SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk] > Sent: Friday, October 02, 1998 3:40 PM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: [MV] Silly punch up question > > á > ~Is there any film that has a longer fight scene than the one in "They > live"? > Gerry T > ~~~~~ > I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self > contained, > I stand and look at them long and long. > They do not sweat and whine about their condition, > They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, > they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, > not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, > Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of > years ago, > not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. > áááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááááá Walt > Whitman. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Christina Stanley <cristina@blarg.net> Subject: RE: [MV] Silly punch up question Date: 02 Oct 1998 15:59:10 -0700 (PDT) On Fri, 2 Oct 1998, Romero, Leticia wrote: > better yet, is there a unintentionally FUNNIER fight scene than the one in > "They Live"? I wouldn't say it's unintentional. This is an allaround great picture, and it's got lots of that tongue in cheek sound bite dialogue. christina ______________________________________________________________ cristina@blarg.net The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can fake that, you've got it made. Groucho Marx [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions <flickfilos@aol.com> Subject: [MV] Coming Monday, 10.05, to The Flick Filosopher... Date: 03 Oct 1998 02:42:40 -0000 The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos Heaven: Found the man of my dreams. Hell: He's married. Heaven: Made final payment on my car. Hell: Irrational fear that it'll now be crushed by a garbage truck as it's parked innocently in the street. Heaven: Purchased Monster Mac 2500. Hell: Five minutes later, Monster Mac 5000 released at half the price. Heaven: *King of the Hill* did not move to Los Angeles as threatened. Hell: It did move to Tuesday night. Heaven: Ralph Fiennes in *The English Patient.* Hell: Ralph Fiennes in *Schindler's List.* Heaven: That almost-kiss in *The X-Files* movie. Hell: That almost-kiss in *The X-Files* movie. Heaven and Hell: *What Dreams May Come* and *The Devil's Advocate.* ===================== A new Flick Filosopher goodie: FRIDGE MAGNETS! Can you live without one a moment longer? I think not! Check 'em out on Monday at http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos/goodies.html ===================== MaryAnn ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to FlickFilosopher-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Cranky Critic <chuck@crankycritic.com> Subject: [MV] Jeff Goldblum LIVE with Cranky! Date: 03 Oct 1998 02:05:19 -0000 Cranky Critic - http://www.crankycritic.com You're receiving this mail as part of the CrankyCritic.com mailing list. Join Cranky as Jeff Goldblum speaks to you LIVE on the Internet! Jeff Goldblum, star of three of the biggest movies of all time (Jurassic Park, The Lost World:Jurassic Park and Independence Day) chats live from Internet World in New York City on Entertainment Drive. Join us on Wednesday, October 7 at 12:30 pm ET in the chat auditorium of Entertainment Drive (www.edrive.com). Ask Jeff about his new movies "Holy Man" and "The Prince of Egypt," plus the upcoming re-release of "The Big Chill" and any other questions you want to know the answer to. Can't be there live? You can submit questions ahead of time by entering the Entertainment Drive chat auditorium (www.edrive.com/community) and clicking on the question mark icon, or type "/ask" (no quotation marks) followed by your question. Or, you can e-mail your questions to Cranky (cranky@crankycritic.com), who will be moderating the event. A full transcript will be available after the event on Entertainment Drive. See you there! chuck Schwartz www.CrankyCritic.com ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to crankycritic-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Mr. White" <rdoyle29@msn.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Silly punch up question Date: 02 Oct 1998 23:31:17 -0500 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0013_01BDEE5C.C1394600 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_001_0014_01BDEE5C.C14A0EE0" ------=_NextPart_001_0014_01BDEE5C.C14A0EE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit "Straw Dogs"? Richard J. Doyle Access & Visual Basic Developer CRW Systems rdoyle29@msn.com -----Original Message----- From: owner-movies@lists.xmission.com [mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com]On Behalf Of Gerry Taylor Sent: Friday, October 02, 1998 5:40 PM To: movies@lists.xmission.com Subject: [MV] Silly punch up question ~Is there any film that has a longer fight scene than the one in "They live"? Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------=_NextPart_001_0014_01BDEE5C.C14A0EE0 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 4.72.3110.7"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>"Straw Dogs"?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Richard J. = Doyle</DIV> <DIV>Access & Visual = Basic=20 Developer</DIV> <DIV>CRW = Systems</DIV> <DIV><A=20 href=3D"mailto:rdoyle29@msn.com">rdoyle29@msn.com</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader>-----Original Message----- From:=20 owner-movies@lists.xmission.com=20 [mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com]On Behalf Of Gerry=20 Taylor Sent: Friday, October 02, 1998 5:40 = PM To:=20 movies@lists.xmission.com Subject: [MV] Silly punch up=20 question </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>~Is there = any film that=20 has a longer fight scene than the one in "They=20 live"? Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could = turn and=20 live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand = and=20 look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about = their=20 condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they = do not=20 make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is = dissatisfied, not=20 one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to = another=20 nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is = respectable or unhappy over the whole=20 = earth. &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 Walt=20 Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</DIV></BLOCKQU= OTE></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_001_0014_01BDEE5C.C14A0EE0-- ------=_NextPart_000_0013_01BDEE5C.C1394600 Content-Type: application/vcard; name="Richard J Doyle.vcf" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Richard J Doyle.vcf" BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:2.1 N:Doyle;Richard;J FN:Richard J Doyle ORG:CRW Systems MB Inc. TITLE:Software Developer TEL;WORK;VOICE:(204) 889-9537 TEL;HOME;VOICE:(204) 774-8550 TEL;WORK;FAX:(204) 889-6934 ADR;WORK:;;204 - 3011 Portage Avenue;Winnipeg;Manitoba;R3G 1A1;Canada LABEL;WORK;ENCODING=3DQUOTED-PRINTABLE:204 - 3011 Portage = Avenue=3D0D=3D0AWinnipeg, Manitoba R3G 1A1=3D0D=3D0ACanada ADR;HOME:;;42 Purcell Avenue;Winnipeg;Manitoba;R3G 1A1;Canada LABEL;HOME;ENCODING=3DQUOTED-PRINTABLE:42 Purcell = Avenue=3D0D=3D0AWinnipeg, Manitoba R3G 1A1=3D0D=3D0ACanada URL:http://members.tripod.com/~Doyle_R/index.htm URL:http://www.escape.ca/~chrisw/ EMAIL;PREF;INTERNET:rdoyle29@msn.com REV:19980831T025758Z END:VCARD ------=_NextPart_000_0013_01BDEE5C.C1394600-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Garrett Winters <gargoyle@iol.ie> Subject: Re: [MV] Silly punch up question Date: 03 Oct 1998 16:02:08 +0100 Gerry Taylor asks >~Is there any film that has a longer fight scene than the one in "They live"? a better question would be is there a movie that has a less relevant fight scene? I enjoyed they live for the most part but that fight scene left me feeling like it was a TV show that had to pad out a few extra minutes to fill the hour. In real life a fight like that would have left both participants in need of medical attention and each time I watch it I get annoyed that they don't cop on to themselves quicker :) Garrett [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: PERMANENT MIDNIGHT Date: 03 Oct 1998 14:19:48 -0600 (MDT) PERMANENT MIDNIGHT (Artisan) Starring: Ben Stiller, Elizabeth Hurley, Maria Bello, Owen Wilson, Peter Greene. Screenplay: David Veloz, based on the memoir by Jerry Stahl. Producers: Jane Hamsher and Don Murphy. Director: David Veloz. MPAA Rating: R (drug use, sexual situations, profanity, brief nudity) Running Time: 87 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. In the last few minutes of PERMANENT MIDNIGHT, writer/director David Veloz introduces a jarring element of irony to what had been a fairly straightforward dark night of the soul drama. It's the true story of Jerry Stahl (Ben Stiller), a successful television writer during the 1980s for such programs as "ALF" and "thirtysomething" who bottomed out as the result of heroin and cocaine addiction. The film's coda shows Stiller-as-Stahl, having written his confessional autobiography, appearing on a series of television talk shows to promote the book and bare his soul. In one of the film's best lines, Stahl explains in voice-over that the most humiliating thing he ever did as the result of his addiction was "appearing on 'Maury'." A good gag, but also a pretty self-serving one. In an era when celebrity mea culpas are just another part of the public relations landscape, a film like PERMANENT MIDNIGHT has to work extra hard to function as an honest cautionary tale rather than a plea to love me, feel sorry for me, let me back into your hearts. The film makes sure we know about Stahl's troubled family life, including two suicidal parents, which already suggests that Stahl and/or writer/director David Veloz is pointing fingers outward as much as inward. That five minute montage of chat show appearances, however, acts almost as a slap in the face. Watching the character pitch his book -- which, of course, became the movie we're watching -- takes every harrowing moment which preceded and makes it cheap and exploitative. Instead of learning from his experience, we learn that a really good salesman can turn his tragedy into dollars. That's truly a shame, because Stahl's story is given a harrowing conviction by Ben Stiller's performance. Though best known as a comic in films like the hit THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, Stiller is a versatile performer who makes heroin addiction about as ugly as we've ever seen it. It's funny yet pathetic watching Stahl trying with a ridiculous lack of success to disguise his stupors as artistic eccentricity; even other self-absorbed Hollywood types instantly recognize that he's utterly useless. What's fascinating about Stiller's performance is that there's never a moment when his character appears to be functional as an addict. He disappears instantly into a world of excuses and frantic searches for his next high. Unfortunately, there's nothing besides Stiller's performance to make us care about PERMANENT MIDNIGHT. The two romantic angles which are supposed to give resonance to the story -- Stahl's marriage to a mid-level television executive (Elizabeth Hurley) and his post-rehab infatuation with fellow recovering addict Kitty (Maria Bello) -- are both undercut by the circumstances of their relationships. The marriage, though it produces a child, is primarily a way for his British wife to get a green card, and the romance with Kitty serves primarily as a device for Stahl to tell his story in flashback. There's not much at stake as we watch Stahl disintegrate, nor is there a particular reason to care if he's earned his second chance at love. He's just another cleaned-up Hollywood junk-head with a tale to tell, probably one of a thousand. The last five minutes of PERMANENT MIDNIGHT are as ill-conceived as any five minutes of film this year, because they make it look like Stahl is just a different kind of self-absorbed now. You're left with the uncomfortable feeling that for him, addiction is just a marketing hook. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 junk men: 5. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Wade Snider" <judgewd@worldnet.att.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Silly punch up question Date: 04 Oct 1998 00:25:25 -0700 Or better yet, is there any film that has a longer fart scene than Blazing Saddles? Gerry Taylor asks >~Is there any film that has a longer fight scene than the one in "They live"? Wade s. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: FTWeekly00@aol.com Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 10-5-98 : Slate II, Take 41 Date: 04 Oct 1998 22:22:13 EDT FILM THREAT WEEKLY "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" ============================= Slate II, Take 41 : October 5th, 1998 ============================= http://www.filmthreat.com ============================= "Where's the rest of me?" - Actor Ronald Reagan discovering his legs have been amputated in Sam Wood's "Kings Row" <===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========> THIS WEEK "Right here, right now." =========================================== ùù> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent. ùù> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice? ùù> PICKS OF THE WEEK: A load of plugs. ùù> BIG SCREEN: What Dreams May Come, moreà ùù> DIY FILMMAKING: Filmmaker War Stories ùù> HATE MAIL: You like us. You really like us. SUBSCRIBE "Unless you already did." =========================================== Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to FilmThreat@aol.com. CLASSIFIEDS "If you advertise, they will come." =========================================== Reach over 60,000 film fanatics on the net. For our reasonable ad rates, e- mail filmthreat@aol.com. NO DANCE FILM FESTIVAL The NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is accepting entries for its 2nd annual alternative D.I.Y. festival in Park City, Utah January 1999. Seeking features, docs, shorts, screenplays, and music videos. Screenings on DVD, VHS and internet streaming. Awards, prizes and parties. Deadline November 20th, 1998. Check web site (http://www.6161.com) for application, or send SASE to: NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 http://www.6161.com GET YOUR FILM INTO FESTIVALS Get the inside story from the experts. Speakers include Film Threat's Chris Gore, author of the upcoming book "The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide" from Lone Eagle Publications (http://www.loneeagle.com) and reps from Slamdance, Austin and the LA Independent Festivals. In Los Angeles, October 29th, on the Paramount Pictures lot. Call 1-800-404-4484 for details. WIN A FILM THREAT VIDEO! "Sign up a friend!" =========================================== Each week we'll be giving away a special collectible Film Threat Party Video to readers who forward Film Threat Weekly to their friends! (And you know in Hollywood, "friends" is a loose term, so that means just about anybody!!!) You could WIN, too! The more e-mail addresses you send, the more your chances to win. Sign up your whole family, or your whole company! Start forwarding FTW to your pals or send us their e-mail address and we'll send them a weekly fix of Film Threat. That's not a threat, it's a promise. THE NEWS "Filtered and manipulated. Just like the real news." =========================================== Our top story... ALL DOCUMENTARY CABLE CHANNEL PLANS INTERACTIVE FUNCTIONS Steeplechase Media has reached an agreement with The Documentary Channel to provide technology and content for "enhancing" the entire network. The Documentary Channel, which recently announced its plan to launch on digital tiers of cable systems in mid-1999, is one of the first networks to be conceived with "enhanced television" as a key component of its offering. According to Steeplechase Founder Larry Namer (Founder of E! Entertainment Television, Inc.): "When each of the creators of the linear TV space and the enhanced content space are actually working together, the viewer benefits from a tighter, more logical presentation." Sounds good, Mr. Spock. "Companies like Steeplechase are taking a leadership position in the delivery of high-quality interactive programming," said Steven Guggenheimer, group product manager for Digital TV, Microsoft Corp. "The Documentary Channel's use of this new technology as part of its core programming strategy is very exciting for the entire industry. Microsoft has been a great believer in the educational benefits of interactive programming for consumers, and The Documentary Channel makes a logical starting point for demonstrating these benefits." Steeplechase Media is creating the enhancements for transportation to the viewer via the vertical blanking interval ("VBI") of the TV signal. Viewer responses to polls, transaction processing, chat and e-mail will use the viewer's internet connection. When cable modems are widely available, bandwidth is broader, the enhancements will be more sophisticated and utilize the same internet connection to receive and deliver information. The Documentary Channel is a newly formed digital cable network that will begin airing in the middle of1999. Featuring innovative and inspiring work of independent documentary filmmakers from around the world, that encompasses all subjects and topics, many of which have never been seen on television. http://www.comspan.com Look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section at: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm BOXOFFICE CHART "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!" =========================================== Weekend of October 2-4, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. 1/New ANTZ $16.8 (1) 2/New WHAT DREAMS MAY COME $16.1 (1) 3/ 1 RUSH HOUR $15.0/$84.6 (3) 4/New A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY $10.0 (1) 5/ 2 RONIN $7.2/$23.9 (2) 6/ 3 URBAN LEGEND $7.0/$20.4 (2) 7/ 5 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY $3.6/$158.2 (12) 8/ 4 ONE TRUE THING $2.7/$17.3 (3) 9/ 7 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN $1.7/$184.4 (11) 10/ 6 SIMON BIRCH $1.5/$13.9 (4) PICKS OF THE WEEK "Stuff we wanna plug." =========================================== FILM FESTIVAL: A film festival where you can gamble?!! And get free drinks!! Yes, there is a God!!! Las Vegas holds a winning hand on the film festival scene with the premiere of the CineVegas Film Festival at Bally's Las Vegas, December 10-13, 1998. The festival will showcase films from all over the world including documetaries such as "Stripped and Teased: Tales of Vegas Women" directed by award winning documentary film maker Amie Williams. The film counteracts the Hollywood stereotypes of films like "Showgirls" and "Striptease" with the real lives of nine Las Vegas women. The Film Threat staff is so there! There's a bunch of other movies including some premiere's but this stripper documentary looks to be the hit of the fest. We haven't seen the actual movie yet, but we are prepared to give it the prize for best of the fest -- sight unseen! "The goal of CineVegas is to engage the imagination and participation of the entertainment industry and filmgoing public by producing a festival that captures and emulates the inventiveness that has made Las Vegas the focal point of popular American culture," says Joshua Abbey, the Festival's Executive Director. Let's hope they add a retrospective of Joe Pesci films. http://www.cinevegas.com INDIE FILM SHOWCASE: The Armchair Film Festival is screening shorts every other Monday night in a cushy armchair and sofa-laden TRIBECA lounge. As hosted by Constance Van Flandern, Rupert Wyatt and Ben Freedman, The Armchair Festival has assembled some of the finest examples of short filmmaking and short animation to both inspire you and just get those little gems up on a screen. The Armchair Film Festival showcases shorts at The City Wine and Cigar 62 Laight St (@ Greenwich St.) New York, NY features. http//www.interactive.net/~chris/Armchair-Film-Festival WEB SITE: "Godzilla Versus Disco Lando" is available for download on the web. Evan MatherÆs last downloadable film, "Quentin TarantinoÆs Star Wars" is an internet hit. In EvanÆs words, "Godzilla Versus Disco Lando" features "Smoother graphics, cooler music, twice as long - and an original plot! In addition to using vintage (and new) action figures, hand puppets and Legos were used (for sets)." http://www.jedinet.com/cinema/ ANOTHER WEB SITE: Want to build your own Power Droid from "Star Wars"? They appear in next year's prequel now known as "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menance" and might come in handy around the house. "How To Build A Power Droid" is live on the web and will fill you in on exactly how to make one of your own. Cool, huh? http://www.studiocreations.com/powerdroid/index.html RESOURCES: Crew Net and Casting Net offers free services when it comes to finding the right crew and talent for procutions. It's easy to use and saves you from having to deal with those 10% vampires. http://www.crewnet.com http://www.castingnet.com BIG SCREEN "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You" =========================================== From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown. WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (PG-13) * * 1/2 (http://www.whatdreamsmay.com) Chris (Robin Williams) and Annie (Annabella Sciorra) are soulmates -- they have a perfect life with the kids, the maid and the big kitchen. When Chris and Annie lose their kids in a tragic car accident, the two struggle to get on with their lives after their deaths. Then Chris gets killed in a car accident leaving Annie completely alone. Yikes. But don't worry because death is cool. Chris goes to heaven and discovers, through friendly angel Cuba Gooding, Jr., that we all make our own heaven. So Chris constructs his world out of images from the beautiful paintings by his wife. The effects are incredible and if you've seen the trailers, you've already seen most of them. What's so disappointing is that the film had so much potential as a concept. The story slowly degenerates into a plodding, sappy bore. Chris learns that his depressed wife has committed suicide and is doomed to spend eternity in hell. That's when Chris chooses to travel to hell to rescue her. This description sounds a lot more exciting than the way it is portrayed on screen. In fact, it felt as if the film was heavily retooled and recut. The constant flashbacks and slow motion made the film painful to watch at times. A major disappointment. - Chris Gore DEE SNIDER'S STRANGELAND (R) Zero Stars (http://www.deesnidersstrangeland.com/home.html) "Strangeland" marks the writing/producing and acting debut of 80's "Twisted Sister" rocker Dee Snider. This cheap version of David Fincher's "Seven" basically involves teens, computers and body mutilation. Capt. Howdy (Snider) is on the loose ... on the web, searching for young, nubile victims to terrorize and carve. But when he kidnaps Detective Mike Gage's (Kevin Gage) daughter, Genevieve (Linda Cardellini) his menacing ways are rought to an end. You may think that I have given the entire film away in one sentence ... trust me I haven't, and it gets worse. Wait until you are treated to Dee Snider giving us his "Forrest Gump, I am timid" act. Wow!!! This "film" is so unwatchable that if I were forced, with a gun to my temple, to choose between viewing it again and the gun, I would choose the blissful sleep that said weapon would bring ... without hesitation. The dynamic acting duo of Kevin Gage and Dee Snider is so insultingly bad that I found myself yearning for the subtle performances of such thespians as Keanu Reeves and Pauly Shore. After the agonizing torture that was endured I can safely make the statement that "Strangeland" is now and will be the worst film of 1998. Realize that I am making this statement after viewing other notables on the "Unwatchable" scale, such as Eddie Murphy's "The Holy Man", Bruce Willis' "Mercury Rising", Arthur Hiller's "Burn Hollywood, Burn" and "Lethal Weapon 4" among others. At one point during this pathetic, waste of film, the police chief made the statement: "Why would God create a creature like Capt. Howdy?" ... All I could think was ... Why would God allow a film to be made like "Strangeland"? The worst film of the year ... mark my words. - Anthony Miele THE CHAMBERMAID ON THE TITANIC (NR) * * * (http://www.chambermaid-titanic.com) Cubs win! Sorry. That has nothing to do with this film. It's just that my beloved Cubbies, who haven't won the World Series since four years BEFORE the "Titanic" sank, just made the playoffs. A guy's gotta celebrate while he can. Horty, who's probably not a Cubs fan, works at a steel foundry in pre-WWI France and goes home at night to his pretty young wife, Zoe. This simple existence changes when, after winning an annual company-sponsored race - think sort of a coal miner's triathlon - he's awarded a trip to England to see the launching of the "Titanic." He answers a knock at his hotel room door and finds Marie, a stunningly beautiful "Titanic" chambermaid, standing forlornly outside, looking for a place to spend the night. Knowing a Penthouse Forum letter when he sees one, Horty lets her in, then spends the night resisting her tempting charms. That's not what he tells the guys back home, however. Egged on by plum brandy and rumors that Zoe slept with the boss to get him promoted, Horty regales the boys in the bar with enrapturing tales of his erotic escapades with the doomed Marie. The audiences grow, as does Zoe's - and our - confusion about what really happened in Southampton. When Zeppe, a traveling thespian, hires Horty to take his ever-expanding tall tale on the road, this ambivalence increases. Still, the money's good, so Zoe swallows her jealousy of Marie's ghost and allows the Rashamon-ish truth to take a back seat. So did he or didn't he - or she, for that matter - fool around? Wouldn't tell ya even if I'd figured it out myself. That I couldn't is both the curse and the perverse charm of this intriguing picture. It seems that, like in life, everything in "The Chambermaid" is relative. There are few constants. Except that the Cubs STILL won't win the World Series. - Merle Bertrand UNMADE BEDS (R) * * * Nicholas Barker's cinematic journal about four desperate singles prowling the personal ads in New York City is at once witty and deviously contrived. The personas, each saddled with their own set of dysfunctional flaws, goals and uproarious quirks, are morbidly engrossing. There's the voluptuous Italian bombshell with meretricious appeal, looking for a sugar-daddy, the diminutive forty-year-old, suffering from nice guys' disease, the sweetly rubenesque twenty-eight-year-old deathly afraid of turning thirty without a husband, and the fifty-four-year-old screenwriter (though he's never sold a script) who describes his apartment as a "sex palace" and insists, time after time, that he has, and never will date a "mutt." But for four emotionally starved people, Barker's cast of characters, are alarmingly selective and that's where the film begins to reveal its grandiloquent chicanery. "Unmade Beds" is seemingly a documentary, but it's not. It's not even a mockumentary, it's a scripted feature that extrapolates from its characters' real-life personalities. Sure, the film is gorgeously crafted, but for a staged act, one would expect something less banal and more sardonic. - Tom Meek ONE TOUGH COP (R) * * * Much in the same vein as Sidney Lumet's "Q&A" and "Serpico," this gritty crime-drama paints a stark portrait of a tough New York City police officer who bucks hypocrisy and conformity within his department. Stephen Baldwin plays the stubborn S.O.B. juiced up on self righteous integrity in order to solve the savage rape of a nun. Of course it doesn't hurt that he's childhood buddies with mobsters who lend their muscle (literally) to help crack the case. Then there's Baldwin's partner (Chris Penn), sauced on the booze and into the mob for a big gambling bill. The drama is flamable with tension, but when it's revealed --at the end -- that the events surrounding Baldwin's non- fictional cop, are made up by a team of writers, the film loses its teeth and its credibility. - Tom Meek DIY FILMMAKING: "War Stories from the Frontlines of Filmmaking" =========================================== Here we present another chapter in our continuing series focusing on the trials and tribulations of making independent films. These War Stories from filmmakers who slaved to get it done will tear at your heart and might even make you cry. (Not really, but it sounds good to say that.) Battle on indie filmmakers! Filmmakers Jason Markstrom (director, editor, camera operator, producer, actor), Rich Trice (writer, producer, actor), and Andy Boldt (actor, producer) got together and made a little film called "Dick Joke." This is their storyà INTERVIEW WITH: Jason Markstrom WHAT'S YOUR STORY? We were three students at Northern Michigan University facing graduation and we didn't want to have to get real jobs so we made a movie. Actually, I was a film student. Rich was, but he changed to secondary education. Andy started pre-med but graduated with a degree in computer systems. Apparently Northern is the only university in North America that confers such a degree, much to Andy's consternation at job interviews. I met Rich freshman year and Rich lived in the same hall as Andy. We all eventually ended up sharing a house together, the same house that we made the movie in. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT TITLE? I can't remember. I think we dared ourselves to call it that. Obviously we're going for the family audience. WHAT WAS YOUR BUDGET, SCHEDULE? We shot on Hi-8, so the biggest expense of the production was the box of tapes we used. We also had to pay for copying the script. We were lucky enough to have good friends that volunteered their time and acting. Very good friends. Our original schedule was to shoot it in a weekend, but the harsh mistress known as Reality sobered us up very quickly. We started in the fall of '97 but had to stop because we had defective tapes. We started again in the spring with extra pages. It ended up taking two weeks, most of which were night shoots. Luckily four of the actors lived in the house, myself included, which made it a lot easier. Editing took about two weeks. DID YOU SACRIFICE ANYTHING BECAUSE OF BUDGET? No, because we knew what we had and worked with it. The only thing I would have liked to add is music. One of the original ideas was that there was another friend that couldn't make it to the game because he got called in to work at a radio station. The other guys would listen and maybe make harassing phone calls. WHY DID YOU DO IT? The thought was that maybe somebody would pay us to make another movie, but I think the main reason was to prove to ourselves that we could do it. STATUS OF THE FILM? There are currently 50+ copies out in the world right now and we would like some feedback from people we don't know. "Dick Joke" was just submitted to The Detroit International Festival of Film. We'll probably search out more festivals that screen videos. We may also look into raising funds to remake it on film. ANY ADVICE OR PEARLS OF FILMMAKING WISDOM? To borrow a slogan, just do it. Also, make sure the sound is the best it can be and slate everything, even if it's somebody holding up a piece of paper. Keep track of everything to minimize lost shots. WHAT'S NEXT? We want to see what the reaction is and see what happens on the festival front. As I said, we are looking into a remake. We may also develop some of our other scripts and probably write more. To find out more, surf over to: http://www.execpc.com/~ajboldt/dickjoke.htm FILMMAKERS: Hey! How come my film isn't in this column?!! E-mail your tales to filmthreat@aol.com and answer the basic questions above. Send us a copy of your film on video and if it sounds cool, we'll run a story about your movie! Send VHS review copies to: Film Threat, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036 HATE MAIL "You like us. You really like us." =========================================== Send your ramblings to: FilmThreat@aol.com EVEN HIS OWN GIRLFRIEND IS PISSED AT HIM As you know I'm not usually one to complain about the content of your weekly mailings: but you should've edited this crap out, regardless of the author: (Six String) "Samurai" will be around for years to come with appeal to frat boys and stoners alike. (I know they're the same thing now, just humor me). It's one thing to say "All frat boys are stoners" which while it may be true, is very disturbing. Here you are implying that stoners and frat boys are synonymous. This is wrong, and you know it. You are doing a HUGE disservice to all of the stoners in this world, in associating them with frat boys. It is bad enough that the frat boys are entering the market-place, thereby raising the prices of herb out of the reach of many smokers, but to then add insult to injury by associating frat boys with the rest of the pot-smokers in the world, is really uncool. I want a retraction. Now, or I'll personally come to your house and beat it out of you. Hugs and kisses, - Bethie FILM THREAT LOVER I have been subscribing for about a year or so, I'm not sure exactly, what is time anyway? but I just wanted you to know, that I REALLY enjoy the Film Threat e-mails and really miss the magazine as well. I found a video store in Madison, WI called Video Heaven that actually stocked some of your Best of the New York Underground Film Festivals, and it was a "film treat" to actually see some of the films I had read about in Film Threat. Keep em comin' and hope to see the mag again sometime in the future! - Scott Novotne (Beefaroni3@aol.com) END CREDITS "Written, produced, and directed by . . ." =========================================== Publisher / Chris Gore Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares Contributors / Merle Bertrand, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron Wells Send us films, videos, CDs, games, screening passes: FILM THREAT, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Website: http://www.filmthreat.com Edress: FilmThreat@aol.com FILM THREAT WEEKLY is published by The Gore Group, LLC. All material ⌐ 1998 Gore Group Publications. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission of the author. You are, however, welcome to forward this e-mail to whomever you wish. All letters, comments and reviews sent to Film Threat Weekly in any manner are assumed intended for publication, unless stated otherwise. Your name and e-mail address will be printed if published herein. Not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Film Threat is now a proud part of the den: the daily entertainment network at http://www.theden.com Film Threat Weekly is distributed by ZENtertainment - http://www.zentertainment.com QUOTING FILM THREAT WEEKLY: Journalists, if you feel the need to quote Film Threat Weekly you MUST include the Film Threat url (http://www.filmthreat.com) so that readers can get more information. Otherwise you are NOT given permission to quote any material or contents contained herein. ADVERTISE: FILM THREAT MEDIA KIT =========================================== Reach over 60,000 film fanatics on the net. Indie filmmakers get a 50% discount! To get an e-media kit, e-mail filmthreat@aol.com. FILM THREAT WEEKLY TAKES OVER THE NET "Read FTW on other sites" =========================================== Read excerpts from Film Threat Weekly on the "All-Movie Guide" at http://www.allmovie.com Read excerpts from Film Threat Weekly on "Planet Direct" at http://www.planetdirect.com Read Film Threat Weekly on the "Internet Movie Database" at http://us.imdb.com/Threat/ Also read Film Threat Weekly on the "Hollywood IndieNetwork" at http://indienetwork.com/filmthreat/index.html Speak Italian? Read Film Threat Weekly translated into Italian at http://www.ottoemezzo.com FTW is also posted on a web site in the Philippines, Cyberville Online at http://www.cyberville-manila.com FILM THREAT "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" =========================================== Independent, Cult, Underground, Alternative Film, Hollywood Satire And No BS ==============CUT-AND-PRINT =============== [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerry Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: [MV] test Date: 05 Oct 1998 12:40:17 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01BDF05D.4E572280 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable test ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01BDF05D.4E572280 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>test</DIV> <DIV>~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I = could turn=20 and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand = and=20 look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their=20 condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do = not make=20 me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not = one=20 demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another = nor to=20 his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is = respectable or=20 unhappy over the whole=20 earth. &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 Walt=20 Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</DIV></BODY></= HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01BDF05D.4E572280-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Honwa Chau <nihonitchy@ibm.net> Subject: [MV] passing wind Date: 06 Oct 1998 00:30:08 +0900 Which farting scene was longer, the one in "Blazing Saddles" or the one in Eddie Murphy's "The Nutty Professor"? Of course Billy Barty passed wind throughout "Night Patrol." itchy [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/05/98 Date: 05 Oct 1998 11:42:09 -0600 (MDT) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The computer-animated comedy "Antz," featuring the voices of Woody Allen and Sharon Stone, opened at the top of the North American weekend box office, according to studio estimates released Sunday. The DreamWorks release earned about $16.8 million for the Friday-to-Sunday period, and braved competition from two other new wide releases and continued strength from holdovers. Opening in second was the afterlife romance "What Dreams May Come," starring Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr. It earned an estimated $16.1 million. "Rush Hour," "A Night at the Roxbury" and "Ronin" rounded out the top five. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Reuters) - To prepare for her new movie "Beloved," Oprah Winfrey tells TV Guide she had to live the pain the slaves felt so the "character could come through me." To accomplish that, Winfrey was blindfolded, given a different name and brought to the woods along a section of the Underground Railroad. When the blindfold came off Winfrey had to live for 24 hours like a slave trying to escape bondage. She said the experience was difficult. "They had this guy who was set up as a slave master who said, 'You're mine now,' and called me the n-word. And there was a moment when it all clicked, when I connected to the true meaning of slavery - it's just the stripping of one's humanity." -=> * <=- Roddy McDowall, a British actor who became a 1940s child film star in "How Green Was My Valley" and "Lassie Come Home" and as an adult proved a versatile performer in theater, TV and films that included "The Planet of the Apes," died Saturday after being diagnosed with cancer last April. He was 70. McDowall died at his home in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, said Dennis Osborne, a friend who cared for the actor in his final months. "It was very peaceful," Osborne said. "It was exactly the way he planned." McDowall's ashes were scattered over the Pacific Sunday. -=> * <=- * TEAMED: George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic and Universal Pictures, to produce an original computer-animated full-length flick based on the "Frankenstein" movies that made Universal rich nearly seven decades ago. The creature feature is expected to be released come summer 2000. No word yet on who'll grunt the Karloff role. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] passing wind Date: 05 Oct 1998 11:42:22 -0600 There was also the Assteroid scene in Flesh Gordon 2????? JKRUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Monday, October 05, 1998 9:30 AM Which farting scene was longer, the one in "Blazing Saddles" or the one in Eddie Murphy's "The Nutty Professor"? Of course Billy Barty passed wind throughout "Night Patrol." itchy [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com> Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#160, 10/5/98 Date: 05 Oct 1998 09:44:18 -0700 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #160 OCTOBER 5, 1998 PLEASE HELP... ...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive. I am undergoing a serious funding and resource crisis. You can help by renting or purchasing videos from Reel.com! Please visit: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html You can also help in other ways. Please visit: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/support.html Thank you very much. =>T H I S W E E K<= M O V I E S -_A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_ -_The_Impostors_ -_The_Mighty_ -_Slam_ -_What_Dreams_May_Come_ V I D E O -_Chinese_Box_ -_The_Object_of_My_Affection_ -_The_Spanish_Prisoner_ -_Twilight_ -_Two_Girls_and_a_Guy_ For links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie discussion board, movie theme MIDI files, and more, visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at: http://welcome.to/mrbrown or http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown Please don't forget to sign the guestbook... Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com ...and the Eyepiece Network at: http://www.eyepiece.com ...and Albany Online at: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com all movies graded out of four stars (****) ~~~ =>M O V I E S<= N E W R E L E A S E S Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_ (PG-13) 1/2* Two party guys bob their heads to Haddaway's dance hit "What Is Love?" while getting themselves into trouble in nightclub after nightclub. It's barely enough to sustain a three-minute _Saturday_Night_Live_ skit, but _SNL_ producer Lorne Michaels, _Clueless_ creator Amy Heckerling, and Paramount Pictures saw something in the late night television institution's recurring "Roxbury Guys" sketch that would presumably make a good feature. Emphasis on the word "presumably." _A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_ takes an already-thin concept and tediously stretches it far beyond the breaking point--and that of viewers' patience levels. The first five minutes or so of _Roxbury_ play very much like one of the original "Roxbury Guys" skits. With "What Is Love?" blaring on the soundtrack, the brotherly duo of Doug and Steve Butabi (Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell) bob their heads, scope out "hotties" at clubs, and then bump a select few with violent pelvic thrusts. There is one crucial difference, however--they guys speak. That little fact has been used as justification for the film's existence, that the Butabis' newfound capacity for speech would open up a whole new set of doors for the characters. The doors opened by director John Fortenberry and screenwriters Steve Koren, Ferrell, and Kattan are new, that's for sure, but they all lead to comic dead ends. There is no story per se, only a loosely structured and linked series of subplots. The brothers literally run into (or, rather, get run into, as in by car) Richard Grieco of _21_Jump_Street_ fame, and through him they gain entrance into the exclusive Roxbury club. There, they meet a hotshot club owner (Chazz Palminteri, conspicuously uncredited--can you blame him?), who takes an interest in an idea of theirs. Meanwhile, the bros' overbearing father (Dan Hedaya) wants them to stop clubbing. When Doug refuses and the dimwitted Steve obeys his father, a rift is created between the two. The narrative messiness of _Roxbury_ would have been forgivable if all that went on were the slightest bit funny, but virtually none of it is. The assembled press audience mostly sat stonily silent throughout the entire film, with the one big exception being a big laugh near the end. Alas, the joke--a rather lazy takeoff on _Jerry_Maguire_--will only strike a chord with people who have seen that film. Granted, a lot of people _have_ seen _Jerry_Maguire_, but the fact that the film's best joke is completely dependent on one's familiarity with another film says a lot about _Roxbury_'s lack of inspiration. That lack of inspiration can be traced back to the insipid characters themselves. Like too many of the skits on the current incarnation of _Saturday_Night_Live_, "The Roxbury Guys" is a one-joke sketch that never once suggests that the characters have enough comic life in them to survive outside of the sketch context. After watching one of the "Roxbury" skits on SNL, this is what you come away with from the characters: they bob their heads to "What Is Love?", bump unsuspecting women, and... that's all. After watching _A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_, you'll be left with exactly the same. IN BRIEF _The_Impostors_ (R) ** 1/2 The sophomore slump has hit actor-screenwriter-director Stanley Tucci with this flat farcical follow-up to his auspicious 1996 filmmaking debut, _Big_Night_ (which he co-helmed with Campbell Scott). Tucci and Oliver Platt play Arthur and Maurice, two starving actors in Depression-era New York who unwittingly stow away onto a Paris-bound oceanliner after being falsely accused of assault by a pompous Shakespearean hack-tor (Alfred Molina). In theory, _The_Impostors_ should come to life when Arthur and Maurice find themselves on the cruise ship (which, of course, has their accuser as one of the passengers). However, that's where the film goes downhill. The film is at its best in the early going, during which the acting-technique-obsessed Arthur and Maurice attempt to con their way to free food; a wordless opening credits sequence harkens back to the best silent comedy, and one hilarious scene in a bakery is, as it turns out, the film's premature highlight. The problem with the shipboard antics is that only a handful of the eccentric array of passengers hold interest. For every inspired character and performance, such as Steve Buscemi's suicidal cabaret singer and Campbell Scott's creepy German steward, there are duds like a faux French con couple (Richard Jenkins and Allison Janney) and a golddigging older woman (Dana Ivey). The terrific timing and rapport between Tucci and Platt keeps _The_Impostors_'s head above water, but just barely. _The_Mighty_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 Young Max Kane's (Elden Henson) life is made forever richer through his friendship with Kevin Dillon (Kieran Culkin), an intelligent boy with a growth defect. Sounds an awful lot like the recently released _Simon_Birch_, and for a while _The_Mighty_, based on Rodman Philbrick's novel _Freak_the_Mighty_, appears to be a more gimmicky version of the same story. In this film, both of the boys are outcasts; like Kevin, Max is also often pestered by bullies, but over his abnormally large size and a learning disability. United as one, with the diminutive Kevin perched atop Max's broad shoulders, the two set forth to do chivalrous deeds in the spirit of the legendary King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Yet as it progresses, the understated _The_Mighty_ makes a more profound emotional impact than the mawkish and manipulative _Simon_Birch_. Instead of relying on maudlin music cues and a barrage of heavy-handed dialogue spelling out how its elfin lead is destined to do great things, driector Peter Chelsom has faith enough in his script (written by Charles Leavitt) and his cast to allow them to strike emotional chords on their own--and the lead actors, in particular, succeed marvelously. Culkin proves to be a much greater talent than his has-been older brother in the showier of the two main roles, but the real discovery is Henson, whose performance is made all the more endearing and heartbreaking by its remarkable warmth and subtlety. A few false notes are hit: a subplot involving the unwelcome return of Max's felon father (James Gandolfini) is a needless distraction, and Sharon Stone and a barely recognizable Gillian Anderson try a bit too hard as, respectively, Kevin's caring mother and an alcoholic whose past is tied to Max's. Ultimately, though, it's _The_Mighty_'s overall of _not_ trying too hard that makes it a genuinely moving film and a likely word-of-mouth hit. (opens October 9) _Slam_ (R) **** Marc Levin's _Slam_ is a powder keg of a movie, exploding with emotional honesty and truth and the exuberant passion of raw young talent. It is an uplifting and exhilarating experience, a powerful work that deservedly won the Grand Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Newcomer Saul Williams plays Ray Joshua, a talented Washington, D.C. rapper/poet whose dealings in the drug biz land him in jail. There, given the choice of falling into the trap of violence or hone his gift, Ray chooses the latter, and with the help and love of prison writing teacher Lauren Bell (Sonja Sohn), he discovers the transcendent power of his words. The "finding oneself through art" premise isn't entirely original, but what makes _Slam_ such a triumph is the freshness of its voice. The first scene where Ray "slams," with the help of an inmate (Momulu Stewart) in the next cell, is dazzling in its sheer energy and percussive force. "Force" can also be used to describe Williams and Sohn, who are not only talented poets but charismatic screen presences and extraordinary actors. The two are downright electrifying; one highly charged confrontation in which she tries to convince him to own up to his past mistakes packs an overwhelming emotional potency. The same can be said of the entire film, which Williams has called--and rightfully so--"more of a movement than a movie." (opens October 16) _What_Dreams_May_Come_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 _What_Dreams_May_Come_ is, in the most literal sense, a "dream movie," a visionary exercise in the use of dreamlike imagery, which, in turn, helps create a sublime romantic fantasy. The centerpiece of the film is a breathtaking tour of the afterlife, which is taken by one Chris Nielsen (Robin Williams) after he dies in a car accident. But while his spirit is in heaven, Chris's soul remains with that of his soulmate, his emotionally fragile wife Annie (Annabella Sciorra), who had never fully recovered from the years-ago deaths, also by car accident, of their two children. _What_Dreams_May_Come_ is nothing short of a visual marvel. Eugenio Zanetti's production design, Eduardo Serra's cinematography, and the spectacular special effects supervised by Ellen M. Somers paint a wildly imaginative vision of the afterlife. This is quite literally the case in the scene where Chris first arrives in Heaven, which manifests itself in the form of one of Annie's paintings. It is perhaps the most visually ambitious scene in a film overflowing with visual invention, with Chris swimming in the still-wet paint and the backdrop remaining as two-dimensional as any canvas. But the film is much more than a showcase for the latest in filmmaking technology. As with his last film, 1993's astonishing _Map_of_the_Human_Heart_, director Vincent Ward taps into the very core of romantic yearning, coming up with an admittedly sappy but no less poignant tale of true, pure love. There are some powerful moments, most notably a scene where Annie, in a fit of anger and grief, attempts to destroy a painting which, unknown to her, Chris and his spiritual guide Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is inside. Of course, moments like those are carried over the top by the efforts of the actors. Williams, as always, is effortlessly likable, and he and Sciorra share a natural, magical chemistry. One has no trouble at all believing that these two are indeed soulmates, and, consequently, has no trouble falling under the film's entrancing spell. IN CURRENT RELEASE (full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs) -_Blade_ (R) *** <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#blade -_Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#clay -_Ever_After_ (PG-13) *** <MR#152, 7/30/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#everafter -_54_ (R) * 1/2 <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#54 -_How_Stella_Got_Her_Groove_Back_ (R) *** <MR#155, 8/20/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#stella -_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita -_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/6/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#wonderland -_One_True_Thing_ (R) *** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#1truething -_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#153, 8/7/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker -_Permanent_Midnight_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#midnight -_Ronin_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#ronin -_Rounders_ (R) *** <MR#157, 9/6/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rounders -_Rush_Hour_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rush -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan -_Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#simon -_Six-String_Samurai_ (PG-13) *** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#6string -_Slums_of_Beverly_Hills_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#155, 8/20/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#slums -_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary -_Urban_Legend_ (R) ** <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#urban -_Why_Do_Fools_Fall_in_Love_ (R) *** <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#fools -_Without_Limits_ (PG-13) *** <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits -_The_Young_Girls_of_Rochefort_(Les_Demoiselles_de_Rochefort)_ (G) *** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#demoiselles -_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#154, 8/13/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#friends O N T H E H O R I Z O N OPENED FRIDAY, 10/2 _Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#159, 9/25/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#antz Smartly written computer-animated insect comedy in which a worker (voice of Woody Allen) falls for a princess (Sharon Stone). Gene Hackman, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Lopez, and Danny Glover also provide voices. _Chicago_Cab_ (R) Gillian Anderson, John Cusack, and Julianne Moore are among those who steps in cabbie Paul Dillon's taxi in this adaptation of the play _Hellcab_. _Dee_Snider's_StrangeLand_ (R) Twisted Sister frontman Snider wrote, produced, and stars in this slasher flick in which he himself plays a cyberspace psycho. _The_Impostors_ (R) ** 1/2 <see above review> Stanley Tucci wrote, directed, and stars in this overstuffed Depression-era farce in which he and Oliver Platt play two on-the-run actors who take refuge on a cruise ship. _A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_ (PG-13) 1/2* <see above review> _Saturday_Night_Live_'s head-bobbing party guys (Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell) hit the big screen and fall flat on their faces. _What_Dreams_May_Come_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <see above review> Entrancing romantic fantasy about a man in heaven (Robin Williams) pining for still-living wife (Annabella Sciorra). Cuba Gooding Jr. also stars for director Vincent Ward. ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _Chinese_Box_ (R) ** Full review in MR#134, 3/13/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt30.html#chinesebox Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41037 Cold, uninvolving romance between a dying British journalist (Jeremy Irons) and a Chinese bar owner (Gong Li, in her English language debut), set against the backdrop of the Hong Kong turnover of July 1, 1997. (Trimark Home Video) _The_Object_of_My_Affection_ (R) *** Full review in MR#140, 4/30/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt33.html#affection Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41035 A pregnant woman (Jennifer Aniston) falls for her gay male best friend (Paul Rudd) in this sensitive, touching comedy-drama. (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) _The_Spanish_Prisoner_ (PG) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#prisoner Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41007 David Mamet wrote and directed this sleek, precise puzzle of a mystery thriller, in which an everyman (Campbell Scott) finds himself in the middle of a dizzying web of doublecrosses and deceit. Steve Martin is quite effective as a seemingly helpful stranger. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) _Twilight_ (R) ** Full review in MR#132, 2/27/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt29.html#twilight Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40958 Boring, predictable mystery in which a beyond-middle-aged ex-gumshoe (Paul Newman) unravels a mystery surrounding his best friends (Gene Hackman and Susan Sarandon). (Paramount Home Video) _Two_Girls_and_a_Guy_ (R/NC-17) ** Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#2girls Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41042 This tiresome gabfest between two women (Heather Graham and Natasha Gregson Wagner) and the man (Robert Downey Jr.) who has been romancing them simultaneously is neither as bold nor as insightful as writer-director James Toback thinks it is. An NC-17 version, which restores some footage from a rather gratuitous sex scene, is available alongside the R-rated theatrical version. (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) A L S O N E W T H I S W E E K _Mrs._Dalloway_ (PG-13) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40931 Adaptation of the Virginia Woolf novel in which the titular character (Vanessa Redgrave) reminisces about her youth. Natascha McElhone stars as the young Mrs. Dalloway. (BMG Independents) _Paulie_ (PG) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41040 DreamWorks scored a midsize hit with this family film following a talking parrot (voice of Jay Mohr) who goes on a cross-country journey. (DreamWorks) ~~~ =>T H U R S D A Y<= More reviews, including: -_Apt_Pupil_ -_Holy_Man_ 'til then... __________________________________________________________ Michael Dequina Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site http://jordan.sportsline.com mj23@michaeljordanfan.com | jordan_host@sportsmail.com michael_jordan@geocities.com | mrbrown@iname.com >My personal WWW sites< Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23 Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md >Other WWW sites I work on< CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com "Life is knowing the toughest competition you ever face is yourself." --Michael Jordan __________________________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: THE IMPOSTORS Date: 05 Oct 1998 16:33:32 -0600 (MDT) THE IMPOSTORS (Fox Searchlight) Starring: Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt, Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, Campbell Scott, Lili Taylor, Steve Buscemi, Hope Davis. Screenplay: Stanley Tucci. Producers: Beth Alexander and Stanley Tucci. Director: Stanley Tucci. MPAA Rating: R (profanity, adult themes, sexual situations) Running Time: 102 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. It has long been one of my most closely-held dramatic axioms that there is no middle ground when it comes to the execution of farce. Either a writer and director get it, or they don't. If they get it, the result is exhilarating comic brilliance. If they don't get it, the result is nearly unendurable. And never, I believed, could the twain meet. Another false dichotomy bites the dust. Writer/director Stanley Tucci's THE IMPOSTORS is old-fashioned farce that floats along amusingly, yet only occasionally hits the high notes that turn chuckles into gut-busters. Tucci and Oliver Platt star as a pair of struggling 1930s actors named Arthur and Maurice who, through a tortuous series of events, end up as inadvertent stowaways on the luxury liner U.S.S. Intercontinental. They've been pursued and accused of assault by egomaniacal thespian Jeremy Burtom (Alfred Molina) -- who also turns out to be a passenger on the ship -- but Burtom becomes the least of their worries. A pair of con artists (Richard Jenkins and Allison Janney) plot to seduce and kill two wealthy passengers, the first mate (Tony Shalhoub) plots to blow up the ship as a political statement, and an ambiguously sexual tennis pro (Billy Connolly) plots to make Maurice his "savage gypsy lover." It's a classic screwball farce set-up, which Tucci cleverly chooses to place in the classic screwball farce era of the 1930s. Opening with a great bit of pantomime accompanying the opening credits, Tucci establishes Arthur and Maurice as protagonists in the mold of the classic silent film comedians -- lovable losers, not above a bit of duplicity if it suits their purposes, yet ultimately heroic (and, in particular, chivalric). The pre-shipboard scenes, though little more than isolated comedy sketches, do a nice job of showing the chemistry between the two. By the time the Intercontinental hits the open sea, Tucci and Platt's starving, utterly sincere artistes have generated plenty of good will. I was ready for THE IMPOSTORS to soar once Arthur and Maurice began dashing from stateroom to stateroom; instead, it levels off at a pleasant cruising altitude. Tucci populates the ship with plenty of goofy characters -- a fascistic head steward (Campbell Scott), a suicidal entertainer incongruously named Happy (Steve Buscemi), a wallflower heiress (Hope Davis), a deposed monarch-in-hiding (Isabella Rossellini) -- clearly intended to make Arthur and Maurice look like the sane ones in a sea of chaos. Yet he doesn't allow these characters to function in scenes that build comic momentum. Tucci's gags are mostly of the hit-and-run variety. While there are a few admittedly hilarious ones, they seem like wasted opportunities to do what great farce does best: have each comic moment draw from the previous comic moment, and lead into the next comic moment, in a hysterically unstoppable domino effect. Those missed opportunities are most evident when Tucci _does_ allow a scene to build momentum. In one brilliantly unpredictable moment, Maurice hides under the bed while foreign radical Shalhoub radios his superiors, the sub-title translations for Shalhoub's dialogue becoming an ever-more-bizarre bit of business. In a later scene, a tracking shot through the ship's dance floor eventually catches Rossellini, who quickly hides her face from the camera. Such fourth wall-breaking captures farce at its anything-for-a-laugh finest. More often, Tucci goes for the gentle touch which worked so well in BIG NIGHT. As frisky and unpretentious a comedy as THE IMPOSTORS is, it traffics in an unnecessarily restrained level of lunacy. Tucci's spin on MONKEY BUSINESS has plenty of funny business, but it doesn't let anarchy reign quite as often as it should. It's that rarest of comedic animals: the merely-good farce. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 farce sides: 7. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Honwa Chau <nihonitchy@ibm.net> Subject: [MV] Flesh Gordon Date: 07 Oct 1998 00:07:18 +0900 Did "Flesh Gordon 2" feature a scene where Flesh had to have sex with a chicken in order to supply power to a spaceship? It took a genius to write a scenario like that. itchy [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Flesh Gordon Date: 06 Oct 1998 09:30:34 -0600 Yes, it was the drive that was powered by the harnessed energy of sex. "One day people will be able to screw their way across the galaxy." Do you remember what Flesh says after doing that deed? He's spitting feathers out of his mouth as he says, "That wasn't that bad." Pure Genius, JKRUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 1998 9:07 AM Did "Flesh Gordon 2" feature a scene where Flesh had to have sex with a chicken in order to supply power to a spaceship? It took a genius to write a scenario like that. itchy [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/06/98 Date: 06 Oct 1998 11:29:11 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - DreamWorks' "Antz" marched off with an impressive $16.8 million opening, leading a surprisingly robust October box office weekend to a nearly $90 million finish. Also exceeding expectations was Polygram Films' costly Robin Williams-starrer "What Dreams May Come," which landed in second place with a studio-estimated $16.1 million. The two newcomers nudged New Line's action comedy hit "Rush Hour" into third place after two consecutive weeks at No. 1. Off just 29% to $15 million, the picture has kicked up $84.6 million to-date. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Ben Stiller, who appeared in three movies this summer, has been hired to star in "Mystery Men," an offbeat comedy about loser superheroes. The Universal project begins production Oct. 21 in Los Angeles, with commercials director Kinka Usher helming from an adaptation of Bob Burden's comic book. Stiller will play Mr. Furious, the angriest and craziest of a band of self-proclaimed superheroes. Fueled by a rage that stems from his parents' neglect, Furious and his not-so-super mates, Blue Raja (Hank Azaria) and the Shoveler, band to fight their archenemy, Casanova Frankenstein, played by Geoffrey Rush. -=> * <=- * DIED: British actor Marius Goring, best known as Moira Shearer's love interest in the 1948 dance film "The Red Shoes," Sept. 30, at his home in West Sussex, England, of cancer. He was 86. [<=- Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead -=>] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 10/06/98 Date: 06 Oct 1998 17:05:35 -0600 (MDT) The first Star Wars prequel finally has a name: Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace. The title was announced September 25 on the official Star Wars Web site. As previously announced, the film will open in North America on May 21, 1999. -=> * <=- Dimension Films and Edward Pressman Film Corp. are teaming up for The Crow: Salvation, the third installment in the popular Crow movie franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Bharat Nalluri (Killing Time and Down Time) will direct the movie from a screenplay written by Millennium scribe Chip Johannessen, based on a story developed by Matt Greenberg. The film will focus on a 20-year-old man who is sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit. The man returns to life as a supernatural hero called the Crow in order to seek vengeance on those who wronged him. Salvation replaces the now-defunct film The Crow 2037, which was to have been written and directed by White Zombie lead singer Rob Zombie. Salvation is expected to begin shooting in February for a late 1999 release. -=> * <=- The on-again off-again Warner Bros. film Superman Lives is on once again, at least according to a report by Variety columnist Michael Fleming. Fleming says the movie, which was canceled due to an escalating budget and script woes, has been revived thanks to a new screenplay by Dan Gilroy. Gilroy has apparently managed to keep the budget of Superman Lives down while playing up the characters, something that has given both Warner executives and would-be Superman Nicolas Cage new faith in the project. Fleming reports that Cage is eager to appear in the film, but there's no word if Tim Burton is still interested in directing. -=> * <=- Gore Verbinski, the former commercial director who helmed the DreamWorks flick Mouse Hunt, will reportedly be going behind the cameras for Disney's upcoming big-budget SF film Mission to Mars. The movie is based on an idea by writer David Goyer and producer Tom Jacobson. Mission focuses on two manned flights to Mars, the first a research and exploration voyage where something goes drastically wrong. The second is a rescue mission sent to pick up the survivors of the first and determine what went wrong. -=> * <=- The Mask of Zorro co-star Catherine Zeta-Jones is in talks with DreamWorks to appear in the upcoming supernatural thriller The Haunting of Hill House, according to Variety. Zeta-Jones would play the role of Theo in the film, which is based on the Shirley Jackson novel of the same name. Liam Neeson and Lili Taylor are also attached to star in Hill House, which focuses on a research team sent to investigate whether ghosts inhabit a supposedly haunted house. The film is being directed by Jan De Bont and is tentatively scheduled for a Christmas 1999 release. Jackson's Hill House novel was also the basis for the 1963 movie The Haunting, directed by Robert Wise. -=> * <=- Rod Steiger, who earned both an Oscar and a Golden Globe award for acting, is in talks to star opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in the supernatural movie End of Days, according to Variety. The film was scripted by Andrew Marlowe (Air Force One) and takes place around the turn of the millennium, when Satan pays a visit to New York. End of Days will mark the feature film directorial debut for Marcus Nispel, who previously made a name for himself in the music video industry. SF fans may remember Steiger from his appearance in Mars Attacks! as General Decker. -=> * <=- The DreamWorks/Paramount film Deep Impact picked up $5.1 million dollars in China during the last month, pushing its overseas gross over the $200 million mark, according to Variety. The comet-strikes-Earth flick was especially popular with Japanese audiences, earning $44.6 million during its stay in the Land of the Rising Sun. Deep Impact also performed well in Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Spain, and Italy, although it apparently didn't strike the fancy of French moviegoers. As previously reported, the film earned a sizable $140 million during its North American run. -=> * <=- Universal Pictures is moving ahead with plans to create a computer animated feature film that picks up where the 1931 movie Frankenstein--starring Boris Karloff--left off, according to published reports. George Lucas' special ffects company Industrial Light and Magic will handle the CGI work for the film, which is scheduled for a summer 2000 release. According to The Hollywood Reporter, ILM visual effects supervisor Dave Carson and writer Brent Maddock will direct the picture from a screenplay written by Maddock and S.S. Wilson. The film reportedly focuses on Dr. Pretorious, an eccentric scientist searching for the electrodes that were implanted in the neck of Frankenstein's monster some 40 years ago. -=> * <=- Wolfmill Entertainment, creator of the successful new animated series Pocket Dragon Adventures, has acquired the media rights to Warp Graphics' long-running comic book series Elfquest. Wolfmill co-founder Craig Miller said his company plans to produce both an animated feature film and an animated TV series based on the comic, in a joint venture with Elfquest creators Richard and Wendy Pini. The Pinis, a husband and wife team, published the first Elfquest comic book 20 years ago and are still producing new issues today. The series focuses on a group of warrior elves called The Wolfriders--small in stature but huge in courage--who face a variety of dangers as they attempt to fulfill their quest of finding other tribes like their own and discovering the secret of their past. -=> * <=- Hudson Leick, best known to SF fans for her role as Callisto on Xena: Warrior Princess, has joined the semi-science-fictional movie Chill Factor, according to Variety. The film stars Skeet Ulrich and Cuba Gooding Jr. as two men who must keep a deadly substance chilled below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Hugh Johnson is directing Chill based on a script by Mike Cheda and Drew Gitlin. Peter Firth and David Paymer have also agreed to appear in the movie. Both Firth and Paymer can be seen in Disney's upcoming feature Mighty Joe Young. -=> * <=- Universal and Imagine Films are reportedly interested in hiring the writing duo of Peter Seaman and Jeffrey Price to script the live-action feature film of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Seamen and Price have previously written scripts for films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the upcoming The Wild, Wild the West. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] What Dreams May Come, * 1/2 (out of 4) Date: 07 Oct 1998 12:10:57 -0600 (MDT) Review by Gregory A. Swarthout Stars: Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., Annabella Sciorra, Max von Sydow. Written by Ronald Bass. Directed by Vincent Ward. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving death, some disturbing images and language. Chris Nielsen (Robin Williams) dies in an auto accident and, after roaming the earth for a few days, wakes up in heaven. His vision of heaven, a favorite painting by his artist wife Annie (Annabella Sciorra), becomes reality for him. Soon a guide named Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.) shows up to help Chris understand what heaven offers and how he can use his world- creating powers. Annie, having lost her children to another auto accident four years earlier, becomes inconsolable at the loss of her husband and so commits suicide. Since she took her own life, she is sent to hell, leaving Chris without a chance to be with her eternally. But because they are soul mates, Chris braves a visit to the nether regions in order to see his beloved one last time. "What Dreams May Come" is a near-perfect example of style over substance. The film features astounding, creative visuals, but lacks the emotion one would expect from a romantic drama. That it is slow and dull is just its most obvious problem. The filmmakers have turned heaven into a colorful but dreary place where souls interact with odd detachment, if they choose to interact at all. Hell is actually presented better, putting to good use the despair that seems to permeate both realms. Told mainly in intrusive flashbacks, "What Dreams May Come" is more tiring than inspiring. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/07/98 Date: 07 Oct 1998 13:52:33 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - When the dust cleared Monday, "Antz" was still the king (or queen) of the weekend anthill - and by an even wider margin than originally projected. The DreamWorks computer-animated insect picture grossed a hefty $17.2 million, $400,000 more than the studio's Sunday estimate. It easily clinched the record for an October opening, besting the $16.6 million debut of "Stargate" in 1994. Meanwhile, Polygram revised its figure downward for No. 2 opener "What Dreams May Come" by $300,000 to $15.8 million. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Variety) - "The Impostors" stole the top slot on the weekend's exclusives roster of limited release movies playing in New York and Los Angeles. Actor/writer/director Stanley Tucci's Depression-era comedy about two actors-turned-stowaways sailed away with $95,221 on seven ocean liners in Gotham and L.A. during its first outing. "Pecker" remained No. 2 in its second weekend. John Waters' comedy about a Baltimore photographer who snubs the New York art world posed for $68,500 in seven studios on both coasts. Last weekend's No. 1, "Clay Pigeons," was the third most popular limited-release picture. The Vince Vaughn starrer rang up $58,299 on eight screens in New York and L.A. Newcomers included "Strangeland," which scared up $19,078 on six sites. -=> * <=- While his primary focus is centered on preparing to direct "Fahrenheit 451" for Warner Bros. in May, Mel Gibson may first take a starring role in "The Million Dollar Hotel" for German director Wim Wenders, says Variety. In his biggest play against vanity since "The Man Without a Face," Gibson might shave his head for the role, which he shoots in January. "Hotel" stars Jeremy Davies ("Saving Private Ryan") and Milla Jovovich as two misfits in a seedy hotel whose lives are turned upside down by a badgering detective (Mel) trying to solve a possible murder. -=> * <=- * DIED: Bruce Williamson, 71, the Noel Coward of American film critics, of cardiac arrest, Tuesday, in New York. As a critic for TIME Magazine in the 1960s and then, for the next 31 years (until this fall), for Playboy, Williamson combined grace, cogency and wit in his writing, helped forward the career of Kim Basinger (by convincing her to pose for Playboy) and finessed Brigitte Nielson's introduction to Sylvester Stallone. A great guy. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: [MV] Mercury Rising Date: 08 Oct 1998 12:41:57 -0600 Where is everybody today? I saw Mercury Rising the other day on video. I loved it, but I had never heard of it before until just the other day so obviously a lot of people hated it. I'd like to hear any opinions you may have on it. I also saw Wild Things. This might be a slight spoiler, but my wife thinks that Kevin Bacon was the executive producer just so he could have his penis revealed on the big screen. Personally I think well why not, they've been showing female full frontal nudity for years. JKRUDY [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: [MV] is it possible Date: 08 Oct 1998 11:37:36 -0700 That we've seen everything already? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] is it possible Date: 08 Oct 1998 12:49:08 -0600 That would mean that we would have to move on to discussing popular poetry or something along those lines. JKRUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 12:38 PM That we've seen everything already? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising Date: 08 Oct 1998 14:08:15 PDT --- On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 12:41:57 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> wrote: >I saw Mercury Rising the other day on video. I loved it, but I had never >heard of it before until just the other day so obviously a lot of people >hated it. I'd like to hear any opinions you may have on it. I saw this in the theater. i liked it allright, but I was not all that impressed by it. I couldn't tell if it was an action film or a suspense drama. How many times to we get to see Bruce Willis with that strained constipation face as he jumps of something speeding or exploding. I also expected to see more of Alec baldwin... you gotta love him in a role like this. And, I tended to feel that a lot of the personal aspects of his relationship with the boy were just emotional manipulation much to reminiscent (sp?) of Rain Man. Those things said, I did relatively like it.. not too bored with it. Good rental choice. >I also saw Wild Things. This might be a slight spoiler, but my wife thinks >that Kevin Bacon was the executive producer just so he could have his penis >revealed on the big screen. Personally I think well why not, they've been >showing female full frontal nudity for years. >JKRUDY I had heard that they had shot the scene many times, and it just happened that in the best take, he turned a little faster than anticipated. They SAY they didn't plan that....... At some point, it became known just how much had been shown when in post production, and he himself said that they would have taken that out for him, but he said he had nothing in his contract about full frontal nudity or some such thing, and he seemed to me to get a hoot out of having that in there; so he told them to leave it... Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Ra Date: 08 Oct 1998 13:23:49 -0600 Also with Wild Things, I would have thought the 3-way sex scene would have merited a NC-17 rating. What is this world coming too? I mean I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it. In fact I enjoyed it all 4 times I watched that particular scene (LOL), I'm just commenting on the rapid decline of sexual morality in films, and how something that is rated R today would have been rated X tens years ago. Another example is I read where they are re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with originally edited out scenes that made the movie rated X at first but which once removed they rated it R, now years later the scenes are put back in and it's still R. One of the scenes apparently has Linda Blair peeing in her own face and drinking it. That still sounds X to me, how 'bout you? JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:08 PM --- On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 12:41:57 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> wrote: >I saw Mercury Rising the other day on video. I loved it, but I had never >heard of it before until just the other day so obviously a lot of people >hated it. I'd like to hear any opinions you may have on it. I saw this in the theater. i liked it allright, but I was not all that impressed by it. I couldn't tell if it was an action film or a suspense drama. How many times to we get to see Bruce Willis with that strained constipation face as he jumps of something speeding or exploding. I also expected to see more of Alec baldwin... you gotta love him in a role like this. And, I tended to feel that a lot of the personal aspects of his relationship with the boy were just emotional manipulation much to reminiscent (sp?) of Rain Man. Those things said, I did relatively like it.. not too bored with it. Good rental choice. >I also saw Wild Things. This might be a slight spoiler, but my wife thinks >that Kevin Bacon was the executive producer just so he could have his penis >revealed on the big screen. Personally I think well why not, they've been >showing female full frontal nudity for years. >JKRUDY I had heard that they had shot the scene many times, and it just happened that in the best take, he turned a little faster than anticipated. They SAY they didn't plan that....... At some point, it became known just how much had been shown when in post production, and he himself said that they would have taken that out for him, but he said he had nothing in his contract about full frontal nudity or some such thing, and he seemed to me to get a hoot out of having that in there; so he told them to leave it... Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Ra ting system. Date: 08 Oct 1998 14:40:23 PDT --- On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 13:23:49 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> wrote: >Also with Wild Things, I would have thought the 3-way sex scene would have >merited a NC-17 rating. What is this world coming too? I mean I'm not >saying I didn't enjoy it. In fact I enjoyed it all 4 times I watched that >particular scene (LOL), I'm just commenting on the rapid decline of sexual >morality in films, and how something that is rated R today would have been >rated X tens years ago. Another example is I read where they are >re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with originally edited out scenes >that made the movie rated X at first but which once removed they rated it R, >now years later the scenes are put back in and it's still R. One of the >scenes apparently has Linda Blair peeing in her own face and drinking it. >That still sounds X to me, how 'bout you? > >JAMES K. RUDY That sounds bizzare to me. I don't see who would want to see that who hasn't already seen the original as it is, especially in theaters. It's like with Last Tango in Paris.... very big deal and extremely shocking 26 years ago... Today.. not a very big controversial matter. Similar with the view on Midnight Cowboy years ago.. Interesting comment on the decline. Wade -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:08 PM --- On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 12:41:57 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> wrote: >I saw Mercury Rising the other day on video. I loved it, but I had never >heard of it before until just the other day so obviously a lot of people >hated it. I'd like to hear any opinions you may have on it. I saw this in the theater. i liked it allright, but I was not all that impressed by it. I couldn't tell if it was an action film or a suspense drama. How many times to we get to see Bruce Willis with that strained constipation face as he jumps of something speeding or exploding. I also expected to see more of Alec baldwin... you gotta love him in a role like this. And, I tended to feel that a lot of the personal aspects of his relationship with the boy were just emotional manipulation much to reminiscent (sp?) of Rain Man. Those things said, I did relatively like it.. not too bored with it. Good rental choice. >I also saw Wild Things. This might be a slight spoiler, but my wife thinks >that Kevin Bacon was the executive producer just so he could have his penis >revealed on the big screen. Personally I think well why not, they've been >showing female full frontal nudity for years. >JKRUDY I had heard that they had shot the scene many times, and it just happened that in the best take, he turned a little faster than anticipated. They SAY they didn't plan that....... At some point, it became known just how much had been shown when in post production, and he himself said that they would have taken that out for him, but he said he had nothing in his contract about full frontal nudity or some such thing, and he seemed to me to get a hoot out of having that in there; so he told them to leave it... Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com> Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#161, 10/8/98 Date: 08 Oct 1998 12:29:30 -0700 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #161 OCTOBER 8, 1998 PLEASE HELP... ...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive. I am undergoing a serious funding and resource crisis. You can help by renting or purchasing videos from Reel.com! Please visit: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html You can also help in other ways. _Please_ visit: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/support.html Thank you very much. =>T H I S W E E K<= M O V I E S -_Apt_Pupil_ -_Reach_the_Rock_ V I D E O -_Lost_in_Space_ -_A_Perfect_Murder_ For links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie discussion board, movie theme MIDI files, and more, visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at: http://welcome.to/mrbrown or http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown Please don't forget to sign the guestbook... Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com ...and the Eyepiece Network at: http://www.eyepiece.com ...and Albany Online at: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com all movies graded out of four stars (****) ~~~ =>M O V I E S<= N E W R E L E A S E S _Apt_Pupil_ (R) *** 1/2 Bryan Singer's adaptation of the the Stephen King novella _Apt_Pupil_ opens with images one would associate with such a title. A high school student receives an "A" on a paper and then shuttles off to the library, immersing himself in research as the opening titles unspool. As this dark, often disturbing psychological thriller progresses, the title's meaning remains the same, except it gradually takes on a much more sinister perspective. The apt pupil seen at the opening of the film is 16-year-old high school student Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro), whose intense extracurricular research on the Holocaust leads him to discover that one Arthur Denker (Ian McKellen), an old man whom he has seen around town, is really Nazi war criminal-in-hiding Kurt Dussander. But instead of turning him in, Todd proposes an odd exchange: his silence in return for Dussander's first-hand accounts of wartime atrocities. Of course, dredging up the past brings to the surface Dussander's fascist tendencies, but _Apt_Pupil_ goes one step further in that the stories bring forth Todd's capacity for evil as well; it is this psychological seduction that lends the film a queasy fascination. Singer and screenwriter Brandon Boyce also go against the populist Hollywood grain by boldly making the already fairly unsympathetic characters _moreso_ as the film goes on. While the absence of a likable lead character will certainly off-put many moviegoers, and one contrived plot development is a bit hard to swallow, audiences are nonetheless more than likely to remain riveted by Renfro and McKellen's dead-on performances. Renfro's evolution from curious adolescent to hateful manipulator is unsettlingly believable while McKellen, speaking with a perfect German accent, gives Dussander an air of quiet majesty that is as frightening as it is deceiving. While he heavily uses quick cuts and horrifying imagery, Singer admirably eschews easy "shock" gimmicks to jolt the audience out their seats. Instead, he appears more concerned with the collective effect of a variety shocks, visual and otherwise, on the viewer's psyche. As such, _Apt_Pupil_ gets under the skin like few thrillers do. A mad slasher with an axe does not necessarily constitute a successful frightfest; what does is the feeling of terror that comes with being pursued by such a force of evil. _Apt_Pupil_'s primary force of evil may be axe-less and of poor physical health, but his--and the film's--subtle brand of cerebral terror cuts sharper and deeper than anything found in a more conventional horror movie. (opens October 23) IN BRIEF _Reach_the_Rock_ (R) * 1/2 "An intimate, character-driven drama about a troubled youth at a crossroads in his life," read the press notes for _Reach_the_Rock_. I'm not really sure what film that statement is describing because those words bear little resemblance to the slow, completely uninvolving bore I saw--at least, it certainly does not describe what goes on for most of the film. Alessandro Nivola plays Robin Fleming, a troubled, directionless 21-year-old who has a penchant for breaking storefront windows in a small town. Police sergeant Phil Quinn (William Sadler) takes him in, and what ensues for the first 70 minutes is a tedious series of sneak-outs and sneak-ins where Robin slips out of his jail cell, breaks a window, then returns, all without Quinn ever noticing. Also added to the pointless proceedings is some would-be humorous shenanigans involving Quinn's dimwitted deputy Ernie attempting to engage in clandestine patrol car sex with his girlfriend Donna (Karen Sillas). With a half hour (if even that long) remaining, director William Ryan and writer John Hughes (yes, John Hughes of '80s youth films and _Home_Alone_) finally approach something close to a point. Turns out Robin still pines for his high school sweetheart Lise (Brooke Langton), who has long gone on with her life, and Hughes's main concern at long last reveals itself as a tired "live in the present and for the future" message. Most moviegoers, however, will likely be asleep by that time. Wide awake, however, is the cast, who individually tackle their showcase dramatic scenes with energy and skill--thus revealing the _real_ purpose behind this listless enterprise: to serve as a series of acting exercises. Such a glorified workshop may have its rewards for the actors, but it leaves audiences with a booby prize. (opens October 16) 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) -_Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#antz -_Blade_ (R) *** <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#blade -_Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#clay -_Ever_After_ (PG-13) *** <MR#152, 7/30/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#everafter -_The_Impostors_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#impostors -_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita -_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/6/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#wonderland -_A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_ (PG-13) 1/2* <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#roxbury -_One_True_Thing_ (R) *** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#1truething -_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#153, 8/7/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker -_Permanent_Midnight_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#midnight -_Ronin_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#ronin -_Rounders_ (R) *** <MR#157, 9/6/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rounders -_Rush_Hour_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rush -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan -_Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#simon -_Six-String_Samurai_ (PG-13) *** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#6string -_Slums_of_Beverly_Hills_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#155, 8/20/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#slums -_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary -_Urban_Legend_ (R) ** <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#urban -_What_Dreams_May_Come_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#dreams -_Without_Limits_ (PG-13) *** <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits -_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#154, 8/13/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#friends F U T U R E F I L M S -_Slam_ (R) **** <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#slam (October 16) O N T H E H O R I Z O N FRIDAY _Bad_Manners_ (R) Adaptation of the play _Ghost_in_the_Machine_, in which the psychological relations between two couples continually shift over a tense weekend in New England. David Strathairn, Bonnie Bedelia, Caroleen Feeney, and Saul Rubinek star for director Jonathan Kaufer and screenwriter David Gilman, adapting his own play. _Detroit_9000_ (R) The latest nugget to be unearthed from Rolling Thunder's film vaults is this 1973 blaxploitation flick in which a white cop (Alex Rocco) and a black cop (Hari Rhodes) are paired to solve a crime that brings Detroit's race relations to a boiling point. _Hit_Me_ (R) Adaptation of the Jim Thompson novel _A_Swell-Looking_Babe_, in which a bellhop (Elias Koteas) gets caught up in the noirish affairs of a femme fatale (Laure Marsac). _Holy_Man_ (PG) A televangelist (Eddie Murphy) enters the home shopping biz in this comedy. Jeff Goldblum and Kelly Preston also star for all-purpose Disney director Stephen Herek. _Love_Is_the_Devil_ The destructive relationship between English painter Francis Bacon (Derek Jacobi) and crook George Dyer (Daniel Craig) is the centerpiece of writer-director John Maybury's historical drama. _The_Mighty_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#160, 10/5/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#mighty Moving, understated drama about the life-changing friendship between two young outcasts (Elden Henson and Kieran Culkin). Sharon Stone, Gena Rowlands, Harry Dean Stanton, and Gillian Anderson round out the ensemble cast. _One_Tough_Cop_ (R) Bruno Barreto directed this gritty crime drama about a cop's (Stephen Baldwin) relationship with his partner (Chris Penn) and his mafioso best friend (Mike McGlone). ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _Lost_in_Space_ (PG-13) * Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#lost Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41011 Dreadful big-screen adaptation of the cult 1960s sci-fi series, cluelessly written by Akiva Goldsman and clumsily directed by Stephen Hopkins. Only Gary Oldman stands out in an otherwise bored-loooking cast that also includes William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham, Matt LeBlanc, and Lacey Chabert. (New Line Home Video) _A_Perfect_Murder_ (R) ** 1/2 Full review in MR#145, 6/4/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#murder Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41511 Andrew Davis's just-OK reworking of Alfred Hitchcock's _Dial_M_for_Murder_, in which a wealthy industrialist (Michael Douglas) his wife's (Gwyneth Paltrow) lover (Viggo Mortensen) to kill her. (Warner Home Video) A L S O N E W T H I S W E E K _Character_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40992 This year's winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar was Mike Van Diem's period drama from the Netherlands about a young man's turbulent relationship with his father. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) ~~~ =>N E X T W E E K<= More reviews, including: -_American_History_X_ -_Beloved_ -_Holy_Man_ (postponed from this week) -_Pleasantville_ -_Practical_Magic_ 'til then... __________________________________________________________ Michael Dequina Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site http://jordan.sportsline.com mj23@michaeljordanfan.com | jordan_host@sportsmail.com michael_jordan@geocities.com | mrbrown@iname.com >My personal WWW sites< Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23 Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md >Other WWW sites I work on< CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com "Life is knowing the toughest competition you ever face is yourself." --Michael Jordan __________________________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/08/98 Date: 08 Oct 1998 14:59:43 -0600 (MDT) DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - American director Steven Spielberg's anti-war film "Saving Private Ryan" left a German sneak preview audience in stunned silence Wednesday ahead of its nationwide release Thursday. A crowd of 400 German business and cultural leaders watching an advance screening with U.S. Ambassador John Kornblum was left momentarily speechless by the film with its graphic scenes of Germans fighting Americans in World War II. "It's a horrible and exhausting film for me because it has brought back so many memories of bombs and screams of pain," said Thomas Sturzena, 59. a toothpaste company executive who sat motionless for minutes after the film ended. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net> Subject: Re: [MV] is it possible Date: 08 Oct 1998 15:17:43 -0400 At 11.37 AM 08/10/98 -0700, Romero, Leticia wrote: >That we've seen everything already? Nope. And even if we did, there is always more on the horizon. And some of it actually looks promising. Saw ANTZ yesterday. Had its moments. I will write it up (as well as some I've seen on video) as soon as I get some time. Regards, --Mel --Mel Eperthener president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty email: bcassidy@usaor.net gowanna@australiamail.com http://www.webz.com/gowanna 419 Butler Street PO Box 95184 Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 (412) 781-6140 (412) 781-6380 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE (1-888-454-6926) ____________________________________________ "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" --Dana Scully ______________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising, ANTZ, Wild Things Date: 08 Oct 1998 15:48:09 -0400 At 12.41 PM 08/10/98 -0600, jkrudy wrote: >Where is everybody today? > >I saw Mercury Rising the other day on video. I loved it, but I had never >heard of it before until just the other day so obviously a lot of people >hated it. I'd like to hear any opinions you may have on it. > I thought it was servicable. Been done before, but I didn't feel my time watching it was wasted (like it was with, say, Speed 2). Had some good scenes, and the actors performed as they were expected to (in other words, we got what we normally get from Baldwin and Willis. Which is not really a bad thing). However, it reminded me of just about every other movie out there right now, government conspiracy, rogue hero, FBI showdown, etc, etc. I personally had no problem with the content, and perhaps ten years ago, it would have been groundbreaking. But now it is just the same old same old. Again, this is not necessarily a bad thing, but does affect the perception of the movie. Rent it, don't buy it. Or spend $7 to see it in the theatre. On that note, yesterday we went to see ANTZ. I was against going, as we had free passes to go last Thrusday, but I had to work. We weren't even able to give these passes away. I am strictly against paying for something today that was free yesterday. So I was holding out for something else. Perhaps Rush Hour. However, I was outvoted 1 to 1 (the beauty of being married:-). No, actually, it was a group excursion, and this was the concesus choice. And I do admit that I was curious. The best part, IMHO, was that the CGI characters looked exactly like the actors voicing them. You knew which one was Stallone even before he opened his mouth. And a lot of inside jokes that referred back to previous movies, esp ones that these guys starred in. And Woody Allen was the perfect paranoid, nebbish, uncoordinated ant. All he was missing was the glasses. I was happy spending $14 to see this. Two notes, somewhat related: First of all was that this movie was trailered by A Bug's Life, the follow up (as it were) to Toy Story (no, not a sequel, but the next big project from Pixar). Too similar. Another case of two production companies making practically the same movie. And secondly, A Bug's Life looks way too violent for a children's/family movie. (It actually reminded me of Starship Troopers) This is a trend that I am noticing. Even the PG rated ANTZ seemed more dark and foreboding that I expected. I have heard from friends who were able to see a sneak peek at Lion King 2 that it is very dark and scary. And I watched Matilda (written by the same bloke who wrore Willy Wanka, or more precisly, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and was shocked to see some of the subjects broached by this movie. I don't know, maybe I'm just getting old.:-) >I also saw Wild Things. This might be a slight spoiler, but my wife thinks >that Kevin Bacon was the executive producer just so he could have his penis >revealed on the big screen. Personally I think well why not, they've been >showing female full frontal nudity for years. Oh, how did I ever miss that?? And this was just what I wanted to see, too:-) Actually, this is another trend I have noticed, all started with the shocking Crying Game. (I was shocked that someone that good looking could... well, never mind. I'd rather not talk about it, actually:-). Boogie Nights, Something About Mary, Fall, they're letting it all hang out anymore, so to speak. Actually most women I know seem to prefer male nudity from the back. Anyone willing to comment?? As for the movie, Wild Things, itself, another case of been there, done that. Especially coming on the heels of Palmetto (yet another film noir). Still, some interesting twists. And I took the admonishment made on this list to *watch the closing credits*, and it made a big difference to my understanding of what was going on. Regards, --Mel --Mel Eperthener president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty email: bcassidy@usaor.net gowanna@australiamail.com http://www.webz.com/gowanna 419 Butler Street PO Box 95184 Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 (412) 781-6140 (412) 781-6380 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE (1-888-454-6926) ____________________________________________ "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" --Dana Scully ______________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerry Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: Re: [MV] is it possible Date: 08 Oct 1998 22:35:18 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003A_01BDF30B.ED580380 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable What! What!What! Seen everything! We have hardly touched on European = and Asian cinema......why must we stick to only recent U.S films? By = the way Leticia....I have purchased "Cinema" and it should hopefully be = en route at the beginning of next week.~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -----Original Message----- >That we've seen everything already? > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >=20 ------=_NextPart_000_003A_01BDF30B.ED580380 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>What! What!What! Seen=20 everything! We have hardly touched on European and Asian = cinema......why=20 must we stick to only recent U.S films? By the way Leticia....I = have=20 purchased "Cinema" and it should hopefully be en route at the=20 beginning of next week.~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and = live=20 with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look = at them=20 long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their = condition, They do=20 not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick = discussing=20 their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the = mania=20 of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that = lived=20 thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the = whole=20 earth. &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</DIV>= <DIV>-----Original Message----- From: = Romero, Leticia=20 <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:lromero@saonet.ucla.edu">lromero@saonet.ucla.edu</A>><B= R>To:=20 'movie' <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com">movies@lists.xmission.com</A>&g= t; Date:=20 08 October 1998 19:47 Subject: [MV] is it=20 possible </DIV>>That we've seen everything=20 already? > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the = message=20 "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:majordomo@xmission.com">majordomo@xmission.com</A> &n= bsp; =20 ] > </BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_003A_01BDF30B.ED580380-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerry Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Rating system. Date: 08 Oct 1998 22:35:22 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0046_01BDF30B.EFAB1B40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I watched a documentary on "The excorcist" recently and they talked = about the excluded scenes......there was absolutely no mention of a "Pee = drinking" scene, so I presume this is a rumour. As for the lax in = morals, what the hell.........the 1931 version of Dracula was the = equivalent of an "X"......are you trying to say we should not have moved = on from that? -----Original Message----- Rating system. >Also with Wild Things, I would have thought the 3-way sex scene would = have >merited a NC-17 rating. What is this world coming too? I mean I'm not >saying I didn't enjoy it. In fact I enjoyed it all 4 times I watched = that >particular scene (LOL), I'm just commenting on the rapid decline of = sexual >morality in films, and how something that is rated R today would have = been >rated X tens years ago. Another example is I read where they are >re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with originally edited out = scenes >that made the movie rated X at first but which once removed they rated = it R, >now years later the scenes are put back in and it's still R. One of = the >scenes apparently has Linda Blair peeing in her own face and drinking = it. >That still sounds X to me, how 'bout you? > >JAMES K. RUDY > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Wade Snider [SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com] >Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:08 PM >To: movies@lists.xmission.com >Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising=20 > > >--- On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 12:41:57 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> = wrote: > >>I saw Mercury Rising the other day on video. I loved it, but I had = never >>heard of it before until just the other day so obviously a lot of = people >>hated it. I'd like to hear any opinions you may have on it. > >I saw this in the theater. i liked it allright, but I was not all that >impressed by it. I couldn't tell if it was an action film or a suspense >drama. How many times to we get to see Bruce Willis with that strained >constipation face as he jumps of something speeding or exploding. I = also >expected to see more of Alec baldwin... you gotta love him in a role = like >this. >And, I tended to feel that a lot of the personal aspects=20 >of his relationship with the boy were just emotional manipulation much = to >reminiscent (sp?) of Rain Man. > >Those things said, I did relatively like it.. not too bored with it. = Good >rental choice. > > >>I also saw Wild Things. This might be a slight spoiler, but my wife = thinks >>that Kevin Bacon was the executive producer just so he could have his = penis >>revealed on the big screen. Personally I think well why not, they've = been >>showing female full frontal nudity for years. >>JKRUDY > >I had heard that they had shot the scene many times, and it just = happened >that in the best take, he turned a little faster than anticipated. They = SAY >they didn't plan that....... >At some point, it became known just how much had been shown when in = post >production, and he himself said that they would have taken that out for = him, > >but he said he had nothing in his contract about full frontal nudity or = some > >such thing, and he seemed to me to get a hoot out of having that in = there; >so he >told them to leave it... > >Wade >-------------------------------------------------------- >W. Snider > >Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.=20 >-Kierkegaard > >-------------------------------------------------------- > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0046_01BDF30B.EFAB1B40 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>I watched a documentary on = "The=20 excorcist" recently and they talked about the excluded = scenes......there=20 was absolutely no mention of a "Pee drinking" scene, so I = presume this=20 is a rumour. As for the lax in morals, what the hell.........the = 1931=20 version of Dracula was the equivalent of an "X"......are you = trying to=20 say we should not have moved on from that?</DIV> <DIV>-----Original Message----- From: = jkrudy <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:jkrudy@micron.com">jkrudy@micron.com</A>> To: <A=20 href=3D"mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'">'movies@lists.xmission.com'</= A> <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com">movies@lists.xmission.com</A>&g= t; Date:=20 08 October 1998 20:25 Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild = Things, and=20 a comment on the Rating system. </DIV>>Also with Wild = Things, I=20 would have thought the 3-way sex scene would have >merited a NC-17 = rating. What is this world coming too? I mean I'm = not >saying=20 I didn't enjoy it. In fact I enjoyed it all 4 times I watched=20 that >particular scene (LOL), I'm just commenting on the rapid = decline of=20 sexual >morality in films, and how something that is rated R today = would=20 have been >rated X tens years ago. Another example is I read = where=20 they are >re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with=20 originally edited out scenes >that made the movie rated X at first = but=20 which once removed they rated it R, >now years later the scenes = are put=20 back in and it's still R. One of the >scenes apparently has = Linda=20 Blair peeing in her own face and drinking it. >That still sounds X = to me,=20 how 'bout you? > >JAMES K. = RUDY > > >-----Original=20 Message----- >From: Wade Snider [<A=20 href=3D"mailto:SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com">SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectr= ic.com</A>] >Sent:=20 Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:08 PM >To: <A=20 href=3D"mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com">movies@lists.xmission.com</A><B= R>>Subject:=20 Re: [MV] Mercury Rising > > >--- On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 = 12:41:57=20 -0600 jkrudy <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:jkrudy@micron.com">jkrudy@micron.com</A>>=20 wrote: > >>I saw Mercury Rising the other day on = video. I=20 loved it, but I had never >>heard of it before until just the = other day=20 so obviously a lot of people >>hated it. I'd like to hear = any=20 opinions you may have on it. > >I saw this in the theater. i = liked=20 it allright, but I was not all that >impressed by it. I couldn't = tell if=20 it was an action film or a suspense >drama. How many times to we = get to=20 see Bruce Willis with that strained >constipation face as he jumps = of=20 something speeding or exploding. I also >expected to see more of = Alec=20 baldwin... you gotta love him in a role like >this. >And, I = tended=20 to feel that a lot of the personal aspects >of his relationship = with the=20 boy were just emotional manipulation much to >reminiscent (sp?) of = Rain=20 Man. > >Those things said, I did relatively like it.. not = too bored=20 with it. Good >rental choice. > > >>I also = saw Wild=20 Things. This might be a slight spoiler, but my wife = thinks >>that=20 Kevin Bacon was the executive producer just so he could have his=20 penis >>revealed on the big screen. Personally I think = well why=20 not, they've been >>showing female full frontal nudity for=20 years. >>JKRUDY > >I had heard that they had shot = the scene=20 many times, and it just happened >that in the best take, he turned = a=20 little faster than anticipated. They SAY >they didn't plan=20 that....... >At some point, it became known just how much had been = shown=20 when in post >production, and he himself said that they would have = taken=20 that out for him, > >but he said he had nothing in his = contract=20 about full frontal nudity or some > >such thing, and he = seemed to me=20 to get a hoot out of having that in there; >so he >told them = to=20 leave=20 it... > >Wade >----------------------------------------= ---------------- >W.=20 Snider > >Life can only be understood backwards, but it must = be=20 lived forwards.=20 >-Kierkegaard > >-------------------------------------= ------------------- > > >[=20 To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe = ] >[=20 movies (without the quotes) to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:majordomo@xmission.com">majordomo@xmission.com</A> &n= bsp; =20 ] > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message=20 "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:majordomo@xmission.com">majordomo@xmission.com</A> &n= bsp; =20 ] > </BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0046_01BDF30B.EFAB1B40-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (October 8, 1998) Date: 08 Oct 1998 17:58:45 -0400 (EDT) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (October 8, 1998). If you live in the Washington, D.C. area, and would like to sign up for the opportunity to receive free passes to Sneak Previews of Upcoming Movies, please visit the following page for more information: http://www.screenit.com/sneak_previews.html __________________________________________________ This week at the movies, Eddie Murphy hopes to continue his recent string of box office hits, while two other smaller films open in limited release. On home video, a plethora of titles to choose from, including a wide range of genres, hit the video shelves this Tuesday. PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of "Beloved" (Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover), "Bride of Chucky" (Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif), "Practical Magic" (Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman) and other new releases. __________________________________________________ NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9TH: "HOLY MAN" (1998) (Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum) (PG) Comedy: A frazzled TV executive (Goldblum) at a shopping network hopes for increased sales when he recruits an itinerant "holy man" (Murphy) as his new on-air sales pitchman. A lightweight, but enjoyable enough diversion, "Holy Man" offers some decent laughs and occasional touching moments, but isn't the laugh-fest most are probably expecting after seeing the film's promotional commercials. The film's PG rating comes from mild profanity. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/holy_man.html __________________________________________________ "THE MIGHTY" (1998) (Kieran Culkin, Elden Henson) (PG-13) Drama: A presumably dimwitted giant of a seventh-grader (Henson) and an intelligent, but diminutive boy (Culkin) suffering from a degenerative disease combine their best assets to forge a friendship that allows them to cope with the world in which they live. While the film seemed to please many in our audience, I found that it never felt completely fresh nor ever really managed to take the material and make it something special. The PG-13 rating comes from "elements of violence and peril" that relate to middle school gangs and a father who abducts his son. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_mighty.html __________________________________________________ "ONE TOUGH COP" (1998) (Stephen Baldwin, Chris Penn) (R) Drama: An undercover New York City cop (Baldwin) must deal with his troubled partner (Penn) and an investigation into his ties with the mob while investigating the rape and beating of a nun. A decently constructed cop drama that has all of the elements to qualify for inclusion in that genre, "One Tough Cop" is an okay, but mostly uneventful yarn. The R rating comes from violence and profanity. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/one_tough_cop.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH: (Notice: Release dates subject to change) (Not all video stores will carry all titles) "THE BIG ONE" (1998) (Michael Moore) (PG-13) Documentary/Comedy: One a cross country tour, a disgruntled author (Moore) tries to find any CEO who can explain why corporations are downsizing staff while experiencing record profits. Part investigative reporter, social commentator, and definitely a frustrated standup comedian, Moore delivers a film that will make you laugh (a lot) and think (hopefully more) about the current state of downsizing in corporate America. Grossing less than $1 million domestically, the film's PG-13 rating comes from profanity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_big_one.html) __________________________________________________ "BLACK DOG" (1998) (Patrick Swayze, Randy Travis) (PG-13) Action/Adventure: A professional truck driver (Swayze), who lost his license and went to prison after a fatal accident, is forced back behind the wheel to deliver an illegal shipment of guns to the man who's holding his family hostage. If the notion of seeing lots of trucks getting mangled in spectacular ways sounds enticing to you, go for it. Otherwise, you'd be best to skip this less than thrilling picture. Grossing nearly $13 million domestically, the film's PG-13 rating comes from profanity and violence. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/black_dog.html) __________________________________________________ "I GOT THE HOOK UP" (1998) (Master P, A.J. Johnson) (R) Comedy: Two con artists (Master P & Johnson) plan to become rich by selling "hot" cell phones, but their scheme backfires when the phones' signals get crossed and their angry customers come looking for the two men. Why music video directors think they can shift to feature films is beyond me, but this film is a testament as to why that practice should be stopped. Poorly constructed, unevenly paced, and featuring a wide array of bad acting, this wannabe urban caper spoof is about as bad they come. Getting an R rating for massive amounts of profanity (nearly 200 "f" words), nudity, sexually related humor, drug content and violence, the film grossed around $10 million domestically. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/i_got_the_hook_up.html) __________________________________________________ "THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO" (1998) (Chloe Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale) (R) Drama: A group of upper-middle class graduates and professionals (including Sevigny & Beckinsale) examine their lives and relationships while spending time in an early 80's disco. Certainly not for everyone's tastes and not as funny as the better episodes of "Seinfeld" that similarly focused on nothing, this film should please those looking for a decidedly cerebral and talky look at the end of a musical era that most claimed to hate, but secretly loved. Grossing around $3 million domestically, the film gets its R rating from sexually related material and the presence of drugs. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_last_days_of_disco.html) __________________________________________________ "MAJOR LEAGUE: BACK TO THE MINORS" (1998) (Scott Bakula, Corbin Bernsen) (PG-13) Comedy: An over-the-hill baseball player (Bakula) takes a job managing a lousy Triple-A baseball team. The third film in the "Major League" series, this one feels and plays out more like a cable TV movie or a straight-to-video flick rather than a major theatrical release and, not surprisingly, strikes out rather quickly. Grossing less than $4 million domestically, the PG-13 rating comes from profanity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/major_league_back_to_the_minors.html) __________________________________________________ "THE ODD COUPLE II" (1998) (Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon) (PG-13) Comedy: Two old friends and former roommates (Matthau & Lemmon), irritate each other with their contrasting behaviors as they try to get to their kids' marriage. Reprising their original film roles (that later went to Tony Randall and Jack Klugman on the better known TV series), the two stars make their tenth picture together with this release, a film that isn't that funny and simply retreads their "Grumpy Old Men" material into this old set up. Rated PG-13 for profanity (several "f" words), the film nearly grossed $20 million at the domestic box office. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_odd_couple_2.html) __________________________________________________ "QUEST FOR CAMELOT" (1998) (voices of Jessalyn Gilsig, Cary Elwes) (G) Children's Animated: The teenage daughter (Gilsig) of a Knight of the Round Table, accompanied by a young, blind hermit (Elwes), attempts to retrieve Excalibur and return it to Camelot while avoiding a fallen Knight who wants the sword for his own evil purposes. Both parents and their kids seemed to moderately enjoy this film and overall it's a decent, escapist bit of entertainment. However, in light of, and compared with, other recent animated releases, it has to be seen as something of a disappointment. Rated G, the film grossed around $23 million domestically in its theatrical run. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/quest_for_camelot.html) __________________________________________________ "SUICIDE KINGS" (1998) (Christopher Walken, Jay Mohr) (R) Drama: A group of young, but affluent men (including Mohr) kidnap a former Mafia capo (Walken) hoping that he'll convince his associates to discover who kidnaped the sister of one of the men. Wasting an interesting premise that had potential, as well as a decent cast, this wannabe movie falls way short and lands hard due to its obvious self-belief that it's going to be good. Instead, it slowly becomes nothing more than a monotonous retreading of other similar films. Grossing about $1.6 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from massive profanity (more than 200 "f" words), violence, nudity, and drug use. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/suicide_kings.html) __________________________________________________ "TARZAN AND THE LOST CITY" (1998) (Casper Van Dien, Jane March) (PG) Action/Adventure: Tarzan (Van Dien) returns to the jungles of Africa to prevent a band of mercenaries from discovering and then plundering a lost city. An uneventful and certainly uninspired addition to the Tarzan series, this is one of those low budget, soon to be forgotten releases that surprisingly made it to the big screen -- but didn't last very long. Grossing just a bit more than $2 million, the film's PG rating comes from non-gratuitous violence and some scenes that may be suspenseful to very young viewers. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/tarzan_and_the_lost_city.html) __________________________________________________ "THE X-FILES" (1998) (David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson) (PG-13) Sci-fi: Two FBI agents (Duchovny & Anderson), who specialize in paranormal activity, investigate a bombing that leads to the discovery of a government coverup of global proportions. Based on the popular Fox TV show of the same name, this is essentially a two-hour, big budget and big screen version of the show that isn't spectacular by any means, but is still quite enjoyable. Grossing around $83 million domestically with another $37 million overseas, the film's PG-13 rating comes from violence, gore, and sci-fi goo. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_x-files.html) __________________________________________________ Do you find the Screen It Website useful? If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in your community or country may benefit from this information. Contact information can be found at the following address: http://www.screenit.com/press.html __________________________________________________ Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make sure that first you Screen It! Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents http://www.screenit.com __________________________________________________ Since we respect your privacy and time, we'll always keep these messages brief and we'll never sell or give your e-mail address to anyone. If at any time you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply let us know at reviews@screenit.com and we'll remove you from our list. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Ra Date: 08 Oct 1998 16:12:13 -0600 I can't recall my source on the "pee drinking" scene so we can throw it out if you prefer, but in what ways has society benefited from moving on as you put it? It seems to me that people are becoming more and more desensitized to Sex and Violence and in large part that is the fault of our entertainment both the Cinema and TV There are those that will argue that art is imitating life, but I strongly believe it is the opposite or better yet the two are feeding of each other. If Art (movies/TV) were to slowing revert back to the 1931 era, I believe morality in our nation would also. I think that would be just wonderful. There would still be crime, violence, prostitution and all the rest of it, but Damnit, things would be better. Children might just respect their parents more, teenage pregnancy might decrease, teen/child suicide would go down, there would be less 14 years old gunning down their classmates, etc, etc, etc. A good movie is an escape from reality, or in say the case of "Saving Private Ryan" a reminder of the horror that can be caused by evil. Violence and gore can be educational and beneficial in those cases, but the way things are going 15 years from now "Saving Private Ryan" could be an after school special with no editing needed. And most of the kids would comment on how tame it is as far as the violence. Is that what we want for our children? Is it? JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:35 PM the Rating system. I watched a documentary on "The excorcist" recently and they talked about the excluded scenes......there was absolutely no mention of a "Pee drinking" scene, so I presume this is a rumour. As for the lax in morals, what the hell.........the 1931 version of Dracula was the equivalent of an "X"......are you trying to say we should not have moved on from that? -----Original Message----- movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com>> Rating system. >Also with Wild Things, I would have thought the 3-way sex scene would have >merited a NC-17 rating. What is this world coming too? I mean I'm not >saying I didn't enjoy it. In fact I enjoyed it all 4 times I watched that >particular scene (LOL), I'm just commenting on the rapid decline of sexual >morality in films, and how something that is rated R today would have been >rated X tens years ago. Another example is I read where they are >re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with originally edited out scenes >that made the movie rated X at first but which once removed they rated it R, >now years later the scenes are put back in and it's still R. One of the >scenes apparently has Linda Blair peeing in her own face and drinking it. >That still sounds X to me, how 'bout you? > >JAMES K. RUDY > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Wade Snider [ SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com <mailto:SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com>] >Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:08 PM >To: movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com> >Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising > > >--- On Thu, 8 Oct 1998 12:41:57 -0600 jkrudy < jkrudy@micron.com <mailto:jkrudy@micron.com>> wrote: > >>I saw Mercury Rising the other day on video. I loved it, but I had never >>heard of it before until just the other day so obviously a lot of people >>hated it. I'd like to hear any opinions you may have on it. > >I saw this in the theater. i liked it allright, but I was not all that >impressed by it. I couldn't tell if it was an action film or a suspense >drama. How many times to we get to see Bruce Willis with that strained >constipation face as he jumps of something speeding or exploding. I also >expected to see more of Alec baldwin... you gotta love him in a role like >this. >And, I tended to feel that a lot of the personal aspects >of his relationship with the boy were just emotional manipulation much to >reminiscent (sp?) of Rain Man. > >Those things said, I did relatively like it.. not too bored with it. Good >rental choice. > > >>I also saw Wild Things. This might be a slight spoiler, but my wife thinks >>that Kevin Bacon was the executive producer just so he could have his penis >>revealed on the big screen. Personally I think well why not, they've been >>showing female full frontal nudity for years. >>JKRUDY > >I had heard that they had shot the scene many times, and it just happened >that in the best take, he turned a little faster than anticipated. They SAY >they didn't plan that....... >At some point, it became known just how much had been shown when in post >production, and he himself said that they would have taken that out for him, > >but he said he had nothing in his contract about full frontal nudity or some > >such thing, and he seemed to me to get a hoot out of having that in there; >so he >told them to leave it... > >Wade >-------------------------------------------------------- >W. Snider > >Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. >-Kierkegaard > >-------------------------------------------------------- > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com <mailto:majordomo@xmission.com> ] > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com <mailto:majordomo@xmission.com> ] > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Ra Date: 08 Oct 1998 16:28:57 -0700 > If Art (movies/TV) were to slowing revert > back to the 1931 era, I believe morality in our nation would also. [Romero, Leticia] Just because it was unheard of in 1931, doesn't necessarly mean it didn't happen. There WAS teenage pregnancy, there WAS domestic violence and disrespect and all that from the beginning of time. It would be wonderful if our present society could become more sensitive to the horrors of violence, but wouldn't it stifle the spirit as well, not knowing whether or not we could survive and rise above it all? To know the difference between right and wrong? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: HOLY MAN Date: 08 Oct 1998 18:21:06 -0600 (MDT) HOLY MAN (Touchstone) Starring: Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, Kelly Preston, Robert Loggia, Jon Cryer. Screenplay: Tom Shulman. Producers: Roger Birnbaum and Stephen Herek. Director: Stephen Herek. MPAA Rating: PG (profanity, adult themes) Running Time: 113 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. One of the things you've gotta love about Hollywood marketing people is their occasional bouts with irony deficiency. If you trusted television advertisements for HOLY MAN, you'd probably suspect that it was a raucous Eddie Murphy comedy where the star spends most of the film mocking and deflating uptight media types. That's because Touchstone Pictures' marketing department knew it'd have one hellacious time trying to sell HOLY MAN for what it really is: a somber, sincere satire-cum-cautionary tale in which Eddie Murphy, despite his lead billing, generally plays second fiddle to Jeff Goldblum. The wonderful, awful irony comes from the "message" of HOLY MAN. Goldblum plays Ricky Hayman, the programming director for Miami-based Good Buy Shopping Network. Faced with lagging sales at the network and mounting personal debt, Ricky realizes he has to do something to turn things around fast. Fate intervenes when Ricky and colleague Kate Newell (Kelly Preston) nearly run over an apparently homeless man calling himself "G" (Murphy). A few plot contrivances later, G wanders onto the Good Buy set and on the air, becoming an instant phenomenon by lending his New Age philosophizing to the hawking of chainsaws and electronic beauty aids. As G's success reinvigorates Ricky's career, Ricky begins to wonder whether it's more important to be honest with people than to use any means available to sell to them. Pretty good gag, huh? Only the joke will be on viewers who expect to have their funny bones tickled, but instead get a nearly two-hour lecture on the evils of consumerism. And what an achingly strident lecture at that, with Goldblum twitching and furrowing his brow every few seconds to make sure we understand he's in the middle of a Jerry Maguire-sized crisis of conscience, caught between Preston as the angel on one shoulder and Robert Loggia as the devilish network boss on the other. Murphy, meanwhile, gets a few devilish moments of his own -- you know, the ones in the commercials -- but essentially spends the film's running time smiling beatifically and waxing profound on the importance of love and connection with the earth. It's all very well-intentioned, and deadly dull. The sad part is that HOLY MAN could have been an effective piece of satire. The script by Tom Schulman presents G as a latter-day Howard Beale or Chance the Gardener unknowingly tapping into some zeitgeist malaise. Unfortunately, if you're going to go for NETWORK or BEING THERE-style stabs at modern media, you need someone a bit more cutting edge at the helm than Stephen Herek (THE MIGHTY DUCKS, MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS, 101 DALMATIANS), Disney's crowd-pleaser-in-residence. Herek wraps everything in a warm-n-fuzzy package guaranteed not to offend, a pointless perspective for a social satire. Even the few token pokes at infomercialism, including cameo pitch-meisters like Morgan Fairchild, Betty White and Soupy Sales, are too feather-light to amount to much. Wasting a chance to savage as ripe a target as home shopping should be a criminal offense. It's similarly criminal wasting the presence of Eddie Murphy. I understand Murphy's recent move toward kinder, gentler, family-friendly roles, since there are only so many ways to play the wise-cracking rebel with the honking laugh. The problem isn't his performance in HOLY MAN, which is quite adequate for the minimal work he's actually required to do. The problem is that no matter how hard Murphy tries to be a "versatile actor," he's going to be in trouble with audiences if marketing geniuses keep suckering his fans into watching a Murphy they don't really care to see. I'm glad Murphy felt strongly enough about HOLY MAN's message of integrity to take a chance playing against type, but he could have picked a less tedious vehicle. It's even worse when Touchstone makes him look like a certain Pot referring to a certain Kettle's ebony shading. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 guru'ed awakenings: 4. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Blacknight <rvchua@ntep.nec.co.jp> Subject: [MV] Chloe Sevigny Date: 09 Oct 1998 11:00:27 +0800 Can anyone please tell me more about the actress Chloe Sevigny? A friend keeps asking me about her. blacknight [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net> Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Date: 08 Oct 1998 21:01:38 -0400 At 04.12 PM 08/10/98 -0600, jkrudy wrote: If Art (movies/TV) were to slowing revert >back to the 1931 era, I believe morality in our nation would also. I think >that would be just wonderful. There would still be crime, violence, >prostitution and all the rest of it, but Damnit, things would be better. Or as well hidden as they were. One thing that is overlooked in the "family values" debate is that, as you said, there would still be crime, prostitution, drugs, etc. There were back then. But they were well-hidden. The drug houses shown in/written by Sherlock Holmes existed. Coca-Cola was the REAL thing, if you know what I mean (contained real coke). And many of the murder rates (which get trotted out each January by the news media) were highest in the early part of this century. Honestly, I like your world better. But it only existed on the screen. However, on that note, you should really enjoy the upcoming Pleasentville. I know I can hardly wait to see it. It looks very interesting. Regards, --Mel --Mel Eperthener president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty email: bcassidy@usaor.net gowanna@australiamail.com http://www.webz.com/gowanna 419 Butler Street PO Box 95184 Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 (412) 781-6140 (412) 781-6380 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE (1-888-454-6926) ____________________________________________ "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" --Dana Scully ______________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerry Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Rating system. Date: 09 Oct 1998 06:38:38 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BDF34F.727E7CE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable There is nothing worse than someone imagining the past to be "Rosier " = than nowadays. Usually if you look deeper you find that the past had = probably the same amount of violence and social problems if not more! = As for the moral value of the 30's.......just because films were more = tame does not mean society in general was. Just because teenagers = respected their parents more ( and this was only probably down to the = fact that at 14 upwards they were expected to have a job thus did not = really have a full childhood)........so technically the teenagers we = know did not exist then! Child prostitiution was more previllant then = and for all your wonderful talk on society, racism was still firmly = entrenched in american way of life....so was that a good thing? Moving onto desensitisation, I love it that all people regard this as a = bad thing.......if people never became desensitised to blood and gore we = probably would not have any surgeons or the like! As for it's link to = films.......I think how violence is handled in films is more important. = Surely your average action movie with Bruce Willis or Stallone is more = offensive than most things as it deals with violence so off handedly. = In these type of films villains get blown away cleanly and with minimum = gore.......and the only good villain is a dead one. Surely this moral = message is more abhorrent than the average horror movie and basically = when you boil it down fake gore for all it's gruesomeness bears no = reality to the real violence. As for protecting our children.......yes = I agree with that up to a point.........when someone reaches 17 (or 18 = as the rating is here) they should be allowed to see any film without = cuts (providing that the film acts within the law) I find the censor = system ridiculous as how can one or a small group of people have the = right to judge other people's moral standards. I also think these = people are slightly corrupt as both "Jaws", "The lost world" and = "Jurrassic park" got through in the U.K as a "U" rating i.e anyone can = go and see it. These films imho are quite violent and call me a cynic = but the more people allowed to see a film the more money it will = make........there are far more less violent movies that get higher = ratings.....why is this? Maybe because ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~the studio that released these = had a way of greasing a few palms! -----Original Message----- Rating system. >I can't recall my source on the "pee drinking" scene so we can throw it = out >if you prefer, but in what ways has society benefited from moving on as = you >put it? It seems to me that people are becoming more and more = desensitized >to Sex and Violence and in large part that is the fault of our = entertainment >both the Cinema and TV There are those that will argue that art is >imitating life, but I strongly believe it is the opposite or better yet = the >two are feeding of each other. If Art (movies/TV) were to slowing = revert >back to the 1931 era, I believe morality in our nation would also. I = think >that would be just wonderful. There would still be crime, violence, >prostitution and all the rest of it, but Damnit, things would be = better. >Children might just respect their parents more, teenage pregnancy might >decrease, teen/child suicide would go down, there would be less 14 = years old >gunning down their classmates, etc, etc, etc. A good movie is an = escape >from reality, or in say the case of "Saving Private Ryan" a reminder of = the >horror that can be caused by evil. Violence and gore can be = educational and >beneficial in those cases, but the way things are going 15 years from = now >"Saving Private Ryan" could be an after school special with no editing >needed. And most of the kids would comment on how tame it is as far as = the >violence. Is that what we want for our children? Is it? > >JAMES K. RUDY > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Gerry Taylor [SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk] >Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:35 PM >To: movies@lists.xmission.com >Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on >the Rating system. > >I watched a documentary on "The excorcist" recently and they talked = about >the excluded scenes......there was absolutely no mention of a "Pee = drinking" >scene, so I presume this is a rumour. As for the lax in morals, what = the >hell.........the 1931 version of Dracula was the equivalent of an >"X"......are you trying to say we should not have moved on from that? >-----Original Message----- >From: jkrudy < jkrudy@micron.com <mailto:jkrudy@micron.com>> >To: 'movies@lists.xmission.com' <mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'> < >movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com>> >Date: 08 October 1998 20:25 >Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the >Rating system. > > >>Also with Wild Things, I would have thought the 3-way sex scene would = have >>merited a NC-17 rating. What is this world coming too? I mean I'm = not >>saying I didn't enjoy it. In fact I enjoyed it all 4 times I watched = that >>particular scene (LOL), I'm just commenting on the rapid decline of = sexual >>morality in films, and how something that is rated R today would have = been >>rated X tens years ago. Another example is I read where they are >>re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with originally edited out = scenes >>that made the movie rated X at first but which once removed they rated = it >R, >>now years later the scenes are put back in and it's still R. One of = the >>scenes apparently has Linda Blair peeing in her own face and drinking = it. >>That still sounds X to me, how 'bout you? >> ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BDF34F.727E7CE0 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>There is nothing worse than = someone=20 imagining the past to be "Rosier " than nowadays. = Usually if you=20 look deeper you find that the past had probably the same amount of = violence and=20 social problems if not more! As for the moral value of the = 30's.......just=20 because films were more tame does not mean society in general was. = Just=20 because teenagers respected their parents more ( and this was only = probably down=20 to the fact that at 14 upwards they were expected to have a job thus did = not=20 really have a full childhood)........so technically the teenagers we = know did=20 not exist then! Child prostitiution was more previllant then and = for all=20 your wonderful talk on society, racism was still firmly entrenched in = american=20 way of life....so was that a good thing?</DIV> <DIV><FONT=20 size=3D4>Moving onto desensitisation, I love it that all people regard = this as a=20 bad thing.......if people never became desensitised to blood and gore we = probably would not have any surgeons or the like! As for it's link = to=20 films.......I think how violence is handled in films is more = important. =20 Surely your average action movie with Bruce Willis or Stallone is more = offensive=20 than most things as it deals with violence so off handedly. In = these type=20 of films villains get blown away cleanly and with minimum gore.......and = the=20 only good villain is a dead one. Surely this moral message is more = abhorrent than the average horror movie and basically when you boil it = down fake=20 gore for all it's gruesomeness bears no reality to the real = violence. As=20 for protecting our children.......yes I agree with that up to a=20 point.........when someone reaches 17 (or 18 as the rating is here) they = should=20 be allowed to see any film without cuts (providing that the film acts = within the=20 law) I find the censor system ridiculous as how can one or a small group = of=20 people have the right to judge other people's moral standards. I = also=20 think these people are slightly corrupt as both "Jaws", = "The lost=20 world" and "Jurrassic park" got through in the U.K as a=20 "U" rating i.e anyone can go and see it. These films = imho are=20 quite violent and call me a cynic but the more people allowed to see a = film the=20 more money it will make........there are far more less violent movies = that get=20 higher ratings.....why is this? Maybe because ~ Gerry = T ~~~~~ I=20 think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self=20 contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not = sweat and=20 whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their = sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not = one is=20 dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not = one=20 kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years = ago, not=20 one is respectable or unhappy over the whole=20 earth. &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~the studio that = released=20 these had a way of greasing a few palms!</DIV> <DIV>-----Original Message----- From: = jkrudy <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:jkrudy@micron.com">jkrudy@micron.com</A>> To: <A=20 href=3D"mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'">'movies@lists.xmission.com'</= A> <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com">movies@lists.xmission.com</A>&g= t; Date:=20 08 October 1998 23:14 Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild = Things, and=20 a comment on the Rating system. </DIV>>I can't recall = my source=20 on the "pee drinking" scene so we can throw it out >if = you=20 prefer, but in what ways has society benefited from moving on as = you >put=20 it? It seems to me that people are becoming more and more=20 desensitized >to Sex and Violence and in large part that is the = fault of=20 our entertainment >both the Cinema and TV There are those = that will=20 argue that art is >imitating life, but I strongly believe it is = the=20 opposite or better yet the >two are feeding of each other. = If Art=20 (movies/TV) were to slowing revert >back to the 1931 era, I = believe=20 morality in our nation would also. I think >that would be = just=20 wonderful. There would still be crime, = violence, >prostitution and=20 all the rest of it, but Damnit, things would be better. >Children = might=20 just respect their parents more, teenage pregnancy = might >decrease,=20 teen/child suicide would go down, there would be less 14 years=20 old >gunning down their classmates, etc, etc, etc. A good = movie is=20 an escape >from reality, or in say the case of "Saving = Private=20 Ryan" a reminder of the >horror that can be caused by = evil. =20 Violence and gore can be educational and >beneficial in those = cases, but=20 the way things are going 15 years from now >"Saving Private=20 Ryan" could be an after school special with no = editing >needed. =20 And most of the kids would comment on how tame it is as far as=20 the >violence. Is that what we want for our children? = Is=20 it? > >JAMES K. RUDY > > >-----Original=20 Message----- >From: Gerry Taylor [<A=20 href=3D"mailto:SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk">SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk</A>] &= gt;Sent:=20 Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:35 PM >To: <A=20 href=3D"mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com">movies@lists.xmission.com</A><B= R>>Subject:=20 Re: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on >the = Rating=20 system. > >I watched a documentary on "The = excorcist"=20 recently and they talked about >the excluded scenes......there was = absolutely no mention of a "Pee drinking" >scene, so I = presume=20 this is a rumour. As for the lax in morals, what=20 the >hell.........the 1931 version of Dracula was the equivalent = of=20 an >"X"......are you trying to say we should not have = moved on=20 from that? >-----Original Message----- >From: jkrudy < <A = href=3D"mailto:jkrudy@micron.com">jkrudy@micron.com</A> <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:jkrudy@micron.com">mailto:jkrudy@micron.com</A>>><BR= >>To:=20 <A = href=3D"mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'">'movies@lists.xmission.com'</= A>=20 <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'">mailto:'movies@lists.xmission= .com'</A>>=20 < ><A=20 href=3D"mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com">movies@lists.xmission.com</A> = <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com">mailto:movies@lists.xmission.co= m</A>>> >Date:=20 08 October 1998 20:25 >Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild = Things,=20 and a comment on the >Rating = system. > > >>Also with=20 Wild Things, I would have thought the 3-way sex scene would=20 have >>merited a NC-17 rating. What is this world coming=20 too? I mean I'm not >>saying I didn't enjoy it. In = fact I=20 enjoyed it all 4 times I watched that >>particular scene (LOL), = I'm=20 just commenting on the rapid decline of sexual >>morality in = films, and=20 how something that is rated R today would have been >>rated X = tens=20 years ago. Another example is I read where they=20 are >>re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with = originally=20 edited out scenes >>that made the movie rated X at first but = which once=20 removed they rated it >R, >>now years later the scenes = are put=20 back in and it's still R. One of the >>scenes apparently = has=20 Linda Blair peeing in her own face and drinking it. >>That = still sounds=20 X to me, how 'bout=20 you? >> </BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BDF34F.727E7CE0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Chloe Sevigny Date: 09 Oct 1998 08:18:25 PDT She is a kook! I saw her on David Letterman a few months ago..... very out of it and flighty acting. I am a little harsh; she may have been strange there, but she may be a nice person..... I've seen her in Palmetto, and she was in Last Days of Disco. She is dating this very strange character named Harmony something... an odd character who wrote and directed Kids and gummo. I imagine there's a website somewhere about her, but I wouldn't know one. Wade --- On Fri, 09 Oct 1998 11:00:27 +0800 Blacknight <rvchua@ntep.nec.co.jp> wrote: >Can anyone please tell me more about the actress Chloe Sevigny? A friend >keeps asking me about her. >. >blacknight W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Ra Date: 09 Oct 1998 07:28:29 -0600 I believe that we as a society have made great strives in the right direction. Racism, although it still exist is nothing compared to that of the past. Women's rights, child labor laws, etc, have all been to the benefit of society. My fear is that we've learned from our mistakes of the past only to turn around and make a another pile of them. Out of 6 billion people how many of us are going to be doctors, firemen, police officers and other professions that must be desensitized to gore? Doesn't the desensitizing for that come during medical school, cutting up cadavers? I just don't believe that movies have to keep getting more violent or pornographic, etc. There's no benefit to it that I can see. Now we could go back and forth on this but we'll end up being like a Mormon Missionary and a Jehovah Witness and a Born Again Christian on a street corner, thumping bibles for hours and at the end of it, the three will walk away more resolute in their position, with absolutely nothing beneficial being accomplished. So carry on if you all wish, but on this topic I'm finished. (more resolute in my position). JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 11:39 PM the Rating system. There is nothing worse than someone imagining the past to be "Rosier " than nowadays. Usually if you look deeper you find that the past had probably the same amount of violence and social problems if not more! As for the moral value of the 30's.......just because films were more tame does not mean society in general was. Just because teenagers respected their parents more ( and this was only probably down to the fact that at 14 upwards they were expected to have a job thus did not really have a full childhood)........so technically the teenagers we know did not exist then! Child prostitiution was more previllant then and for all your wonderful talk on society, racism was still firmly entrenched in american way of life....so was that a good thing? Moving onto desensitisation, I love it that all people regard this as a bad thing.......if people never became desensitised to blood and gore we probably would not have any surgeons or the like! As for it's link to films.......I think how violence is handled in films is more important. Surely your average action movie with Bruce Willis or Stallone is more offensive than most things as it deals with violence so off handedly. In these type of films villains get blown away cleanly and with minimum gore.......and the only good villain is a dead one. Surely this moral message is more abhorrent than the average horror movie and basically when you boil it down fake gore for all it's gruesomeness bears no reality to the real violence. As for protecting our children.......yes I agree with that up to a point.........when someone reaches 17 (or 18 as the rating is here) they should be allowed to see any film without cuts (providing that the film acts within the law) I find the censor system ridiculous as how can one or a small group of people have the right to judge other people's moral standards. I also think these people are slightly corrupt as both "Jaws", "The lost world" and "Jurrassic park" got through in the U.K as a "U" rating i.e anyone can go and see it. These films imho are quite violent and call me a cynic but the more people allowed to see a film the more money it will make........there are far more less violent movies that get higher ratings.....why is this? Maybe because ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~the studio that released these had a way of greasing a few palms! -----Original Message----- movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com>> Rating system. >I can't recall my source on the "pee drinking" scene so we can throw it out >if you prefer, but in what ways has society benefited from moving on as you >put it? It seems to me that people are becoming more and more desensitized >to Sex and Violence and in large part that is the fault of our entertainment >both the Cinema and TV There are those that will argue that art is >imitating life, but I strongly believe it is the opposite or better yet the >two are feeding of each other. If Art (movies/TV) were to slowing revert >back to the 1931 era, I believe morality in our nation would also. I think >that would be just wonderful. There would still be crime, violence, >prostitution and all the rest of it, but Damnit, things would be better. >Children might just respect their parents more, teenage pregnancy might >decrease, teen/child suicide would go down, there would be less 14 years old >gunning down their classmates, etc, etc, etc. A good movie is an escape >from reality, or in say the case of "Saving Private Ryan" a reminder of the >horror that can be caused by evil. Violence and gore can be educational and >beneficial in those cases, but the way things are going 15 years from now >"Saving Private Ryan" could be an after school special with no editing >needed. And most of the kids would comment on how tame it is as far as the >violence. Is that what we want for our children? Is it? > >JAMES K. RUDY > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Gerry Taylor [ SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk <mailto:SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk>] >Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:35 PM >To: movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com> >Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on >the Rating system. > >I watched a documentary on "The excorcist" recently and they talked about >the excluded scenes......there was absolutely no mention of a "Pee drinking" >scene, so I presume this is a rumour. As for the lax in morals, what the >hell.........the 1931 version of Dracula was the equivalent of an >"X"......are you trying to say we should not have moved on from that? >-----Original Message----- >From: jkrudy < jkrudy@micron.com <mailto:jkrudy@micron.com> < <mailto:jkrudy@micron.com>>> >To: 'movies@lists.xmission.com' <mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'> < <mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'>> < > movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com> < <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com>>> >Date: 08 October 1998 20:25 >Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the >Rating system. > > >>Also with Wild Things, I would have thought the 3-way sex scene would have >>merited a NC-17 rating. What is this world coming too? I mean I'm not >>saying I didn't enjoy it. In fact I enjoyed it all 4 times I watched that >>particular scene (LOL), I'm just commenting on the rapid decline of sexual >>morality in films, and how something that is rated R today would have been >>rated X tens years ago. Another example is I read where they are >>re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with originally edited out scenes >>that made the movie rated X at first but which once removed they rated it >R, >>now years later the scenes are put back in and it's still R. One of the >>scenes apparently has Linda Blair peeing in her own face and drinking it. >>That still sounds X to me, how 'bout you? >> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions <flickfilos@aol.com> Subject: [MV] Coming Monday, 10.12, to The Flick Filosopher Date: 09 Oct 1998 16:38:22 -0000 The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, A tale of three Ships of Fools. Two from the world of video. One on the big screen will unspool. The silver screen promised to amuse. The videos were sure to bore. With mixed feelings she steeled herself, For a three-movie tour, A three-movie tour. Stanley and Oliver (Tucci and Platt, that is) Walk in the steps of the brothers Marx. If it's as good as *Big Night,* *The Imposters* could be a lark. *The Imposters* could be a lark. "Do it for your art," she thought As she prepared to settle in, With Sandra And Jason too, In *Speed 2: Crusie Control.* And *Sphere* she'll watch. With Sharon and Dustin too. Here at The Flick Filosopher. ============================== Subscribe to *Entertainment Weekly* and *Premiere* -- and support The Flick Filosopher. Details at: http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos/index.html ============================== MaryAnn ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to FlickFilosopher-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Coming Monday, 10.12, to The Flick Filosopher Date: 09 Oct 1998 11:57:39 PDT What the hell? --- On 9 Oct 1998 16:38:22 -0000 The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions <flickfilos@aol.com> wrote: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, A tale of three Ships of Fools. Two from the world of video. One on the big screen will unspool. The silver screen promised to amuse. The videos were sure to bore. With mixed feelings she steeled herself, For a three-movie tour, A three-movie tour. Stanley and Oliver (Tucci and Platt, that is) Walk in the steps of the brothers Marx. If it's as good as *Big Night,* *The Imposters* could be a lark. *The Imposters* could be a lark. "Do it for your art," she thought As she prepared to settle in, With Sandra And Jason too, In *Speed 2: Crusie Control.* And *Sphere* she'll watch. With Sharon and Dustin too. Here at The Flick Filosopher. ============================== Subscribe to *Entertainment Weekly* and *Premiere* -- and support The Flick Filosopher. Details at: http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos/index.html ============================== MaryAnn ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to FlickFilosopher-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/09/98 Date: 09 Oct 1998 13:01:18 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - As "Saving Private Ryan" invades box offices around the world, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are teaming up on another World War II project. DreamWorks Television has optioned Stephen E. Ambrose's World War II history "A Band of Brothers," which Hanks, Spielberg and studio-based filmmaker Mark Johnson will likely produce as an event miniseries. The seven-figure deal follows DreamWorks' acquisition in July of Ambrose's "Citizen Soldiers: The U.S. Army, June 7, 1944-May 7, 1945." While DreamWorks confirmed it had optioned the books, executives said no decision had been reached about their use. -=> * <=- Julianne Moore is in serious talks to star with Ralph Fiennes and Stephen Rea in "The End of the Affair," a World War II drama based on a Graham Greene novel. Moore would play Rea's repressed wife, who engages in an adulterous affair with Fiennes. Moore, nominated for a supporting-actress Oscar for last year's porn saga "Boogie Nights," just finished co-starring with Sigourney Weaver in "Map of the World." She also stars in the Gus Van Sant-directed remake of "Psycho," trailers for which have been drawing boos in some theaters -- possibly in protest over the very idea of remaking such a film classic. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ryana@allensysgroup.com (Ryan Allen) Subject: [MV] Blacknight's Famous Line List Date: 09 Oct 1998 16:12:03 -0400 Blacknight, Last I saw your list was complete, except for about three lines. did you ever finish it? I've never seen a final copy posted. Wondering, Ryan ## Hurricane Season (Jun. 1-Nov. 1) is Here! ## ## Please visit my Personal Page ## ## http://www.gate.net/~airwolf ## [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the Ra Date: 09 Oct 1998 15:35:53 -0700 jimmy is so cooll... > -----Original Message----- > From: jkrudy [SMTP:jkrudy@micron.com] > Sent: Friday, October 09, 1998 6:28 AM > To: 'movies@lists.xmission.com' > Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on > the Ra ting system. > > I believe that we as a society have made great strives in the right > direction. Racism, although it still exist is nothing compared to that of > the past. Women's rights, child labor laws, etc, have all been to the > benefit of society. My fear is that we've learned from our mistakes of > the > past only to turn around and make a another pile of them. Out of 6 > billion > people how many of us are going to be doctors, firemen, police officers > and > other professions that must be desensitized to gore? Doesn't the > desensitizing for that come during medical school, cutting up cadavers? I > just don't believe that movies have to keep getting more violent or > pornographic, etc. There's no benefit to it that I can see. Now we could > go back and forth on this but we'll end up being like a Mormon Missionary > and a Jehovah Witness and a Born Again Christian on a street corner, > thumping bibles for hours and at the end of it, the three will walk away > more resolute in their position, with absolutely nothing beneficial being > accomplished. So carry on if you all wish, but on this topic I'm > finished. > (more resolute in my position). > > JAMES K. RUDY > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Gerry Taylor [SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk] > Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 11:39 PM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on > the Rating system. > > There is nothing worse than someone imagining the past to be "Rosier " > than > nowadays. Usually if you look deeper you find that the past had probably > the same amount of violence and social problems if not more! As for the > moral value of the 30's.......just because films were more tame does not > mean society in general was. Just because teenagers respected their > parents > more ( and this was only probably down to the fact that at 14 upwards they > were expected to have a job thus did not really have a full > childhood)........so technically the teenagers we know did not exist then! > Child prostitiution was more previllant then and for all your wonderful > talk > on society, racism was still firmly entrenched in american way of > life....so > was that a good thing? > Moving onto desensitisation, I love it that all people regard this as a > bad > thing.......if people never became desensitised to blood and gore we > probably would not have any surgeons or the like! As for it's link to > films.......I think how violence is handled in films is more important. > Surely your average action movie with Bruce Willis or Stallone is more > offensive than most things as it deals with violence so off handedly. In > these type of films villains get blown away cleanly and with minimum > gore.......and the only good villain is a dead one. Surely this moral > message is more abhorrent than the average horror movie and basically when > you boil it down fake gore for all it's gruesomeness bears no reality to > the > real violence. As for protecting our children.......yes I agree with that > up to a point.........when someone reaches 17 (or 18 as the rating is > here) > they should be allowed to see any film without cuts (providing that the > film > acts within the law) I find the censor system ridiculous as how can one or > a > small group of people have the right to judge other people's moral > standards. I also think these people are slightly corrupt as both "Jaws", > "The lost world" and "Jurrassic park" got through in the U.K as a "U" > rating > i.e anyone can go and see it. These films imho are quite violent and call > me a cynic but the more people allowed to see a film the more money it > will > make........there are far more less violent movies that get higher > ratings.....why is this? Maybe because ~ > Gerry T > ~~~~~ > I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self > contained, > I stand and look at them long and long. > They do not sweat and whine about their condition, > They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, > they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, > not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, > Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of > years > ago, > not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. > Walt > Whitman. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~the studio that released these had > a > way of greasing a few palms! > -----Original Message----- > From: jkrudy < jkrudy@micron.com <mailto:jkrudy@micron.com>> > To: 'movies@lists.xmission.com' <mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'> < > movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com>> > Date: 08 October 1998 23:14 > Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the > Rating system. > > > >I can't recall my source on the "pee drinking" scene so we can throw it > out > >if you prefer, but in what ways has society benefited from moving on as > you > >put it? It seems to me that people are becoming more and more > desensitized > >to Sex and Violence and in large part that is the fault of our > entertainment > >both the Cinema and TV There are those that will argue that art is > >imitating life, but I strongly believe it is the opposite or better yet > the > >two are feeding of each other. If Art (movies/TV) were to slowing revert > >back to the 1931 era, I believe morality in our nation would also. I > think > >that would be just wonderful. There would still be crime, violence, > >prostitution and all the rest of it, but Damnit, things would be better. > >Children might just respect their parents more, teenage pregnancy might > >decrease, teen/child suicide would go down, there would be less 14 years > old > >gunning down their classmates, etc, etc, etc. A good movie is an escape > >from reality, or in say the case of "Saving Private Ryan" a reminder of > the > >horror that can be caused by evil. Violence and gore can be educational > and > >beneficial in those cases, but the way things are going 15 years from now > >"Saving Private Ryan" could be an after school special with no editing > >needed. And most of the kids would comment on how tame it is as far as > the > >violence. Is that what we want for our children? Is it? > > > >JAMES K. RUDY > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: Gerry Taylor [ SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk > <mailto:SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk>] > >Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 3:35 PM > >To: movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com> > >Subject: Re: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on > >the Rating system. > > > >I watched a documentary on "The excorcist" recently and they talked about > >the excluded scenes......there was absolutely no mention of a "Pee > drinking" > >scene, so I presume this is a rumour. As for the lax in morals, what the > >hell.........the 1931 version of Dracula was the equivalent of an > >"X"......are you trying to say we should not have moved on from that? > >-----Original Message----- > >From: jkrudy < jkrudy@micron.com <mailto:jkrudy@micron.com> < > <mailto:jkrudy@micron.com>>> > >To: 'movies@lists.xmission.com' <mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'> < > <mailto:'movies@lists.xmission.com'>> < > > movies@lists.xmission.com <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com> < > <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com>>> > >Date: 08 October 1998 20:25 > >Subject: RE: [MV] Mercury Rising Also Wild Things, and a comment on the > >Rating system. > > > > > >>Also with Wild Things, I would have thought the 3-way sex scene would > have > >>merited a NC-17 rating. What is this world coming too? I mean I'm not > >>saying I didn't enjoy it. In fact I enjoyed it all 4 times I watched > that > >>particular scene (LOL), I'm just commenting on the rapid decline of > sexual > >>morality in films, and how something that is rated R today would have > been > >>rated X tens years ago. Another example is I read where they are > >>re-releasing "The Exorcist" in theaters with originally edited out > scenes > >>that made the movie rated X at first but which once removed they rated > it > >R, > >>now years later the scenes are put back in and it's still R. One of the > >>scenes apparently has Linda Blair peeing in her own face and drinking > it. > >>That still sounds X to me, how 'bout you? > >> > > > > > > > > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: THE MIGHTY Date: 09 Oct 1998 17:08:47 -0600 (MDT) THE MIGHTY (Miramax) Starring: Kieran Culkin, Elden Henson, Sharon Stone, Gena Rowlands, Harry Dean Stanton, Gillian Anderson, James Gandolfini. Screenplay: Charles Leavitt, based on the novel _Freak the Mighty_ by Rodman Philbrick. Producers: Jane Startz and Simon Fields. Director: Peter Chelsom. MPAA Rating: PG (mild profanity, adult themes) Running Time: 95 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. The recent release SIMON BIRCH, based on a best-selling novel, told the story of two boys who formed a close friendship. Both outcasts in their community, they shared many adventures, some humorous and some serious. The resulting film was mawkish and erratic, sacrificing strong and consistent characterizations for cheap slapstick and even cheaper melodrama. I love the cosmic symmetry that allows me to point out exactly what's right about one film because of what went wrong in another. THE MIGHTY is also based on a best-selling novel, and also tells the story of two young boys who form a close frienship. Both outcasts in their community, they share many adventures, some humorous and some serious. Yet THE MIGHTY is superior to SIMON BIRCH in almost every way. It's a family film about triumph over adversity that earns honest emotional response. Rodman Philbrick's popular young adult novel _Freak the Mighty_ inspired this tale of two Cincinnati middle-schoolers coping with difficult circumstances. Max Kane (Elden Henson) is an academically- challenged giant of a lad, troubled by taunting classmates and a family tragedy which has forced him to live with his grandparents (Gena Rowlands and Harry Dean Stanton). His new next-door neighbors are single mom Gwendolyn Dillon (Sharon Stone) and her son Kevin (Kieran Culkin), a sharp-witted genius afflicted with a crippling genetic disease. Gradually, the two come to realize they have much to offer one another. While Kevin tutors Max in reading and becomes his inspirational voice, Max literally carries Kevin on his shoulders to become his legs. Together, they become a formidable force, a justice-seeking two-headed knight Kevin dubs Freak the Mighty. You might expect THE MIGHTY to be just a glorified "Afterschool Special," unless you knew the work of director Peter Chelsom. The auteur behind the eccentric gems HEAR MY SONG and FUNNY BONES gives the story a fantastic flair, with images of the symbiotic duo crossing swords with enemies in their flights of fancy. Even the scenes clearly designed to draw cheers, including a gym class basketball game, somehow seem too surreal to be manipulative. THE MIGHTY has more than its share of messages, yet it rarely feels like a "message movie." It has more than its share of shifts in tone, yet it rarely feels inconsistent. Give credit both to Chelsom and to his two young leads, who deliver a pair of superb performances. Kieran Culkin (yes, _his_ younger brother) finds the fine line between intelligent and obnoxious -- a line most young actors trample into dust -- to make Kevin an appealing protagonist. Elden Henson, however, provides the film's real emotional core as the deeply troubled Max. There's not a false note to be found, from his early scenes as surly introvert to his later fierce devotion to Kevin. Culkin and Henson share a casual chemistry even when they're exchanging deep thoughts, preventing the flashing red "lesson" light to go on during their scenes together. Ably assisted by restrained, dignified supporting turns from Stone, Rowlands and Stanton, Culkin and Henson create a solid dramatic foundation. THE MIGHTY only gets clumsy when James Gandolfini shows up as Max's bad-news father. The sub-plot's darker tone, involving murder and kidnapping, are challenging enough to fit into a family film without Gandolfini playing the role as a leering monster. That's aside from Gillian Anderson's look-at-me-I'm-versatile turn as a good-hearted girl from the wrong side of the tracks (or perhaps a Tennessee Williams play). Yet even then Chelsom rallies to give us a potent climax without an ounce of fat. The power of the story, and its convincing bonds of friendship, make teary-eyed actors and sweeping musical cues utterly unnecessary. SIMON BIRCH's hystrionics bullied viewers into caring about two young friends. THE MIGHTY builds two characters worth caring about. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 freak shows: 8. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Blacknight <rvchua@ntep.nec.co.jp> Subject: Re: [MV] Blacknight's Famous Line List Date: 10 Oct 1998 08:55:08 +0800 Ryan Allen wrote: > Last I saw your list was complete, except for about three > lines. did you > ever finish it? I've never seen a final copy posted. > So far no one has offered any suggestions for the remaining three lines so it is still unfinished... blacknight [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ren <reneer@post.cis.smu.edu> Subject: [MV] hmm, i guess it was bound to happen... Date: 09 Oct 1998 22:38:42 -0500 (CDT) just saw scream 2...never saw the first one, but this was bad...what was the point? talk about a moronic movie. all of my friends think it's so great. um, why? can someone enlighten me perhaps? well, off to watch Fail-Safe, Bladerunner, Brazil and Fearless... -Ren ************************************************ * Renee' Rhodes * * reneer@post.cis.smu.edu * * http://www.smu.edu/~reneer * * KPNI Assistant Station Manager * * Alpha Phi Omega- Alpha Omicron chapter * * Publishing Secretary * * * * " Come, my friends, * * 'T is not too late to seek a newer world... * ************************************************ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Diane Christy <dchristy10@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: [MV] hmm, i guess it was bound to happen... Date: 09 Oct 1998 22:43:39 -0500 On 10/9/98, 10:38 PM -0500, Ren said so nicely: >just saw scream 2...never saw the first one, but this was bad...what was >the point? talk about a moronic movie. all of my friends think it's so >great. um, why? can someone enlighten me perhaps? Yeah, I didn't get it either. ~~~~~ Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom) Jefferson, LA http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/ mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net mailto:DChristy1@aol.com ICQ #12904700 ~~~~~ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Tonya =)" <scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Blacknight's Famous Line List Date: 10 Oct 1998 00:50:51 -0500 What are the 3 remaining lines? -Tonya ---------- > From: Blacknight <rvchua@ntep.nec.co.jp> > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] Blacknight's Famous Line List > Date: Friday, October 09, 1998 7:55 PM > > Ryan Allen wrote: > > > Last I saw your list was complete, except for about three > > lines. did you > > ever finish it? I've never seen a final copy posted. > > > > So far no one has offered any suggestions for the remaining three lines > so it is still unfinished... > > blacknight > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Tonya =)" <scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net> Subject: Re: [MV] hmm, i guess it was bound to happen... Date: 10 Oct 1998 01:00:38 -0500 I agree with you. It was somewhat over-rated. Since it was so top secret, every viewer expected something better than the original. This is almost impossible to achieve when the original of any set of sequels is a box office hit. When a viewer watches a movie and absolutely loves it, they want to see more, so they get their hopes up that the sequel will be even better. However, they become disappointed because a sequel almost never achieves the status of its original. I believe, Ren, that you will understand this movie more if you watch the original Scream. You even might enjoy it a little more, because then you will know what the actors are referring to in the sequel. I thought the ending to Scream 2 was terrible. The killer was totally predictable, plus I think that someone else should have played the role as Sidney's boyfriend. Just my opinions. Any comments? -Tonya scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net _______________________________ "Caution: Cape does not enable user to fly." -Batman Costume warning label [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! ADVANCE - Beloved - Jheri Curl Springer Date: 11 Oct 1998 11:33:14 -0400 BELOVED - JHERI CURL SPRINGER by Mark Ramsey http://www.moviejuice.com October 11, 1998 Finally, a movie targeted square at the heart of Oprah Book Club members! Step this way, ladies and...ladies. We've saved the best seats in the house for the Barnes and Noble among you. Rise and shine, it's an Amazon.com day! The only Borders are between you and a nice long nap, and those borders are collapsing by the minute - all 180 of them. Hey Oprah fans: There's enough cooking and chore-tending in this movie to make you feel right at home. So set down those spatulas and sit a spell! I was very worried about Beloved, right up until I realized here was a movie about ghosts and haunted houses - just in time for Halloween. Right on! Unfortunately, this flick was so long, my spirit had long since left the building, enjoyed some smokes, played a round of golf, knocked back some brewskis, eaten a leisurely dinner, and slipped back into my body in time for the closing credits. Let's see, should I raise a family or see Beloved? This movie is the Dial soap of "time on your hands." Never have I witnessed so little happening for so long. Was Beloved produced by the same folks who did the presidential testimony video? You know a movie's long when nurses stand by to check the audience for bedsores. Beloved, of course, is the creation of famous novelist Toni Morrison. This woman was blessed with talent from the start. Just look at the seeds of success sown into her name: "Morrison," as in Jim and Van. "Toni," as in Bennett, Perkins, and - most of all - Tenille. How could she fail? In case you think I'm a rube...you may be right. Once upon a time, I tried to read the Pulitzer Prize winning book on which this movie was based. I made it about 50 pages deep before I gave up. I just couldn't follow the slave dialect. The same way I couldn't groove on Huck Finn's hick dialect or chirp along with William F. Buckley's lazy Hah-vahd "R's." Then, in a flash of humbling insight, I realized I lack the requisite liberal intellectual credentials - the kind that separate James Joyce from James T. Kirk. C'est la vie! I must say that the use of Motown oldies in the soundtrack was in particularly poor taste. Not to mention the deplorable product placement for PBS, as in the moment when Danny asks Oprah, "Sethe, aren't y'all listening to Morning Edition? There's a dang fine whimsical yet 'nformative 20-minute feature'on the Appalachian Bagpipe and Beets Fest'val, in its 30th year of beeps and beets." This movie has "I want Oscar" written all over it. Why not just print "For your consideration" above the title? Oprah's character is listed in the credits as "And the award goes to...." And that credit for "Acceptance speech to be written by..." was really one step too far. Oscar buzz, shmoscar buzz, there's no way this flick's gonna beat Saving Private Ryan to the winner's podium, but look for some juice in the performers categories. From where I'm sitting (and I've been sitting there for three hours now), these are by far some of the best female performances of the year. Unlike Oprah's overbite, they're flawless. Oprah, her kids, her mom - pure acting dynamite. And I ain't kidding. Also look for some writing nominations. Anybody who scribes the line: "I want you to touch me on the inside part" deserves some kind of high praise, as far as I'm concerned. Woolly Mammoth lookalike and Ice Age cohabitant Joe Esterhaus wrote a line like this for Showgirls: "Fuck me like the dog that I am, Kyle." Somewhere in these two lines is the difference between Oscar and ostentation. My favorite part of Beloved is when the Beloved chick first speaks her name in that deep, guttural voice from Hell, one letter at a time. SLOWLY. "Beeee - Eeeeeee - Lllllllll..." Okay I can see where this is going. "Ooooooo - Veeeeeee." I haven't got all day. "Eeeeeee." The suspense is killing me. "Deeeeee. BELOVED!" Okay, moving on now. Before you lecture me, I know the topic here is deadly serious: The story of the terrible effects of slavery on a woman who escapes it but is haunted by its heritage. Little wonder, then, that I've learned this lesson: White people suck. In fact, the only thing that sucks more than white people are 19th century white people. Damn, they suck hard. Beloved is directed by the way talented Jonathan Demme, who has never seen a panorama he didn't photograph for five minutes too long. Jon is spending too much time on the Discovery Channel, if you ask me. I'll tell you this, Jon is no devotee of "Brevity," the ancient Greek God of pacing. This movie seems to end five times before it actually does. In case you think otherwise, get this: I love Oprah. She's the realest chick on the tube. Maybe the only real chick on the tube. So save your nasty emails, Oprah fans, for Demme and the editors who should have made another 30 minutes of hard decisions on Beloved. Catch the 2:30 matinee; you'll be home by sun-up. Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved. NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR. ******************** Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.moviejuice.com. The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the laughs)! ******************** TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST: DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL! Just go to http://www.moviejuice.com and follow the directions at the top of the left frame. It's very easy. NOTE: YOUR NAME CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST UNLESS YOU UNSUBSCRIBE USING THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOU REGISTERED WITH). And don't write me lots of mean-spirited crap. I won't read it. ******************** IF YOUR LINES AREN'T WRAPPING If the lines extend way off into the right horizon, then look to your browser or email software for a setting called "Wrap Long Lines." Now, if your lines aren't RAPPING, then you should consider that normal. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: FTWeekly00@aol.com Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 10-12-98 : Slate II, Take 42 Date: 11 Oct 1998 21:33:29 EDT FILM THREAT WEEKLY "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" ============================= Slate II, Take 42 : October 12th, 1998 ============================= http://www.filmthreat.com ============================= "You look ridiculous in that make-up. Like the caricature of a whore." - Marlon Brando addressing his wife's corpse from "Last Tango in Paris" <===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========> THIS WEEK "Right here, right now." =========================================== ùù> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent. ùù> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice? ùù> BIG SCREEN: Pleasantville, more... ùù> DIY FILMMAKING: Filmmaker War Stories SUBSCRIBE "Unless you already did." =========================================== Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to FilmThreat@aol.com. CLASSIFIEDS "If you advertise, they will come." =========================================== Reach over 60,000 film fanatics on the net. For our reasonable ad rates, e- mail filmthreat@aol.com. NO DANCE FILM FESTIVAL The NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is accepting entries for its 2nd annual alternative D.I.Y. festival in Park City, Utah January 1999. Seeking features, docs, shorts, screenplays, and music videos. Screenings on DVD, VHS and internet streaming. Awards, prizes and parties. Deadline November 20th, 1998. Check web site (http://www.6161.com) for application, or send SASE to: NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 http://www.6161.com FREE VIDEO DEAL! Director's Cut of Penthouse Pet Julie Strain's never-released hilarious and sexy western TAKIN' IT OFF OUT WEST only $16.98. First 25 Film Threat Weekly subscribers ordering receive an award-winning SUPERMODELS IN THE RAINFOREST priced at $19.99 absolutely FREE! http://www.atomic-hollywood.com THE NEWS "Filtered and manipulated. Just like the real news." =========================================== Look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section at: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm BOXOFFICE CHART "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!" =========================================== Weekend of October 9-11, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. 1/ 1 ANTZ $15.4/$36.3 2/ 3 RUSH HOUR $11.5/$98.7 3/ 2 WHAT DREAMS MAY COME $11.0/$31. 4/ 4 A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY $6.2/$17.8 5/New HOLY MAN $5.2 6/ 6 URBAN LEGEND $4.8/$26.5 6/ 5 RONIN $4.8/$30.9 8/ 7 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY $3.0/$162.1 9/ 8 ONE TRUE THING $2.0/$20.3 10/ 9 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN $1.4/$186.4 BIG SCREEN "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You" =========================================== From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown. PLEASANTVILLE (PG-13) * * * * 1/2 (http://www.lycos.com/pleasantville) Where the hell did this film come from? Flipping the premise for "The Truman Show" around, writer/director Gary Ross has come up with one of the best, most subversive, and definitely one of the most memorable films of the year. Anyone who's seen the ubiquitous trailer knows the premise: Two teenagers from the present (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon) are somehow transported from the "real" world into a 1950's sitcom called "Pleasantville", where everyone believes they are the two main characters on the show. There you go, one sentence. What you can't tell from the trailer is WHY. While the kids are transported by a mysterious and VERY recognizable figure, Director Ross intends to subvert and satire the belief in "happy, more simple times." He manages to both demonstrate and attack the sources of racism, intolerance, conformity, and one MAJOR story of the Old Testament. Maguire's character enjoyed watching "Pleasantville" for its safe, routine lifestyle free of the fear and uncertainty that plagues his life. He finds "safe" does not mean "happy". After the kids start inflicting their modern attitudes on the unsuspecting town, all of that black and white footage begins to look a lot like news footage of Alabama in the '60's. When the kids arrive, all the townspeople know is what had been written for them. They can't even break apart from their daily routines until the kids prod them. When Maguire shows up late for work at the soda shop, his boss (Jeff Daniels) has wiped through all the varnish on the counter because Toby wasn't there to lay out silverware to tell he's done. As the film progresses, people begin to change from grey to color. This occurs whenever they have performed an act that doesn't conform to their character. Soon, all of the black and white people left, featuring J.T. Walsh as the mayor, turn hateful toward the colored people. (Yes, they even put up signs in stores that say "NO COLOREDS". While the film does become heavy in the last hour with allegory, it never grinds to a halt or become too saccharine. Most of the time the film is gleefully swinging the bat and connecting with everything. The first hour is a stunning achievement. Ross doesn't hold back as Witherspoon's slutty character wreaks havoc over the town. She doesn't cause nearly as much damage as Daniel's newfound love of art (think nudes). Essentially, where I expected a piece of fluffy escapism, I got a well placed middle finger to America's conservative, religious right. What more can you ask from popular entertainment? - Ron Wells ELIZABETH (R) * 1/2 (http://www.reellife.com/elizabethi_tease.html) Once upon a time, in a land far, far away (ENGLAND), there were a pair of film producers. One day, the producers wanted to tell a story, a story of the great Queen Elizabeth. Sadly, everyone in the land had already heard the story, so many times that it put everyone to sleep. This troubled the producers greatly as they needed the people of the land to pay for the story so they could afford to send their children to ski in Switzerland for the holidays. One producer had a bright idea and said to the other, "What we need is a new way to tell the story! Then, no one will know they have heard the story before." "How will we ever do that?" said the second producer to the first. "Well, we shall hire a new storyteller, of course. He will tell the story in a new manner as the people will enjoy today. Think of all the tall tales we heard o'er the summer! What was the most popular tale? How was it told?" AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!! SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM MICHAEL BAY!!!! You know, everybody wants to be Tony Scott, but they just don't have the, uh, finesse. Director Shekhar Kapur ("Bandit Queen"), seems to have mastered the unnecessary jump-cut, if not the engaging protagonist. This film probably would have been released during the summer if they could have squeezed in an Aerosmith or Kenny Loggins song. The one thing to be said for this movie is it does go out of its way to make the French look bad, which alone is worth one of the stars above. The movie opens with fervent Catholic Queen Mary cracking down hard on her father's Protestant Church. Childless, her advisers beg her to execute Protestant sister Elizabeth (Cate Blanchette) before she can ascend to the throne. Too late! Twenty minutes in, Mary's dead. Elizabeth spends the rest of the movie learning how to be queen and consolidating her power, all to a thumpin' soundtrack. It's strange Blanchette and Geoffrey Rush as Sir Francis Walsingham are the only ones to display subtlety in their performances as they are both Australian. All the British actors are chompin' and stompin' all the scenery they can. Joseph Fiennes plays Lord Robert Dudley, the Ben Affleck-style love interest as if he has a hard-on for the entire length of the film; Sir Richard Attenborough (Sir William Cecil) is his usual "Jurassic Park" self; and Christopher Eccleston (Duke of Norfolk) always looks so pissed I thought he was going to whack everybody with that board shoved up his ass. I think I could have used a little...less. All of the nutty editing and the loud score just grated on my nerves and failed the story. I swear, at one point, a hooded character was walking toward the camera in a dark castle and I heard Darth Vader's theme. I'm tired of directors showing off. At least in a film like "Love is the Devil" all the style serves a purpose, but with the whole Scott Bros./Michael Bay school I wish they would stop selling and start telling the story for a change. - Ron Wells DIY FILMMAKING: "War Stories from the Frontlines of Filmmaking" =========================================== Here we present another chapter in our continuing series focusing on the trials and tribulations of making independent films. These War Stories from filmmakers who slaved to get it done will tear at your heart and might even make you cry. (Not really, but it sounds good to say that.) Battle on indie filmmakers! INTERVIEW WITH FILMMAKER: Robert Meyer Burnett WHAT'S YOUR STORY? After three years at Washington's Evergreen State College, I transferred to USC. I was hired out of one of my classes by producers Scott Rosenfelt and Mark Levinson who put me to work in their Atlantic Releasing-based offices. Basically, I answered phones and did coverage for them, discovering my first decent script, David Twohy's "The Grand Tour." After their deal with Atlantic dissolved, I went on to work for the summer as the art dept. PA on "Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III," receiving my first screen credit. When that wrapped, I managed to snag a position as a management trainee in the Warner Bros. Feature Production Dept. under senior VP Bill Young. After my year stint was up, I moved over to Silver Pictures as a staff story analyst, followed by short stints as a staff reader for The Image Organization, William Morris and CAA. I had a problem getting my coverage in on time so my reading jobs never lasted. Eventually, after going back to Warner Bros to work on "Free Willy," I wound up as the development executive for Robin Armstrong's Open Road Productions. After a year of watching great projects pass by, I decided to leave the utterly pointless creative development side of the business. I was offered a glorified runner position at Tony Gardner's Alterian Studios, but wound up doing all kinds of production work on everything from "Cast a Deadly Spell" to "Army of Darkness, " picking up more screen credits on the way. When Alterian shut down for awhile, I went over to Full Moon and began working with actor turned editor/director Peter Billingsley on the complete recut of Albert Pyun's then-unreleasible "Arcade." I hadn't edited since college, but I did get an A in editing at 'SC, so I figured, how hard can this be? It was at Full Moon I met Mark Altman, the co-writer and producer of "Free Enterprise." I'd been a fan of his work for Cinefantastique and when we met at the San Diego Comicon, we became fast friends. Eventually, he made me Critic-at -Large for his new magazine, Sci-Fi Universe, which he founded with Film Threat's very own Chris Gore. After a year, Full Moon ran into financial difficulties, I struck out on my own, first working at an ad agency where I taught myself the AVID, then going freelance, concentrating on editing only feature films, usually by first-time directors. Now, after ten years of living in Los Angeles, I finally co-wrote, edited and directed my first feature, "Free Enterprise." HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT WRITING THE SCRIPT? Mark called me up late one night while I was working on "Star Trek: The Experience" and read me a scene. I think it was the young Robert flashback in the playground. It was just hilarious and really nailed the tone of the piece. I gave him a few more ideas, then he came back to me two weeks later with a TWO HUNDRED FIFTY page words-on-paper draft. I completely rewrote that draft, getting it down to like 180 pages. I passed it back to him and he hacked out another chunk. We went back and fourth like this for a couple of months until we both sat in his apartment and went over every line together. We tweaked up until and after the first day of shooting. HOW DID YOU GET SHATNER TO BE IN THE FILM? Bill (that's what he prefers to be called) had no idea we were writing this script. After we locked the financing, we approached his manager, convinced he'd do the movie. In the original draft, he was an imaginary character, like Bogart in "Play in Again Sam," doling out advice to the main characters. But we never heard from him. At one point, we considered making a version without Shatner about fans of a show called Solar Quest. But who really wanted to do that? Then, on Dec. 18th, Shatner finally called to say "You wrote a very funny script. I'm not doing your movie." He was very nice about it, but felt really uncomfortable playing essentially a character that was, for all intents and purposes, God. I was thinking to myself, quoting Shatner's own line from Trek Và"àButàAREN'T YOU god?" (I mean, heck, Mark and I thought soàhe was our hero). He suggested if we were to rewrite the script and make him a real person with real problems, then he might consider doing it. Dejected and depressed Mark and I, with our start date set, the financing in place, a crew in waiting and our dreams finally on the verge of being fulfilled, now had to do a massive rewrite. But, because the script was so episodic, we really only had to rewrite Shatner's part. It was Mark who came up with the Shakespeare angle. After finishing the draft, Shatner said he was still uncomfortable with the film. But after convincing him we'd listen to his input, we went over to his office and went over all his lines. Surprisingly, his changes were minor, but profound. Bill has a surprisingly keen grasp on storytelling and excellent comedic sensibilities. Watching him read the lines we'd written for him for the first time was nothing short of magic. Plusàwe simply would not take no for an answer. He had to do our movie. WHAT WAS IT LIKE DIRECTING AN ICON OF THE SCIENCE FICTION WORLD? Frankly, I was terrified. I've heard the tape. Logistically, his first day was a nightmare, shooting with Ethan Glazer who plays young Mark, during rush hour on Wilshire Blvd. But when Shatner came on set, I think he saw a lot of professionalism happening, which put him at ease. Plusàwe came to him with great respect. He is, after all, sort of our Godfather. And I think he responded to our youthful, 'hey, lets put on a show" exuberance. One day, he worked sixteen hours straight in the Garden of Edenàtwelve pages of dialogue. By midnight, he lit up a stogie and began joking with the crew. He read every off camera line with the other actors. He was there for everyone else's closeups. He was simply terrific. Plus, Shatner is just an amazing professional. He knows exactly where to stand, where to moveà His knowledge of the filmmaking process makes him very easy to work with, if you know what you're doing. Now, I've always thought he was a great actor, but to see him perform, a seasoned professional trained on the stage, work liveàeven the fatigued crew perked up. On his last day of shooting, our behind the scenes film crew asked him what he thought the sequel to "Free Enterprise" should be aboutàhe thought for a moment and saidà"Well, I guess in the next one they'll get advice from Patrick Stewart." Hearing this, Mark and I went over to Bill and said, "we'd never make the sequel with Patrick Stewart. Ever." He smiled. His manager later told us he had one of the best times he's ever had on our film. WAS THE FILM AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL IN ANY WAY? No. Absolutely not. IS STAR TREK DEAD? It's really not dead. As long as we remember it. Although the added commercial breaks during the Sci-Fi Channel's "special presentation" of the Original Series is going a long way towards sullying it's memory. WHAT WAS THE BUDGET AND SCHEDULE? The film was made for a lot less then you might believe. Let's just say it's more then a dollar and less then "Battle Beyond the Stars." We shot it over a twenty-five day period in February smack in the middle of El Nino. It wound up being the wettest month in the history of Los Angeles. We also went to Limbo to shoot the childhood Shatner scenes, creating quite a problem with the permit office. DID YOU SACRIFICE ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET? We shot mostly in practical locations, really stretching every dollar, giving the film production value we could never duplicate on a setà40 locations in twenty-five days. The Garden of Eden, Jerry's Deli, the Tillman water reclamation plant, Toys R' Us, Golden Apple Comics, the El Ray theatre, the Chaplin Stagesàand Bruce Willis' brother David's house doubled for Robert's apt., Mark's apt. and the French CafΘ, although he thought we were only using his kitchen. We even stopped traffic on Wilshire boulvard during rush hour once. So I really didn't have to sacrifice anything. My producers, Dan Bates, Mark, and Allen Kaufman saw to that. They really got my back. The Logan's Run dream sequence and the car crash may have benefitted from more cash, but really I was able to get everything in the script on film with what we had to work with. Of course, I shot 135,000 feet of film. Hoo-ha. WHY DID YOU DO IT? The one concrete goal I ever had in my life was to direct my first feature at thirty years of age after learning all I could about making motion pictures. My days were numbered. I'd reached carousel. Also, Mark and I felt it was time to pay homage to not only the greatness and vision of Classic Trek, which Paramount and Rick Berman seem to now believe is a wacky campfest, but to remind the world that William Shatner is STILL THE MAN! CURRENT STATUS OF THE FILM? The World Premiere takes place on Oct. 15 at Stiges 98: Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya in Spain. The US premiere follows a week later on Oct. 23 at the AFI Fest here in Los Angeles. Then the film moves on to the Peachtree Festival in Atlanta the following week and finally the Hawaii International Film Festival the week after that. You either get the film or you don't I suppose. And although it's an indie film from the get go, it's more like top 40 music, a "pop" film, which I think throws people off. ADVICE OR PEARLS OF BRILLIANT FILMMAKING WISDOM? -Never write a script about a specific actor unless you check with that actor first. -Never shoot exteriors in Los Angeles during the month of February. -If you're a first time filmmaker with a 126 page shooting script, cut it down before production begins. -If you have a small budget, don't expect the United Talent Agency to ever call you back, even if your casting director has made legitimate monetary offers to their clients. On the other hand, CAA, William Morris and Endeavor can be surprisingly supportive of the low-budget filmmaker. -Finally and perhaps most importantlyàexpect the unexpected and be prepared to face it head on when it arrives, because it will. I UNDERSTAND THAT FOR AN INDEPENDENT FILM, THE CRAFT SERVICES TABLE HAD MORE APPETIZERS THAN MOST HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTIONS-IS THIS IN PART DUE TO THE PRODUCER.? Actually, one day the crew was shocked to see Producer, co-writer and my great friend Mark A. Altman carrying around a plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies for them. I of course, was not surprised in the least. But according to Line Producer extrodinare Ron Singer, we actually had a great craft service table because he was able to wrangle copious amounts of product placement. I was just happy the Widmir brewing company gave us a few cases of their wonderful Hefeweizen, which is featured prominently in the film. WAS IT WORTH IT? Making this film was like having more wealth then I could ever imagine. And I can imagine quite a bit. WHAT'S NEXT? I've always said I wanted to be a cross between Stanley Kubrick, David Cronenberg, Joseph Mankiewicz and John Carpenter, with a dash of Andrei Tarkovski thrown in for good measure. I dread being thought of as some kind of comedy director after this, but I suppose until I make something else, I don't really have a choice. I want to make Cinefantastique. Thoughtful Science Fiction and Horror films. YesàHORRORànot "supernatural thrillers," but balls to the wall, hellzapoppin' HORROR FILMS. But right now, we're concentrating on building our new company, Mindfire Entertainment, the home of combustible imagination, into the genre division Miramax and October wish they were in business withà To find out more, surf over to: http://www.freeent.com To read the unedited Robert Burnett interview go to: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm FILMMAKERS: Hey! How come my film isn't in this column?!! E-mail your tales to filmthreat@aol.com and answer the basic questions above. Send us a copy of your film on video and if it sounds cool, we'll run a story about your movie! Send VHS review copies to: Film Threat, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036 END CREDITS "Written, produced, and directed by . . ." =========================================== Publisher / Chris Gore Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares Contributors / Merle Bertrand, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron Wells Send us films, videos, CDs, games, screening passes: FILM THREAT, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Website: http://www.filmthreat.com Edress: FilmThreat@aol.com FILM THREAT WEEKLY is published by The Gore Group, LLC. All material ⌐ 1998 Gore Group Publications. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission of the author. You are, however, welcome to forward this e-mail to whomever you wish. All letters, comments and reviews sent to Film Threat Weekly in any manner are assumed intended for publication, unless stated otherwise. Your name and e-mail address will be printed if published herein. Not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Film Threat is now a proud part of the den: the daily entertainment network at http://www.theden.com Film Threat Weekly is distributed by ZENtertainment - http://www.zentertainment.com QUOTING FILM THREAT WEEKLY: Journalists, if you feel the need to quote Film Threat Weekly you MUST include the Film Threat url (http://www.filmthreat.com) so that readers can get more information. Otherwise you are NOT given permission to quote any material or contents contained herein. ADVERTISE: FILM THREAT MEDIA KIT =========================================== Reach over 60,000 film fanatics on the net. Indie filmmakers get a 50% discount! To get an e-media kit, e-mail filmthreat@aol.com. FILM THREAT WEEKLY TAKES OVER THE NET "Read FTW on other sites" =========================================== Read Film Threat Weekly on the "Internet Movie Database" at http://us.imdb.com/Threat/ Also read Film Threat Weekly on the "Hollywood IndieNetwork" at http://indienetwork.com/filmthreat/index.html Speak Italian? Read Film Threat Weekly translated into Italian at http://www.ottoemezzo.com FTW is also posted on a web site in the Philippines, Cyberville Online at http://www.cyberville-manila.com FILM THREAT "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" =========================================== Independent, Cult, Underground, Alternative Film, Hollywood Satire And No BS ==============CUT-AND-PRINT =============== [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Chris Culligan" <culligan@hotmail.com> Subject: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 12 Oct 1998 09:57:05 PDT I rented this movie called Night Shift last night on video and was pleasantly surprised. It starred Ewen McCreger (the kid from trainspotting) and Nick Nolty. Man - it painted a creepy picture of a night shift operator working in a morgue - and threw in a mass murderer with a who done-it plot line to boot. I really enjoyed Night Shift and recommend it as a good scary movie for the Halloween season. Speaking of scary movies - tis the season. I always seem to get in the mood for scary movies this time of year. Can anyone give me some good recommendations! Thanks, CHRIS ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ryana@allensysgroup.com (Ryan Allen) Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 12 Oct 1998 13:18:10 -0400 At 12:57 10/12/98 , you wrote: >Speaking of scary movies - tis the season. I always seem to get in the >mood for scary movies this time of year. Can anyone give me some good >recommendations! Scary recommendations: Well, I guess it depends a lot on what type of scary you like. And what you've seen. There's gory scary, mental scary, tension scary, etc. The original Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street are always a good scary movie or two. Classic scary, Psycho. Modern scary, Scream. Really scary, Ishtar or Tank. That should get you started! :) Cheers, Ryan ## Hurricane Season (Jun. 1-Nov. 1) is Here! ## ## Please visit my Personal Page ## ## http://www.gate.net/~airwolf ## [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 12 Oct 1998 13:00:05 PDT Was that the name of that movie? I thought it was NightWatch. I remember a Michael Keaton/Henry Winkler movie called Night Shift, though. >--- On Mon, 12 Oct 1998 09:57:05 PDT Chris Culligan <culligan@hotmail.com> wrote: >I rented this movie called Night Shift last night on video and was >pleasantly surprised. It starred Ewen McCreger (the kid from >trainspotting) and Nick Nolty. Man - it painted a creepy picture of a >night shift operator working in a morgue - and threw in a mass murderer >with a who done-it plot line to boot. I really enjoyed Night Shift and >recommend it as a good scary movie for the Halloween season. >Speaking of scary movies - tis the season. I always seem to get in the >mood for scary movies this time of year. Can anyone give me some good >recommendations! i think Ryan's recommendation of Nightmare on Elm Street is a good one. So is Psycho.Two more: The haunting - very spooky. Halloween - seems very hammy today, but it still has a couple of good jolts >Thanks, >CHRIS W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/12/98 Date: 12 Oct 1998 12:54:54 -0600 (MDT) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Antz" remained the top movie at the North American box office for a second consecutive weekend, while former champ "Rush Hour" moved up a notch to second position, according to studio estimates issued Sunday. "Antz," a computer animated romantic comedy set in the insect world, earned about $15.4 million for the Friday-Sunday period, followed by Jackie Chan's "Rush Hour" with $11.5 million. "What Dreams May Come," an afterlife romance starring Robin Williams, fell one place to third with $11.0 million. The only new wide release, "Holy Man" starring Eddie Murphy and Jeff Goldblum, debuted in fifth with a disappointing $5.2 million. The nightclub comedy "A Night at the Roxbury" held steady at fourth with $6.2 million. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Reuters) - George Lucas' "Star Wars" tops Entertainment Weekly's list of the 100 best works of science fiction. The magazine says the 1977 film was "an Rx for a cynical audience numbed by everything from Vietnam to Watergate to drugs." No. 2 on the list is "Star Trek," followed by "The Twilight Zone," the book "Frankenstein," "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Metropolis," the 1938 movie version of "War of the Worlds," the 1956 and 1978 versions of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," the first two "Alien" movies and the comic book debut of Superman in 1938. The magazine says its rankings are based on a work's quality, influence on pop culture and impact on the collective imagination. -=> * <=- PARIS (Reuters) - A French teenage couple fascinated by the Hollywood film "Natural-born Killers" was sentenced to long prison terms Friday for killing a classmate in perverse circumstances. It was the second murder trial in Paris in recent weeks in which the Oliver Stone film about a couple who go on a killing spree was cited. The court at Bobigny in the Paris suburbs sent Veronique Hubert, 18 at the time of the 1996 killing, and her boyfriend Sebastien, then 17, to prison for terms of 18 and 15 years respectively. The court heard they intended to carry out several murders and were fascinated by "Natural born Killers." -=> * <=- Bruce Willis' Rational Packaging production company is making a movie out of Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s 1973 novel "Breakfast of Champions." "This film is kind of outside the Hollywood box," Willis told the Los Angeles Times. "But every once in a while I've got to satisfy myself. I can count on one hand and not use my thumb the number of films in the last couple of years that I looked forward to going to work every day." "Breakfast" will also star Nick Nolte, Barbara Hershey and Albert Finney. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News 2 - 10/12/98 Date: 12 Oct 1998 12:56:56 -0600 (MDT) Ethan Hawke will join some fairly distinguished company with his upcoming contemporary movie version of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Laurence Olivier, Nicol Williamson, Mel Gibson and Kenneth Branagh have all played the melancholy Dane on screen. The new version will also star Kyle MacLachlan as Claudius and Bill Murray as Polonius. -=> * <=- "Holy Man," a critically panned comedy about a televangelist, grossed $5.2 million this past weekend for one of the worst debuts in Eddie Murphy's up-and-down career. It even did worse than two previous Murphy duds: "A Vampire in Brooklyn" ($7 million in 1995) and "Metro" ($11.4 million in 1997). The film's lackluster opening was even more surprising given Eddie's recent success with "Dr. Dolittle," which has grossed $142.2 million since June. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Chris Culligan" <culligan@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 12 Oct 1998 12:06:31 PDT You are correct - my mistake. Both movies delt with night watchmen in a morque, however - hence the confustion. I will admit that that was the only similarty between the two. Cheers, CHRIS > >Was that the name of that movie? I thought it was NightWatch. > >I remember a Michael Keaton/Henry Winkler movie called Night Shift, though. > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Chris Culligan" <culligan@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 12 Oct 1998 12:06:32 PDT You are correct - my mistake. Both movies delt with night watchmen in a morque, however - hence the confustion. I will admit that that was the only similarty between the two. Cheers, CHRIS > >Was that the name of that movie? I thought it was NightWatch. > >I remember a Michael Keaton/Henry Winkler movie called Night Shift, though. > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Danielle Conkle" <danyelli@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 12 Oct 1998 12:29:12 PDT not exactly scream scary, but arachnaphobia always gives me a creepy scary feeling! ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 12 Oct 1998 13:59:40 -0700 > Speaking of scary movies - tis the season. I always seem to get in the > mood for scary movies this time of year. Can anyone give me some good > recommendations! > > THE OMEN > EXORCIST > HALLOWEEN > > ______________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: BELOVED Date: 12 Oct 1998 16:18:14 -0600 (MDT) BELOVED (Touchstone) Starring: Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, Thandie Newton, Kimberly Elise, Beah Richards. Screenplay: Akosua Busia, Richard LaGravenese and Adam Brooks, based on the novel by Toni Morrison. Producers: Edward Saxon, Jonathan Demme, Gary Goetzman, Oprah Winfrey and Kate Forte. Director: Jonathan Demme. MPAA Rating: R (adult themes, nudity, sexual situations, violence) Running Time: 172 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. BELOVED doesn't feel like a typical Oscar-hyped fall "prestige release," full of cathartic emotion and earnest dignity. Its opening minutes portend something quite different: two silent exterior shots, one tracking through a graveyard and the other establishing a rural Ohio home, shift to a scene of sheer supernatural terror. Inside the home, a woman named Sethe (Oprah Winfrey) and her three children cringe in fear as the family dog spins through the air, an eye torn out and a leg broken by an anguished spirit. We learn that the entity is the ghost of another daughter, who has haunted the house long enough for the latest event to drive the two boys away from home. So much for earnest dignity; this is a prestige release as American gothic horror film. That shouldn't be terribly surprising coming from director Jonathan Demme, who turned 1991's THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS into an Oscar-winning prestige release. Yet this is no more a conventional thriller than it is a conventional epic drama, though it incorporates elements of both. The bulk of the film takes place eight years after that prologue sequence, when the arrival of two strangers shake up the isolated lives of Sethe and her remaining daughter Denver (Kimberly Elise). Paul D (Danny Glover), a former slave with Sethe on the Sweet Home plantation, provides a companionship Sethe hasn't known for years. The other arrival is more mysterious, a child-like woman calling herself Beloved (Thandie Newton). Their interaction, interwoven with selected flashbacks, turns BELOVED into a complex ghost story in which the ghosts take on many forms, attacking both from without and from within. It's what BELOVED does with the idea of a ghost story that made Toni Morrison's novel so powerful, and makes Demme's film so gripping. The true horror in the story is Sethe's past, the painful and humiliating past of all slaves which involved so many horrifying events. Most film-makers would have taken those events and shown them off with sincere indignation. The images created by Demme and cinematographer Tak Fujimoto are jittery and chilling, designed more to invade the sub-conscious than to inspire tight-lipped head-shaking. Beloved appears initially as a sort of earth-spirit, covered with insects; the bright ribbons of a family celebration become a lingering symbol of decayed hopes. With Oprah Winfrey effectively conveying Sethe's hollow-eyed resignation, BELOVED shows how a tormented past can corrupt the present to the point that it feels perpetually haunted, holding meaning only as a constant reminder of unforgettable evils. If BELOVED had intended merely to shock and dismay, it would have been a very shallow and disspiriting experience. Instead, it becomes a call to the living to dare existing in the present, conveyed through two supporting characters marvelously performed. Kimberly Elise takes Denver on a journey from trying to re-capture her own past -- treating Beloved both as her own child and as the sister she never knew -- to shaking herself and Sethe into a desire for survival. Stronger still is the bright angel of the deceased Baby Suggs (Beah Richards), Denver's paternal grandmother and the spiritual leader of her community. Her glorious sermons, which call all around to celebrate their bodies even as they acknowledge sorrow, provide stirring punctuation for this tale. As counterpoint to Sethe's inability to forgive herself, Baby Suggs enjoins her listeners to "kiss your hands; love your heart." BELOVED is such a side-ranging story that it's bound to feel slightly disjointed at times. The flashback to Sethe's escape from Sweet Home feels particularly drawn out, slowing down a nearly three-hour film. It's impressive, however, that three different screenwriters could create so cohesive an adaptation. Demme infuses BELOVED with the feverish intensity of a recurring nightmare, then leaves us with hope of awakening to a new day. There is emotion, yes, and dignity; there is also evil, and even horror. I can only think of one way to categorize a film like BELOVED: it may be the most uplifting horror film you'll ever see. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 immortal beloveds: 9. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Tonya =)" <scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 13 Oct 1998 01:54:12 -0500 This was the perfect question! Scary movies are my favorite types of movies, so I have A LOT of recommendations! I recently saw Urban Legend. I give this a perfect 4 stars (out of 4 of course). It has a lot of insane twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. There are some humerous parts that keep you even more interested too. This one is a must see. Secondly, I have to go with the Nightmare on Elm Street Series. You really don't need to watch these ones in order to get the story line, but it does help, because in the later sequels some of the original characters return (well, the ones that didn't already die). I like #3 the best, it seems to stick out as being the scariest of the bunch. I also have to suggest the Friday the 13th series. This series is sort of confusing. The first couple aren't that great, because Jason doesn't get his hockey mask until the 2nd or 3rd sequel (I can't remember which right off hand). My favorite of this bunch is Jason Takes Manhattan, oh, and really liked the latest one too. Next, I will recommend the Child's Play series. That little doll is so terrifying, which is what makes me watch it. I am looking very forward to seeing the newest addition to this series, Bride of Chucky. I think it will be rather frightening. If anyone has seen it or have any comments on it, I would love to hear them. I really enjoyed getting scared by the movie Dr. Giggles. It really frightened me! -Tonya scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net _______________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 13 Oct 1998 11:38:30 -0600 "You really don't need to watch these ones in order to get the story line, but it does help, because in the later sequels some of the original characters return (well, the ones that didn't already die)." Actually in "Freddy's Dead" Johnny Depp reprises his role from the original Nightmare on Elm Street in a quick extremely funny cameo, and his character was dead. For a very strange scary movie rent "Parents" at least I'm 90% sure that's what it's called. It stars Randy Quaid. It's about a son who suspects that the meat that his parents is always eating (and serving to him) might be human. This is more of the disturbing kind of horror with a little gore. JKRUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 1998 12:54 AM This was the perfect question! Scary movies are my favorite types of movies, so I have A LOT of recommendations! I recently saw Urban Legend. I give this a perfect 4 stars (out of 4 of course). It has a lot of insane twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. There are some humerous parts that keep you even more interested too. This one is a must see. Secondly, I have to go with the Nightmare on Elm Street Series. You really don't need to watch these ones in order to get the story line, but it does help, because in the later sequels some of the original characters return (well, the ones that didn't already die). I like #3 the best, it seems to stick out as being the scariest of the bunch. I also have to suggest the Friday the 13th series. This series is sort of confusing. The first couple aren't that great, because Jason doesn't get his hockey mask until the 2nd or 3rd sequel (I can't remember which right off hand). My favorite of this bunch is Jason Takes Manhattan, oh, and really liked the latest one too. Next, I will recommend the Child's Play series. That little doll is so terrifying, which is what makes me watch it. I am looking very forward to seeing the newest addition to this series, Bride of Chucky. I think it will be rather frightening. If anyone has seen it or have any comments on it, I would love to hear them. I really enjoyed getting scared by the movie Dr. Giggles. It really frightened me! -Tonya scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net _______________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/13/98 Date: 13 Oct 1998 15:43:42 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - DreamWorks' "Antz" dug in for a second weekend atop the North American box office chart, earning an estimated $15.4 million. The computer-animated action comedy has gathered $36.3 million in 10 days, and appears on track to gross between $80 million and $100 million domestically. The film dropped just 11% from last weekend, after expanding its run by 364 theaters to 2,813. The weekend's only wide newcomer, Disney's new age satire "Holy Man," bowed in fifth place with a dispiriting $5.2 million. In 2,013 shrines, the Eddie Murphy comedy averaged just $2,583 per site. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Danny DeVito is in negotiations to direct and play a supporting role in DreamWorks' remake of the 1941 comedy feature "The Man Who Came to Dinner." Originally a George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart stage play, the satirical tale revolves around a bombastic talk show host who returns to his Midwestern alma mater in order to accept an award. He wreaks havoc on the lives of the unfortunate, wealthy family with whom he is staying after he is forced to recuperate from an injury. DeVito, who last directed "Matilda" (which he produced and co-starred in), will take on the supporting role of Ed Stanley. No other cast members have been attached. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Variety) - German model Claudia Schiffer will join Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Elijah Wood and Gaby Hoffman in "Black and White." The picture is about a group of white high school teens and their excursions into the lives of Harlem's black hip-hop crowd. James Toback ("Two Girls and a Guy") directs. Schiffer recently starred with Matthew Modine in "Blackout" for director Abel Ferrara and with Downey in "Friends & Lovers," which will be released next spring. -=> * <=- Garth Brooks will produce but not star in a movie project with Kenny (Babyface) Edmonds. "The Lamb," a psychological thriller about an overzealous female fan and the effect a superstar musician has on her life, will offer moviegoers a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a high-powered music tour, said Brooks' producing partner, Lisa Sanderson. Brooks has expressed an interest in acting but has never appeared in a feature film. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca (Kevin Marshall) Subject: Re: [MV] hmm, i guess it was bound to happen... Date: 13 Oct 1998 11:52:36 -0400 "Scream 2" was a really horrible film, especially if you have seen the first one. The original was actually quite good, and the concept of "they're in a horror movie and they know it" was brand new then "Scream 2", meanwhile, is basically recycled material. The best part about the first was the originality of it. Kevin Marshall "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." - Casino [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca (Kevin Marshall) Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 13 Oct 1998 11:58:54 -0400 Definately. Every time I watch "Arachnophobia", I keep my feet up off the floor! :) Kevin Marshall "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." - Casino [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] hmm, i guess it was bound to happen... Date: 14 Oct 1998 11:53:07 PDT >--- On Tue, 13 Oct 1998 11:52:36 -0400 Kevin Marshall <MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca> wrote: >"Scream 2" was a really horrible film, especially if you have seen the >first one. The original was actually quite good, and the concept of >"they're in a horror movie and they know it" was brand new then >"Scream 2", meanwhile, is basically recycled material. The best part >about the first was the originality of it. I agree about the first one. It was a fairly humorous way to poke fun at the industry, and it did raise a few hairs. Scream 2 is greatly inferior to the first one, but it did have a few jabs at sequels in general, especially horror ones. I didn't think it horrible, but I didn't find it that great either. There is supposed development on a Scream 3 right now.... with Neve Campbell out of the pic but Courtney Cox still in the series... Hmmm.... That was probably bound to happen, too... I fear the degeneration will continue. Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 14 Oct 1998 11:56:39 PDT >--- On Tue, 13 Oct 1998 11:58:54 -0400 Kevin Marshall <MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca> wrote: >Definately. Every time I watch "Arachnophobia", I keep my feet up off >the floor! :) Haha. What a fun movie! It is hammy and cheesy and is almost a spoof of the creature-feature horror flick.. but it's so well-done by Frank Marshall that it's fun to watch even given the formulaic structure of the film.. The spiders are around very corner and in every box and toilet and shoe..... Great flick! Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" <ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com> Subject: Re: [MV] hmm, i guess it was bound to happen... Date: 14 Oct 1998 18:03:02 +0100 --=_ORCL_5848680_0_0 Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" i have to say, I thoght that it was a great movie. i think I'm going to be alone on this one, but this is the sort of film where you have to try not to= read into it to much, and just let it carry you along. I enjoyed it!!! Thanks & Regards, ****************************************************************************= ** ****************************************************************************= ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland ****************************************************************************= ** --=_ORCL_5848680_0_0 Content-Type:message/rfc822 Reply-to:IEUNIX1.IE.ORACLE.COM:movies@lists.xmission.com Return-Path:<owner-movies@lists.xmission.com> Received:from iedns1.ie.oracle.com by iemail1.ie.oracle.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-4.1) id RAA23493; Wed, 14 Oct 1998 17:52:44 +0100 Received:from mail-gw3.uk.oracle.com (ukaa04.uk.oracle.com) by iedns1.ie.oracle.com (5.x/SMI-SVR4) id AA24751; Wed, 14 Oct 1998 17:56:38 +0100 Received:from uksn98.uk.oracle.com (uksn98.uk.oracle.com [138.3.208.67]) by mail-gw3.uk.oracle.com (8.8.5/8.8.8) with SMTP id RAA23386 for <ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com>; Wed, 14 Oct 1998 17:58:11 +0100 (BST) Received:from lists.xmission.com ([198.60.22.7]) by uksn98.uk.oracle.com via smtpd (for ukaa04.uk.oracle.com [138.3.208.99]) with SMTP; 14 Oct 1998 16:58:11 UT Received:from domo by lists.xmission.com with local (Exim 2.04 #1) id 0zTUBz-0003qq-00 for movies-goout@lists.xmission.com; Wed, 14 Oct 1998 10:54:31 -0600 Received:from [208.201.25.10] (helo=polaris.brazoselectric.com) by lists.xmission.com with esmtp (Exim 2.04 #1) id 0zTUBw-0003o2-00 for movies@lists.xmission.com; Wed, 14 Oct 1998 10:54:28 -0600 Received:from cppc4.brazoselectric.com ([199.165.239.218]) by polaris.brazoselectric.com (8.8.5/8.7.3) with SMTP id LAA28417 for <movies@lists.xmission.com>; Wed, 14 Oct 1998 11:42:46 -0500 X-Priority:3 (Normal) References:<98Oct14.121339edt.638@ed.lbe.edu.on.ca> Message-Id:<Chameleon.981014115624.wsnider@cppc4.brazoselectric.com> Sender:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type:TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding:7bit >--- On Tue, 13 Oct 1998 11:52:36 -0400 Kevin Marshall <MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca> wrote: >"Scream 2" was a really horrible film, especially if you have seen the >first one. The original was actually quite good, and the concept of >"they're in a horror movie and they know it" was brand new then >"Scream 2", meanwhile, is basically recycled material. The best part >about the first was the originality of it. I agree about the first one. It was a fairly humorous way to poke fun at the industry, and it did raise a few hairs. Scream 2 is greatly inferior to the first one, but it did have a few jabs at sequels in general, especially horror ones. I didn't think it horrible, but I didn't find it that great either. There is supposed development on a Scream 3 right now.... with Neve Campbell out of the pic but Courtney Cox still in the series... Hmmm.... That was probably bound to happen, too... I fear the degeneration will continue. Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] --=_ORCL_5848680_0_0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 14 Oct 1998 11:18:52 -0700 > It is hammy and cheesy and is almost a spoof > of the creature-feature horror flick.. but it's so well-done by Frank > Marshall > that it's fun to watch even given the formulaic structure of the film.. > The spiders are around very corner and in every box and toilet and > shoe..... > Great flick! > Wade [Romero, Leticia] Have you ever noticed that Frank Marshall hasn't done an "easy" movie? He loves working with huge special effect-ladden plot lines... The plane crash in "Alive" was frightening enough to keep me off a plane for a year! that and I had no money... > -------------------------------------------------------- > W. Snider > > Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. > -Kierkegaard > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] hmm, i guess it was bound to happen... Date: 14 Oct 1998 12:53:07 -0600 I agree I loved both films. I guess we're the strange ones, but some movies you just have to sit back and enjoy. You know turn the analytical part of your brain off and let yourself enjoy it and be scared by it as in this case. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 1998 11:03 AM Cc: ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com i have to say, I thoght that it was a great movie. i think I'm going to be alone on this one, but this is the sort of film where you have to try not to read into it to much, and just let it carry you along. I enjoyed it!!! Thanks & Regards, **************************************************************************** ** **************************************************************************** ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland **************************************************************************** ** << Message: Re: [MV] hmm, i guess it was bound to happen... >> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/14/98 Date: 14 Oct 1998 13:43:29 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Jodie Foster is in final negotiations to star opposite Chow Yun-Fat in "Anna and the King" for Fox - a role that would put her with Julia Roberts as Hollywood's highest-paid actress. The $15 million she stands to collect for "Anna" is understood to be her biggest payday; however, sources said Foster was to receive that amount for Paramount's "Double Jeopardy," to which she had been attached, though she dropped out of it last December. Foster earned her best-actress Oscars for "The Accused" and "Silence of the Lambs." -=> * <=- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rolling Stones legendary front man Mick Jagger now wants to get satisfaction on the big screen. The aging rocker, who still captivates concert-goers with energetic performances and his famous pouty lips, has signed with two major Hollywood studios to make movies about the music business. "We're currently in development on a film called 'Swap' based on a story written by Mick Jagger," said Blaise Noto, a spokesman for Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Studios. Noto said screenwriter Craig Ferguson was hired to write the script for the comedy based on Jagger's story idea about the lives of rock stars and roadies, who carry equipment and prepare the stage for concerts. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Kirk Douglas will receive the Screen Actors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award during the union's annual awards bash March 7. Douglas, who will be the 35th recipient of the award, is being recognized for both his long and varied acting career as well as his "extraordinary humanitarian contributions." Douglas' Academy Award nominations were for "Champion" (1949), "The Bad and the Beautiful" (1952), and "Lust for Life" (1956). Past recipients of SAG's Life Achievement Award include Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, James Cagney, Stan Laurel and Audrey Hepburn. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ren <reneer@post.cis.smu.edu> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 14 Oct 1998 15:08:22 -0500 (CDT) oh, come on...arachnophobia was funny...stupid, but it was really funny! -Ren ************************************************ * Renee' Rhodes * * reneer@post.cis.smu.edu * * http://www.smu.edu/~reneer * * KPNI Assistant Station Manager * * Alpha Phi Omega- Alpha Omicron chapter * * Publishing Secretary * * * * " Come, my friends, * * 'T is not too late to seek a newer world... * ************************************************ On Tue, 13 Oct 1998, Kevin Marshall wrote: > Definately. Every time I watch "Arachnophobia", I keep my feet up off > the floor! :) > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Kevin Marshall > "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." > - Casino > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 14 Oct 1998 15:15:03 PDT How about Creepshow ??? That cockroach scene... ooooo.. makes my skin crawl worse thn arachnophobia ever did W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Danielle Conkle" <danyelli@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies-arachnaphobia Date: 14 Oct 1998 19:02:20 PDT >oh, come on...arachnophobia was funny...stupid, but it was really funny! > >-Ren :) Spiders get me everytime...SPOILER: when the spiders are coming out at the end from the tv and walls, you can't tell me that doesn't creep you out! And even when i know parts are coming, i still jump, and get grossed out by stuff! ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (October 15, 1998) Date: 15 Oct 1998 08:29:47 -0400 (EDT) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (October 15, 1998). This week at the movies, Oprah Winfrey's much anticipated adaption of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman get "witchy," that little, homicidal Chucky doll returns yet again, and a limited release film tries for that old-fashioned, made-for-TV movie feel. On home video, one of the surprise hits of the summer, a moderate success from the summer, and a black comedy, action/adventure, and sci-fi film all vie for your rental dollars this Tuesday. PLEASE NOTE: Due to previous scheduling conflicts beyond our control, more screenings this Friday, and the film "Bride of Chucky" not being screened for the press, the reviews of that film and "Beloved" will be delayed until sometime later this weekend. We apologize for that, and thank you for your patience. In addition, the new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of "Apt Pupil" (Ian McKellen, Brad Renfro), "Pleasantville" (Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon), "Soldier" (Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee) and other new releases. __________________________________________________ NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16TH: "BELOVED" (1998) (Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover) (R) Drama: A former slave (Winfrey) must come to terms with her horrific past as well as her newly earned freedom. Generating lots of positive buzz about the film and its stars, this is the highly anticipated adaption of Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize winning novel. Due to scheduling conflicts beyond our control, we were not able to see this movie in advance, but we can tell you that it's rated R for "violent images, sexuality and nudity." (National Release) (Coming Soon) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/beloved.html __________________________________________________ "BRIDE OF CHUCKY" (1998) (Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif) Horror: The homicidal little doll returns for more mayhem and gets an appropriately sized "bride." Since Universal didn't screen this movie in advance, we can't tell you anything about this fourth installment of the series until we've seen it (other than that it won't go away), but can tell you that it's rated R for "strong horror violence and gore, language, some sexual content and brief drug use." (National Release) (Coming Soon -- Not Screened for the Press) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/bride_of_chucky.html __________________________________________________ "PRACTICAL MAGIC" (1998) (Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman) (PG-13) Drama: Two sisters (Bullock & Kidman) who were brought up as witches must contend with a centuries old curse that means certain death for any man with whom they become romantically attached. Passably enjoyable and certainly not a chore to sit through, it's clearly nowhere as good as "The Witches of Eastwick," although the cast mostly saves the picture. The PG-13 rating comes from violence, "intense thematic elements" ("Exorcist" like possession, etc...) and some "sensuality" (some comments and references to unseen lascivious behavior). (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/practical_magic.html __________________________________________________ "SHADRACH" (1998) (Harvey Keitel, Andie MacDowell) (PG-13) Drama: A dirt-poor, Depression era family (including Keitel & MacDowell) tries to help a 99-year-old former slave return to his birthplace so that he can be buried there upon his imminent death. Wasting what could have been an intriguing look at two distinct, and bygone eras through two polar opposite characters, this film may be well-intentioned, but its stymied direction, writing, and occasional overacting -- not to mention general disinterest in the overall plot line -- will prevent it from ever finding a theatrical audience. The PG-13 rating comes from profanity and a mostly implied sexual encounter. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/shadrach.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20TH: (Notice: Release dates subject to change) (Not all video stores will carry all titles) "THE BIG HIT" (1998) (Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Philips) (R) Action/Adventure: A group of hitmen (including Wahlberg & Philips) makes the mistake of unknowingly kidnaping their boss' godchild. Filled with plenty of action and a surprising amount of humor, this film may please some fans of this genre, but isn't that great of a movie for everyone else. Grossing around $27 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from violence, profanity and sexually related material. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_big_hit.html) __________________________________________________ "DEEP IMPACT" (1998) (Robert Duvall, TΘa Leoni) (PG-13) Sci-fi/Thriller: The inhabitants of Earth prepare for the devastating impact of an approaching comet. The first of this year's two calamity from space movies, some found this film highly entertaining, while others -- myself included -- found the long wait for the special effects to kick in as monotonous and boring. Of course, my prediction for the film's financial success was way off -- it grossed around $140 million domestically, with another $180 million coming in from overseas. The PG-13 rating comes from profanity and some intense disaster related scenes. (Some sources say the release is 10/20, others 10/27) (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/deep_impact.html) __________________________________________________ "HOPE FLOATS" (1998) (Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick, Jr.) (PG-13) Drama: A woman (Bullock) tries to rebuild her life, after learning that her husband's having an affair with her best friend, by moving back to her hometown with her daughter. Featuring decent, but not very well developed characters, the film has more than its share of predictable, melodramatic and ultimately depressing moments that undermine what could have been a much better feature. With a PG-13 rating for "thematic elements" (talk of an affair, some family disputes), the film earned $60 million at the domestic box office. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/hope_floats.html) __________________________________________________ "THE OPPOSITE OF SEX" (1998) (Christina Ricci, Martin Donovan) (R) Drama/Comedy: A brash, acerbically tongued, sixteen-year-old girl (Ricci) visits her gay half brother (Donovan) and turns his world upside down. Supposedly a humorous examination of sex and relationships in the '90's, "The Opposite of Sex" is a tedious experience filled with moderate to poor acting, lackluster direction, and a script that delivers few laughs and isn't nearly as clever as it tries to be. A more appropriate title for this picture might have been, "The Opposite of Good." Grossing around $5.5 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from profanity and sexually related material and dialogue. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_opposite_of_sex.html) __________________________________________________ "SPECIES II" (1998) (Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen) (R) Sci-Fi/Horror: A cloned half alien, half human being (Henstridge) is used to find an astronaut, infected with an alien virus, who's impregnating women with fast-growing embryos. This follow up sequel to the moderately surprising hit original from 1995, which features bad and uninspired acting, gratuitous sex, plenty of hokey sci-fi effects and enough blood and gore for several films, is so much of a pure "B" movie that it might just need to be included in the definition of that term. Not surprisingly, the film's R rating comes from violence, gore, profanity and several sexual encounters that show nudity and movement. The film domestically grossed around $19 million. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/species_2.html) __________________________________________________ Do you find the Screen It Website useful? If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in your community or country may benefit from this information. Contact information can be found at the following address: http://www.screenit.com/press.html __________________________________________________ Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make sure that first you Screen It! Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents http://www.screenit.com __________________________________________________ Since we respect your privacy and time, we'll always keep these messages brief and we'll never sell or give your e-mail address to anyone. If at any time you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply let us know at reviews@screenit.com and we'll remove you from our list. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies-arachnaphobia Date: 15 Oct 1998 09:47:44 -0600 The bug scene in Indiana Jones In the Temple of Doom creeped me out the same way. The snakes from Raiders and the Rats in Crusade didn't phase me, just thinking about Temple of Doom and I'm starting to get itchy all over, yuck. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 1998 8:02 PM >oh, come on...arachnophobia was funny...stupid, but it was really funny! > >-Ren :) Spiders get me everytime...SPOILER: when the spiders are coming out at the end from the tv and walls, you can't tell me that doesn't creep you out! And even when i know parts are coming, i still jump, and get grossed out by stuff! ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies-arachnaphobia Date: 15 Oct 1998 10:53:45 PDT >--- On Thu, 15 Oct 1998 09:47:44 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> wrote: >The bug scene in Indiana Jones In the Temple of Doom creeped me out the same >way. The snakes from Raiders and the Rats in Crusade didn't phase me, just >thinking about Temple of Doom and I'm starting to get itchy all over, yuck. >JAMES K. RUDY HA ha ha.. and Kate Capshaw actually wanted to marry Speilberg after he made her go through that! Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies-arachnaphobia Date: 15 Oct 1998 09:56:00 -0600 That's true love. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, October 15, 1998 11:54 AM >--- On Thu, 15 Oct 1998 09:47:44 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> wrote: >The bug scene in Indiana Jones In the Temple of Doom creeped me out the same >way. The snakes from Raiders and the Rats in Crusade didn't phase me, just >thinking about Temple of Doom and I'm starting to get itchy all over, yuck. >JAMES K. RUDY HA ha ha.. and Kate Capshaw actually wanted to marry Speilberg after he made her go through that! Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies-arachnaphobia Date: 15 Oct 1998 11:02:43 PDT Hooha.. It would have to be.. --- On Thu, 15 Oct 1998 09:56:00 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> wrote: That's true love. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, October 15, 1998 11:54 AM >--- On Thu, 15 Oct 1998 09:47:44 -0600 jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> wrote: >The bug scene in Indiana Jones In the Temple of Doom creeped me out the same >way. The snakes from Raiders and the Rats in Crusade didn't phase me, just >thinking about Temple of Doom and I'm starting to get itchy all over, yuck. >JAMES K. RUDY HA ha ha.. and Kate Capshaw actually wanted to marry Speilberg after he made her go through that! Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca (Kevin Marshall) Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies Date: 15 Oct 1998 11:48:14 -0400 I've never seen "Creepshow"...maybe I'll have to get that one some time. One movie that REALLY frightened my was "Candyman"...of course it didn't help that I was about 10 years old at the time. :) Kevin Marshall "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." - Casino [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca (Kevin Marshall) Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies-arachnaphobia Date: 15 Oct 1998 11:52:12 -0400 I thought most creepy part of the film was when you see the spider crawl out of that one guy's mouth after eating popcorn... Makes you feel like checking every handful of popcorn YOU eat. ;) Kevin Marshall "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." - Casino [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies-arachnaphobia Date: 15 Oct 1998 11:31:07 PDT >--- On Thu, 15 Oct 1998 11:52:12 -0400 Kevin Marshall <MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca> wrote: >I thought most creepy part of the film was when you see the spider crawl >out of that one guy's mouth after eating popcorn... >Makes you feel like checking every handful of popcorn YOU eat. >;) Hahaha...... How about the shower scene.... as well as the toilet scene... Try taking a shower after watching this and try really hard not to be watching over your shoulder the whole time.... Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/15/98 Date: 15 Oct 1998 14:02:25 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Sharon Stone, Jeff Bridges and Nick Nolte are in final negotiations to star in the independent drama "Simpatico." The $10 million-plus picture is about a horse-racing scam that causes the relationship between two friends to deteriorate. The friendship is then re-examined 20 years later. British theater director Matthew Warchus is attached to make his feature debut with the picture, an adaptation of the play by Sam Shepard. He and David Nicholls turned Shepard's play into a screenplay. French pay TV giant Canal Plus is close to committing to fully financing the film. Sources stressed that while none of the deals were done, loose ends were expected to be tied up in the next few days in time for shooting to begin within the next four weeks. Other casting announcements are expected shortly. -=> * <=- Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise have heard enough of the rumors that Cruise is gay and their marriage is a cover-up. Kidman tells November's Ladies Home Journal that she and her husband have "turned the other cheek and held our heads high, but now it's offensive and we're going to sue over it." The star of the new movie "Practical Magic" says she and Cruise "love each other, and it's as simple as that." [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Danielle Conkle" <danyelli@hotmail.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Night Shift & Creepy Movies-tempDoom Date: 15 Oct 1998 14:48:15 PDT >>The bug scene in Indiana Jones In the Temple of Doom creeped me out the same >>way. The snakes from Raiders and the Rats in Crusade didn't phase me, just >>thinking about Temple of Doom and I'm starting to get itchy all over, yuck. > >>JAMES K. RUDY I am the exact same way. Snakes never bother me, but having all those bugs crawling all over you. ughghhg! ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions <flickfilos@aol.com> Subject: [MV] A Special Midweek Feature at The Flick Filosopher Date: 15 Oct 1998 22:32:35 -0000 The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos Click on over, if you dare, and check out my sneak peek at the Texas-size horror/comedy exploitation flick *Barn of the Blood Llama.* It's a tale of bestiality, brain transplantation, and haggis. It's too silly for words -- and I've had the somewhat dubious privilege of an advance look. I may never recover. MaryAnn ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to FlickFilosopher-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: PRACTICAL MAGIC Date: 15 Oct 1998 16:32:44 -0600 (MDT) PRACTICAL MAGIC (Warner Bros.) Starring: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing, Aidan Quinn, Goran Visjnic. Screenplay: Robin Swicord, Akiva Goldsman and Adam Brooks, based on the novel by Alice Hoffman. Producer: Denise DiNovi. Director: Griffin Dunne. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (profanity, adult themes, violence) Running Time: 104 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. PRACTICAL MAGIC cast a sort of spell over me, but I don't think it's the kind a film-maker might have intended. Rather than enchantment, it produced a Spell of Befuddlement. It's not so much a movie as it is a big bubbling cauldron of confusion into which a mess of ingredients have been tossed. Among the items included in this concoction: 1) A cup of THELMA & LOUISE. The story focuses on a pair of sisters (genetic, not just philosophical) named Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) Owens, who come from a long line of witchcraft practitioners including the maiden aunts (Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest) who raised them. Part of that legacy involves a curse on the men in their lives, leading Sally into a tragic longing for true love and Gillian to a pursuit of loveless affairs. The whispers of THELMA & LOUISE come when the two sisters kill an abusive lout (Goran Visnjic) while his is in the process of assaulting Gillian. The women then try to hide from the repercussions of their deed, even as good-hearted cop Gary Hallet (Aidan Quinn) tries to help them. It's an obvious hook for a female empowerment fable, one that plays female viewers for every whoop and cheer it can wrest out of them, but it doesn't quite mix with other ingredients like... 2) A dash of THE FRIGHTENERS. You see, Sally and Gillian don't just kill the abusive lout once. They kill him accidentally, cast a spell to bring him back to life, then kill him a gain when the zombie-fied lout is even more loutish than before. The catch is that his restless soul is still hanging about the sisters' picturesque New England home, appearing occasionally to inhabit Gillian's body or attempt to hear out Gary's heart. Though the scenes of supernatural nastiness are sporadic, they're nonetheless jarring. As the Owens women attempt a climactic exorcism of sorts -- joined by a bunch of townswomen who had until that point loathed the sisters, but decided to help out because, darn it, that's just what women do for one another -- you may wonder who took your saucy romantic comedy and dipped it in THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK. That's assuming you still care by that point, given... 3) A smidgen of HOPE FLOATS. Sandra Bullock now appears to be in her pensive, sorrowful single mother phase, and it doesn't suit her. In the midst of the magical hijinks surrounding her, Bullock plays her mourning far too straight, as though the film were a deeply observational relationsihp drama. She should have taken a hint from her co-stars, all of whom appear to be having a heck of a lot more fun. Kidman is flashy, fiery and sexy as the naughty sister, playing town tramp with plenty of gusto; Channing and Wiest are both matronly and devilish as the eccentric aunts. Bullock, meanwhile, puts on her horn-rims from LOVE POTION NO. 9 and frumps about when she should be providing the stable, sympathetic figure the story needs. And it could have been a strange delight thanks to... 4) The eye of Griffin Dunne. Actor-turned-director Dunne has a unique, dark comic sensibility behind the camera, evidenced by his ability to turn a tale of two obsessive stalkers (ADDICTED TO LOVE) into an entertaining romantic comedy. Here he offers a few of his cock-eyed touches, including a midnight tequila party and Gillian's surreal time-lapsed drive home, but there's no focus to the story. It's a comedy that gets too serious, a crowd-pleaser that turns too bizarre, and a romantic love story that suddenly turns into a sisterly love story. It's certainly never a bore, not with Kidman throwing off sparks and so many shifts in tone. It also never comes together as anything more than the sum of its disparate parts. I'm not sure what the recipe for PRACTICAL MAGIC was supposed to create, but it adds up to a casserole of clashing flavors, a supernatural stew with the power to create a fog of ambivalence. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 witchy poohs: 5. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions <flickfilos@aol.com> Subject: [MV] Coming Monday, 10.19, to The Flick Filosopher Date: 16 Oct 1998 16:37:02 -0000 The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos Ah, the thrill of the chase. An intricate game of cat-and-mouse. Passing the hot potato. One potato, two potato, three potato, four... Er, anyway, this week I'll run around a twisting maze with two versions of Button, Button, Who's Got the Button? In *Ronin,* the hot potato is a weird metallic suitcase containing... what? A nuclear weapon? Money? Guns? The same thing that was in the briefcase in *Pulp Fiction*? Speaking of Tarantino, the too-cool one checks in with *Jackie Brown,* in which a bunch of crooks go chasing a shopping bag full of small, unmarked bills. ================= Have you seen The Flick Filosopher t-shirt? Check it out at http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos/goodies.html ================= I'm not going to be anywhere near a computer next week, so I'll actually be posting Monday's columns on Saturday (tomorrow) morning. And because I'll be "incomputercado," as it were, there will be no Coming Attractions mailing next Friday, though there will be two new reviews for you to check out as usual on Monday, 10.26. (Okay, okay -- on the 26th, the theme, just in time for Halloween, will be Signs and Wonders, and I'll be ranting on *Practical Magic* and *Fallen.*) MaryAnn ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to FlickFilosopher-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/16/98 Date: 16 Oct 1998 14:09:53 -0600 (MDT) LONDON (Reuters) - James Bond edged out Casablanca Thursday to win the greatest film quote award from the Guinness Book of Films. The compilers decided that "Bond - James Bond" as first uttered by Sean Connery in the 1962 film "Dr. No" was the most memorable quote in the history of cinema. Humphrey Bogart came a close second with the immortal line from the 1942 classic "Casablanca" - "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." Mae West took third place with her "I'm No Angel" line back in 1932 - "It's not the men in your life that counts, it's the life in your men." -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola hit a major snag Wednesday on his way to collecting his $80 million jury verdict against Warner Bros. when the trial judge threw out the punitive damage award of $60 million but left $20 million in compensatory damages still standing. In July, an L.A. Superior Court jury awarded Coppola an unprecedented $80 million in his lawsuit against Warner Bros. over the ill-fated "Pinocchio" project. A jury found that Warner Bros., by claiming it had a prior agreement with the director, had unlawfully interfered with Coppola's attempt to take the project to Columbia Pictures. -=> * <=- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood's annual Oscar race gets under way this weekend when "Beloved," the film based on Toni Morrison's prize-winning novel and starring TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey, opens across the country. Also an actress and producer, Winfrey returns to the big screen for the first time since "The Color Purple," a 1985 film that garnered her an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. She has teamed up this time with Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme, whose work includes "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia." The book by Morrison, a Nobel Prize winner, recounts the life of a runaway slave in Ohio after the Civil War and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1988. -=> * <=- A Hollywood auction house is putting a racing helmet Tom Cruise donned in "Days of Thunder" and a football jersey Cuba Gooding, Jr. wore in "Jerry Maguire" on the block later this month. Butterfield & Butterfield is also offering several pages of Elizabeth Taylor's homework -- from when she was 16 -- as well as one of Charlton Heston's costumes from "Ben Hur." There's also a lot of Jimmy Stewart stuff -- including a set of golf clubs, several cowboy hats and the lunch box and thermos he used to carry to work. -=> * <=- "Titanic" star Kate Winslet, 23, is to marry her boyfriend (since summer), 24-year-old assistant director Jim Thrempleton, reveals Friday's Daily Mail. The British paper quotes Kate as saying: "When you know, you know -- that's what I've been told my whole life. And now I know. My sister got married the other weekend, and I'm next." The Mail says the wedding will take place next year. -=> * <=- When it comes to sex, age shapes choice, says a survey. Men in their 20s picked Pamela Anderson, 31, as their fantasy date, while those in their 30s preferred Sandra Bullock, also 31 (reportedly), and those in their 40s chose Demi Moore, 35, according to a poll released Thursday by Playboy magazine. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com> Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#162, 10/16/98 Date: 16 Oct 1998 12:27:17 -0700 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #162 OCTOBER 16, 1998 PLEASE HELP... ...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive. I am undergoing a serious funding and resource crisis. You can help by renting or purchasing videos from Reel.com! Please visit: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html You can also help in other ways. _Please_ visit: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/support.html Thank you very much. =>T H I S W E E K<= M O V I E S -_American_History_X_ -_Beloved_ -_Happiness_ -_Practical_Magic_ -_Elizabeth_ -_Holy_Man_ -_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ -_Pleasantville_ V I D E O -_Black_Dog_ -_The_Last_Days_of_Disco_ -_Major_League:_Back_to_the_Minors_ -_Quest_for_Camelot_ -_Tarzan_and_the_Lost_City_ -_The_X-Files_ For links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie discussion board, movie theme MIDI files, and more, visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at: http://welcome.to/mrbrown or http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown Please don't forget to sign the guestbook... Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com ...and the Eyepiece Network at: http://www.eyepiece.com ...and Albany Online at: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com all movies graded out of four stars (****) ~~~ =>M O V I E S<= N E W R E L E A S E S Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _American_History_X_ (R) *** "A Tony Kaye film." "Directed by Tony Kaye." Whether he likes it or not, after a still-developing war of words (and very expensive trade ads) with the higher-ups at New Line Cinema and the Directors Guild, the embattled first-time feature director has his name on the credits of the release cut of _American_History_X_. Much has been made of the issues of artistic integrity and free speech, but precious little has been made of the film itself--except that, according to Kaye, it no longer reflects his original vision. I do not know what exactly Kaye had in mind for his _X_, but the film I saw, flawed though it may be, definitely works on its own merits. The main reason for the film's effectiveness the impassioned work of Edward Norton. He stars as Derek Vinyard, a young man who turns to a racist gang after his firefighter father is murdered. Head shaven and with a swastika tattooed to his chest, Derek is hate incarnate, and his rage leads to the brutal murder of two black men and a prison sentence. After three years, Derek emerges from prison a changed man, determined to let go of a violent life that, of course, won't so easily let go of him. It's a formulaic character progression, but Norton's intensity makes it fresh and involving. His depth and nuance convincingly meshes his character's two sides: utterly despicable and chilling as the skinhead Derek and sympathetic but--crucially--no less edgy, as the post-prison Derek. The character of Derek and his personal journey are riveting, but less so are writer David McKenna's additional narrative touches--namely the focal relationship between younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong), who idolizes his brother and appears headed down the same destructive path of hate. Derek's attempts to steer Danny in the right direction is the central dramatic issue, but there's no real tension. Danny is less a character than a plot device, with no clearly defined personality trait other than his emulation of his brother, thus there's very little suspense as to whether or not Danny will change. While Kaye has disassociated himself from all aspects of the film, one other thing his name is attached to aside from the direction is the cinematography, and he does a stunning job. The story mostly unfolds in flashback, with Derek's despicable actions and brutal prison experience shown in black-and-white--no doubt a visual extension of the race theme. But the absence of full color also lends the more violent scenes an added roughness, and, in turn, a heightened sense of reality. _American_History_X_ ends on a fairly predictable note, but the resolution effectively reinforces the film's strong anti-hate, anti-violence message. Perhaps in Kaye's editing hands the film would have been more well-rounded, less formulaic, and, as such, more powerful and profound. Alas, as it currently stands, the incendiary _X_, for all its faults, still makes a lasting, thought-provoking impression. (opens October 30) _Beloved_ (R) *** Jonathan Demme's _Beloved_, based on Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, is a movie of moments--moments of raw, lyrical emotional power scattered over a nearly three-hour time expanse. While the extended running time does little to dilute the potency of these isolated moments, it does, however, blunt the dramatic urgency of the assembled story. Instead of cutting deep into the heart, _Beloved_ pierces the heart; the film is indeed moving, but lacking the momentum to make a sweeping emotional impact. _Beloved_ is named after a character in the story, a mysterious young woman (Thandie Newton) who shows up in the yard of Sethe (Oprah Winfrey) one morning in 1873. Sethe is a runaway slave trying to provide a decent living for herself and her daughter Denver (Kimberly Elise) on the outskirts of Cleveland, Ohio. With the arrival of old friend Paul D (Danny Glover) and, later, the childlike Beloved (whom she takes in), Sethe's life appears to be taking a turn for the better, but the secrets of her tortured past refuse to rest in peace. It is my understanding that the screenplay, credited to Akosua Busia, Richard LaGravenese, and Adam Brooks, is remarkably faithful to Morrison's narrative structure. In theory, fidelity to source material is a good thing, but it does not completely work here. Often, watching _Beloved_ feels like reading a book--a good thing if one is indeed reading, but not necessarily what one is looking for when watching a film. Although the basics of Morrison's story and her characters are compelling, not much really _happens_--at least not enough to sustain the 172-minute running time. As such, the memorable moments--and there are quite a number of powerful ones, particularly some harrowing, hard-to-watch flashbacks of the young Sethe's (Lisa Gay Hamilton) horrific past--are a bit too widespread to make an assembled effect. Any emotional response to any given moment exists independently of any other. Still, I must give Demme and the writers credit for the risks they take. In duplicating Morrison's timeline-jumping structure, they demand an inordinant amount of concentration from the viewer, and very few films present such a fascinating challenge. And while the structure and stately pace work against the building of narrative momentum, they create a haunting--or, rather, _haunted_--atmosphere. Most of the key action in _Beloved_ takes place in the past, and the film makes an uncanny duplication of the seemingly cyclical nature of memories in one's mind, revealing its secrets little by little, fragment by fragment, leaving certain events only to retrace and expand on them later. Granted, this technique makes a lot of the action hard to follow, sometimes frustratingly so, but it creates a feeling that is rich and unique. Also unique is how Demme isn't afraid to show the grimy nature of life in the time period; instead of giving everything a shiny Hollywood sheen, the dirt and grit is always there, on the sets and even the actors. Also extending to the cast is this element of risk. Taking the most chances is Newton, who delivers a raw, unpredictable performance. Called upon to bare body and soul, adopt maladroit body movements and slurred speech rhythms, she could have easily come off as ridiculously overwrought and alien, but her soulful eyes consistently project a tempering humanity. Not to be outdone, of course, is Winfrey. People forget that before she became a daytime TV phenomenon, she first made a name of herself as an Oscar-nominated actress (for _The_Color_Purple_), and her work here is restrained and, as such, the more emotionally honest; the same goes for Glover. But the standout performer is the one who will likely be the most overlooked--Elise. She doesn't have a role as literally showy as Newton's, nor does she have the star power of a Winfrey or Glover, but she is_Beloved_'s steadying force. Denver has the most dramatic evolution out of all the characters (from shut-in to independent woman), yet remains the most stable; the key is to not play the change as if it were dramatic but natural. Elise's performance is so natural that it is easy to forget she is an actress playing a part. _Beloved_ is a wearying film, and that comment should be interpreted in all the ways it can be. On the positive side, the filmmakers so successfully create the intended air of melancholy that it is daunting. But on the negative end, one cannot help but feel exhausted, emotionally and physically, after three slow hours. Similarly, by that time the film is also exhausted. I was indeed be moved by _Beloved_, but in the end, there wasn't enough momentum left to truly sweep me away, as it should have. _Happiness_ **** No other film released this year is likely to cause the storm of controversy that Todd Solondz's _Happiness_ is most certain to stir. A bold, provocative look at some truly miserable lives in American suburbia, this beyond-black comedy offers some queasily subversive laughs--while at the same time shocking and, more than likely, offending everyone. It is a brave, brilliantly realized piece of work, one that will be debated about for years to come. _Happiness_ follows a broad Altman-esque cast of characters, all of whom are linked somehow, as they attempt to find happiness--or some reasonable facsimile thereof. At the core of this canvas are the three Jordan sisters: Joy (Jane Adams), Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle), and Trish (Cynthia Stevenson), daughters of long-unhappily-marrieds Lenny (Ben Gazzara) and Mona (Louise Lasser). Down-on-her-luck Joy, miserable after losing boyfriend Andy (Jon Lovitz), attempts to find fulfillment teaching at a school for adult refugees, where she meets Vlad (Jared Harris), a shady but alluring Russian. Sophisticated Helen is a successful writer, but she yearns for raw emotional authenticity, which she attempts to find through a twisted pas de deux with an obscene phone caller--whom she doesn't know is her slobby but completely innocuous neighbor Allen (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), who, in turn, is quietly pursued by his other, far less glam neighbor, Kristina (Camryn Manheim). Trish, married with three children, appears to be the one sister who has her life together. Little does she know that she doesn't. Her shrink husband Bill (Dylan Baker) has a problem suppressing certain sexual impulses... involving prepubescent boys. The pedophilia subplot is certain to be _Happiness_'s most controversial, but not because the issue is taken lightly; in fact, it is the only story in the film that is _not_ played for laughs. What makes the topic even more disturbing to viewers (myself included) is the brutal honesty with which it is handled. Bill is certainly a monster, but Solondz and Baker refuse to let the viewer off the hook, infusing the character with genuine humanity. The rub is, Bill knows and admits that he's a monster--it's just that he cannot control his urges. His problem culminates in a heartbreaking and, at the same time, highly upsetting scene where he comes clean, with blunt frankness, about his actions to his son Billy (Rufus Read). This gravely serious subplot may seem out of place in a film that is a comedy (albeit one that is seriously warped), but its inclusion is justified. Sick as he is, Bill is the only character who actually finds "happiness" during the film, freely indulging in his taboo desires. Everyone else fails to come close, and while their misery can be and often is laughed at, the pain is real. The sight of dumpy Allen calling random women in the phone book in hopes of getting off is funny, but his loneliness is genuinely sad; the same is the case with Kristina, who is often shrugged off with a giggle as a pathetic loser. Joy tries to do her best to do good, but her often comical failures are failures nonetheless, much like how Helen's ridiculous desperation, is, in the end, desperation. Solondz described his film as being about "how people always struggle to make a connection." Everyone in _Happiness_ is searching for some type of connection, but, in fact, they are already connected with everyone else--through their collective isolation. The issue, then, is not connection with others, but connection with themselves. Bill comes to know who and what he is, and for one brief moment, he is happy. By the end of the film, one wonders if everyone else--or oneself--will ever be able to follow suit. _Practical_Magic_ (PG-13) ** Akiva Goldsman. If those two words don't strike fear in the hearts of moviegoers everywhere, I don't know what will. The _Lost_in_Space_ and _Batman_&_Robin_ scribe is true to sloppy form with _Practical_Magic_, a muddled melange of genres that fails to come up with a distinct identity. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play Sally and Gillian Owens, respectively, sisters who carry on the family tradition of witchcraft. Slutty Gillian loves to use her powers, especially to lure men, while the reluctant but more powerful witch Sally yearns for a normal life--and a true love that, according to an apparent curse on all Owens women, can never come. After the basic setup, _Practical_Magic_ heads in a number of divergent directions. The film is being sold as a whimsical lark, and at times the film is light and agreeable fluff, especially when Sally and Gillian's proud witch aunts Jet (Dianne Wiest) and Frances (Stockard Channing) are onscreen. But then there are the sober sister bonding scenes, where Sally and Gillian, generally teary-eyed, profess their love for and devotion to each other. Then there's a taste of macabre comedy, where the sisters find themselves disposing of the body of a man whose death they accidentally caused. This sets the stage for a romantic subplot between Sally and the police officer (Aidan Quinn) investigating the man's death. Lest we forget this is a movie about witches, events take a turn toward straight horror, with an evil spirit threatening the life of Gillian and everyone and everything around her. The all-encompassing scope of _Practical_Magic_ would not be a problem if these elements blended into a convincing whole; _Ghost_ proved that it is not an impossible task. But the reason why that film was able to successfully cover a number of bases was that, for all its genre-hopping, it had a clearly defined central concern: the undying love between the two main characters. Goldsman, co-scripters Robin Swicord and Adam Brooks (adapting Alice Hoffman's novel), and director Griffin Dunne don't appear to have a central concern other than to try to make the film as many things as possible to all people. As the film jumps from place to place, so does one's idea of what the film is exactly about. Witchcraft? Sally's search for love? Sally and Gillian's relationship? The evil spirit? The Owens women's "curse"? Anyone's guess is as good as mine. If the makers of _Practical_Magic_ had kept things simple, it could have been an amusing little popcorn flick. As in all her films, Bullock is instantly likable, and Kidman is fun as the wild witch. That said, the two have little sisterly chemistry, which brings to mind a direction the film could have taken: the comical feud between two rival sister witches, one reckless, the other reluctant but more powerful. OK, maybe that's not such a great idea. But at least it's a clear direction, something the unfocused _Practical_Magic_ is in constant search of. IN BRIEF _Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 In 1558, the young, naive Princess Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett) is proclaimed Queen of England after the death of her devoutly Catholic half-sister, Queen Mary I (Kathy Burke). Being Protestant and illegitimate (she was borne of an extramarital affair by King Henry VIII), Elizabeth arrives on the throne with a fair share of enemies within her country as well as abroad. As forces ranging from French queen Mary of Guise (Fanny Ardant) and the Duke of Norfolk (Christopher Eccleston) plot against her, Elizabeth takes a stand with the help and guidance of ever-loyal Master of Spies Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush). Anyone expecting a typically stately, in manner and in pace, British historical drama will be jolted by Shekhar Kapur's stylish and fast-paced "historical thriller," in which Queen Elizabeth I's rise to the throne and resulting loss of innocence plays not unlike that of--yes--Michael Corleone's in _The_Godfather_. Michael Hirst's screenplay does not offer any true insight into what made Elizabeth tick, Blanchett's effortlessly commanding Queen is no less a fascinating character. Blanchett is just one of a uniformly excellent cast, which also includes Joseph Fiennes as Elizabeth's love interest, Lord Robert Dudley. Even if I did not particularly learn anything from it, I was completely engrossed by _Elizabeth_, which not only makes the traditionally stuffy and aloof British costume drama accessible, but entertaining and exciting as well. (opens November 6) _Holy_Man_ (PG) * 1/2 Who knew that in 16 years Eddie Murphy, who made such a brash, raucous big-screen splash in _48_Hrs._, would become... cuddly. The disconcerting trend begun in this summer's cutesy, largely laugh-free _Doctor_Dolittle_ continues with this earnest-to-a-fault dramedy. Although he is top-billed, here Murphy is merely support for Jeff Goldblum, who plays Ricky Hayman, the programming director at a home shopping network. Sales are way down, and Ricky's job hangs by a thread until he meets G (Murphy), a mysterious spiritual guru whom a desperate Ricky puts on the air. While sales skyrocket and G becomes an overnight sensation, the reinvigorated Ricky's greed grows, endangering his budding romance with a goodhearted media research consultant (Kelly Preston). Writer Tom Schulman has some promising ideas, satirizing home shopping and infomercials and the nature of instant celebrity. But these ideas would have more bite if Stephen Herek had invested any energy into the direction of the film. The sluggishly paced _Holy_Man_ is not only slow and overlong (113 minutes), but an unfunny bore, and Murphy can do little to juice up the proceedings; cleansed of both the attitude _and_ comic sensibility that made him a star (G is, for the most part, a straight man), he is a curiously lifeless presence. Goldblum is actually quite good, but it's hard for the audience to sustain much interest in his character and spiritual journey when the director doesn't seem to be much interested, either. _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** It would seem impossible to make a "Holocaust comedy," but Roberto Benigni has not only made one, he has made a terrific one. A national treasure in his native Italy, Benigni co-wrote (with Vincenzo Cerami), directed, and stars in the funny, poignant tale of Guido (Benigni), a Jewish bookstore owner in fascist WWII Italy whose "beautiful" existence with wife Dora (Nicoletta Braschi) and son Joshua (Giorgio Cantarini) is disrupted when the entire family is sent to a concentration camp. Although he is equally terrified by harsh camp life tas anyone else, Guido is nonetheless determined to shield his son from the truth of their horrific reality, coming up with an elaborate, if desperate, cover story to convince Joshua that everything is fine. And that's how Benigni is able to maintain what would seem an improbable balance: the film wins hearty, heartfelt laughs through Guido's creative lies while never once downplaying the inhumane horror of the concentration camp situation. While one may often laugh at Guido's ruse, each laugh comes with the lingering threat of death, which Benigni vividly yet fairly subtly depicts (people being called for "showers," a brief glimpse of charred bodies). _La_Vita_E_Bella_'s lasting impression is not made by its laughs or sense of reality, but its huge heart. Strip away the harrowing Holocaust setting, and Benigni's story is a simple, timeless, uplifting tale of the ways (in this case, through laughter) love can bring out the unlikely, but no less brave, hero in any man. (opens October 23) _Pleasantville_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 Thanks to a magical remote control, '90s fraternal twin siblings David (Tobey Maguire) and Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon) get sucked into the wholesome, black-and-white, 1950s TV sitcom world of Pleasantville. It's a gimmicky premise, one that would appear to set the stage for a too-cute-for-its-own-good film. But writer-director Gary Ross uses the gimmick as the springboard for a wildly clever fable of self-discovery in which the two teens' contemporary sensibilities break the citizens of Pleasantville from their antiquated bonds of repression. Spiritual awakening is not without its side effects, most visibly being a part-by-part transformation from drab duotones to vibrant Technicolor--which leads to a sly (and most unexpected) satire of racial politics. The beauty of _Pleasantville_ is while it tackles some issues that are high-minded, the film itself is not. Ross has his cake and eats it too, being socially relevant without being preachy, never once forgetting the film's duty to the audience is to entertain--and that it does. The script is as funny as it is wholly original, and it is filled with memorable characters, such as the seemingly happy marrieds George (William H. Macy) and Betty Parker (Joan Allen) and timid malt shop owner Mr. Johnson (Jeff Daniels). If the script has a shortcoming, it is that the arcs of the two main characters, '50s-loving David and wild '90s girl Jennifer, are rather predictable. The one element of _Pleasantville_ that is perhaps attracting the most attention is the special effects wizardry used to mix black and white with color; while the resulting visuals are stunning, what makes the effects work all the more impressive is how they are used to support story ideas rather than to serve as gratuitous eye candy. (opens October 23) 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) -_Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#antz -_Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#clay -_The_Impostors_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#impostors -_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita -_The_Mighty_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#mighty -_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/6/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#wonderland -_A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_ (PG-13) 1/2* <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#roxbury -_One_True_Thing_ (R) *** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#1truething -_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#153, 8/7/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker -_Permanent_Midnight_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#midnight -_Ronin_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#ronin -_Rounders_ (R) *** <MR#157, 9/6/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rounders -_Rush_Hour_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rush -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan -_Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#simon -_Slums_of_Beverly_Hills_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#155, 8/20/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#slums -_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary -_Urban_Legend_ (R) ** <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#urban -_What_Dreams_May_Come_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#dreams -_Without_Limits_ (PG-13) *** <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits -_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#154, 8/13/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#friends F U T U R E F I L M S -_Apt_Pupil_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#161, 10/8/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#pupil (October 23) -_Slam_ (R) **** <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#slam (October 21) O N T H E H O R I Z O N FRIDAY _Beloved_ (R) *** <see above review> Moving, if fragmented (sometimes frustratingly so), adaptation of Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, in which a former slave (Oprah Winfrey) is haunted by her past. Danny Glover, Thandie Newton, and Kimberly Elise also turn in fabulous performances for director Jonathan Demme. _The_Celebration_ (R) Danish drama in which a family birthday party becomes a miserable affair of accusations and confrontations. _Bride_of_Chucky_ (R) "Chucky gets lucky" in this fourth installment of the killer doll series. What is Ronny Yu, director of the Hong Kong action/fantasy classic _The_Bride_with_White_Hair_, doing at the helm of this one? _Hands_on_a_Hard_Body_ (PG) How far will people go to win a Nissan Hardbody truck? This Matthew McConaughey-produced documentary follows a sleep-deprivation contest where the winner receives said motor vehicle. _Happiness_ **** <see above review> Todd Solondz's bold, subversive, and often queasily funny look at the miserable lives of a linked cross-section of suburban residents. Jane Adams, Dylan Baker, Lara Flynn Boyle, Ben Gazzara, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Louise Lasser, Camryn Manheim, and Cynthia Stevenson head the ensemble. _Practical_Magic_ (PG-13) ** <see above review> Messy melange of horror, fantasy, comedy, drama, and romance, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as two witch sisters. _Reach_the_Rock_ (R) * 1/2 Full review in MR#161, 10/8/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#rock John Hughes wrote this well-acted but dramatically empty drama about a troubled youth (Alessandro Nivola) "at a crossroads in life." William Sadler and Brooke Langton also star for director William Ryan. _Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer:_The_Movie_ (G) New animated feature telling the story of the high-flying reindeer with the shiny nose. John Goodman and Whoopi Goldberg head the voice cast. ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _Black_Dog_ (R) * Full review in MR#141, 5/7/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt33.html#blackdog Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41152 Patrick Swayze's career continued its freefall with this brain-dead, video-game style actioner in which he plays a disgraced former trucker coerced into one last, lucrative driving gig. (Universal Studios Home Video) _The_Last_Days_of_Disco_ (R) *** Full review in MR#145, 6/4/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#disco Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41420 The latest gabfest from writer-director Whit Stillman was this entertaining, wittily written comedy focusing on a group of club-hopping preppies at the end of the glitter-ball era. Chloe Sevigny and Kate Beckinsale star. (PolyGram Video) _Major_League:_Back_to_the_Minors_ (PG-13) no stars Full review in MR#139, 4/23/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt32.html#ml3 Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41029 The third time was not the charm for this genuinely laugh-free third entry in the baseball series, with Scott Bakula as an aging, washed-up pitcher leading his minor league club in a game against a big-league team. (Warner Home Video) _Quest_for_Camelot_ (G) ** Full review in MR#142, 5/14/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt34.html#quest Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41348 Part two of Warner Bros. flop week at the video store is the studio's embarrassingly half-hearted attempt to start an animation franchise. This vapid tale focuses on a young girl (spoken by Jessalyn Gilsig, sung by Andrea Corr) who dreams of becoming a knight of King Arthur's legendary Round Table. Forgettable songs and memorably mediocre animation adds up to a sub-Saturday-morning-level affair. (Warner Home Video) _Tarzan_and_the_Lost_City_ (PG) no stars Full review in MR#140, 4/30/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt33.html#tarzan Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41076 Warner Bros. flop week concludes with this dreadfully boring and often laughable "new generation" take on the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs character, which is a shoo-in for the year's worst list. _Starship_Troopers_ himbo Casper Van Dien is the vine-swinging king of the jungle; Jane March, whose only noticeable "talent" has been her willingness to bare all, mercifully keeps her clothes on as his Jane. (Warner Home Video) _The_X-Files_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#147, 6/17/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#x Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41647 Paranormal-investigating FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) successfully brought their TV act to the big screen in this tense, inordinately intelligent and complex sci-fi thriller that unravels the series' vast alien conspiracy. Sort of. Available in both widescreen and pan-and-scan formats. (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) A L S O N E W T H I S W E E K _The_Big_One_ (PG-13) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41018 Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore once again takes on American corporate bigwigs, this time while on a book tour. (Miramax Home Entertainment) _Dancer,_Texas_Pop._81_ (PG) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41120 Four high-school graduates wonder whether or not they should leave their hometown in this small-scale drama. Breckin Meyer, Peter Facinelli, Eddie Mills, and Ethan Embry star. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) _I_Got_the_Hook-Up_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41452 Two hustlers (Master P and A.J. Johnson) sell stolen cell phones in the 'hood in this comedy. (Dimension Home Video) _In_God's_Hands_ (PG-13) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41123 Self-proclaimed "king of erotic filmmaking" Zalman King abandons his typically titillating tricks of the trade for this drama about a surfer (Shane Dorian) determined to ride a 40-foot wave. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) _Neil_Simon's_The_Odd_Couple_II_ (PG-13) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41019 Felix (Jack Lemmon) and Oscar (Walter Matthau) hit the road for their respective daughter and son's wedding in this much-maligned sequel to the 1967 film that inspired the Jack Klugman-Tony Randall TV series. (Paramount Home Video) _Suicide_Kings_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41041 A gangster (Christopher Walken) is held hostage by a group of young men (Sean Patrick Flanery, Johnny Galecki, Jay Mohr, Jeremy Sisto, and Henry Thomas) in this crime thriller. (Artisan Entertainment) ~~~ =>N E X T W E E K<= More reviews, including: -_Soldier_ 'til then... __________________________________________________________ Michael Dequina Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site http://jordan.sportsline.com mj23@michaeljordanfan.com | jordan_host@sportsmail.com michael_jordan@geocities.com | mrbrown@iname.com >My personal WWW sites< Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23 Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md >Other WWW sites I work on< CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com "Life is knowing the toughest competition you ever face is yourself." --Michael Jordan __________________________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: [MV] For a Few Dollars More Date: 16 Oct 1998 15:01:39 -0600 I love all of the Spaghetti Westerns starring Clint Eastwood. I just watched "For a Few Dollars More" last night. It's been so long since I had seen any of them that I had forgotten how funny they were. The one thing I noticed was there seemed to be a lot of attention paid to bugs in this film (and since we were talking about bugs recently I thought I'd bring it up). In about 5 different scenes the camera focuses on bugs. Did they serve some higher purpose (like a symbol of something) or were there just a lot of bugs in the old west? I think he was trying to make some point. Look for them next time you watch this movie. JAMES K. RUDY [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: [MV] re: For A Few Dollars More Date: 16 Oct 1998 17:52:40 -0700 I've never seen FAFDM, but I know (from my husband's "lectures") that Leone did tend to use alot of bugs in his Westerns. (See Once Upon A Time In The West, a fly walks all over this guy's face in the beginning) What it may represent, I don't know. Maybe he's trying to generate some kind of comparison between bugs and men (I do all the time): one man sees other men as pests and can be killed without consequence. What do you think? Leti Romero ;) "The World Is Not Enough" [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - PRACTICAL MAGIC - The Cruci-blah Date: 18 Oct 1998 15:59:51 -0400 (EDT) PRACTICAL MAGIC - THE CRUCI-BLAH by Mark Ramsey http://www.moviejuice.com October 18, 1998 In preparation for Practical Magic, I siphoned my testosterone into a water-tight envelope, placed it in a safe-deposit box, and mailed the key to my attorney along with a copy of my will. So certain was I that this mission defied death. I ventured into the theater and settled into a seat, waiting for a Neutron Bomb of a movie - one that destroys the Y chromosomes while leaving all the X's intact. I stared at the screen in shock, like Charlton Heston on his knees in front of a bombed out Lady Liberty. Damn them all to Hell!! America's sweetheart, Sandra Bullock«, is at it again. In an industry first, Sandra recently was granted a registered trademark on her name. Thus, according to the U.S. Trademark office, a "Sandra Bullock«" is a "young, attractive, desperately lonely, continuously clothed, but otherwise perfect woman, prone to fits of spontaneous lip synching and line dancing to various golden 'good times' oldies." Sandra, in her way, is as consistent as Chucky the Devil Doll, but less apt to carry a spouse. Yes, Sandra's played Sandra more times than Jerry's played Seinfeld. I love Sandra Bullock movies because all the good times come from spontaneous lip-synching and line dancing rather than nasty challenging and complicated dialogue. That's why spontaneous lip-synching and line dancing have been with us since the earliest days of the legendary Globe Theater, when Shakespeare wrote the immortal lines: To Be or Not To Be That is the Question. Whether 'tis Nobler to Step Jaunty To and Fro Whilst humming thy hottest hits Or to shake thy midsection verily, Feigning song and simulatith boogie? Sandra's new crib, Practical Magic, is brought to you by the folks at Warner Bros., the only major studio with "Warn" in the title, as in "Don't say I didn't 'Warn' you." Good old Warner Bros., where "Bros." stands for "B-movies R Our Specialty." And ain't Practical Magic proof enough? The only thing casting a spell in this movie is Nicole Kidman's impossibly flat little tummy which gyrated so wildly, I was hypnotized - barking and panting, dog-like. Where's "Sensurround" when you really need it? Nicole, who's stripping on the London stage, was contacted by MovieJuice! and had this to say: "Mark, get the fuck away from me." Nicole Kidman used "Mark" and "fuck" in the same sentence! Instantly, I discounted Nicole's threats of bodily harm since they were delivered in the cutest Aussie accent I've ever heard. Besides, I knew husband Tom Cruise would be compelled to save me. Somebody, buy this man a cape and some red underwear! Is it just me, or is Practical Magic a thinly veiled remake of Bewitched? The witchy women include Sandra as "Samantha" and Nicole as "Serena." Featuring Dianne Wiest as "Uncle Arthur" and Stockard Channing as "Esmerelda" (Although if Stockard Channing's a witch, how come she couldn't bring back Paul Newman from the dead in the recent Twilight? Just asking). There are only a couple of men in this movie, unless you count Stevie Nicks on the soundtrack. Dagwood, Derwood, Dumbwin and every other mortal male is cursed to die or be turned into a lamp, an ashtray, a bedpan, a mirror, a monkey, an elephant, a goat, or Leonardo DaVinci. That pretty much sums up a decade of Bewitched, doesn't it? Yep, whenever Sandra hears a beetle, it means her husband is gonna die. Similarly, whenever I hear the Beatles, I feel like killing myself. Coincidence? I think not! "I just want someone to love me," says lonely heart Sandra. Fortunately, Aidan Quinn shows up an hour into this movie to mumble lines like nobody's business. He plays Harry Connick Jr. from Hope Floats. Apparently, Sandra's forgotten all about Harry because she takes to Aidan like Ted Turner to a Brave. So what did I learn from Practical Magic? - All men suck, and those who don't suck die - Good looking lonely chicks find Mr. Right in two hours; it will take you more than a lifetime - You be Nicole Kidman and I'll be David Cop-a-feel - Don't feed a ring to a frog - When Sandra and Nicole share a bed, you can imagine a whole different movie! - When the dead come back to life, keep Visine handy - There's a fine line between the PTA and a coven of witches Practical Magic may be practically entertaining, but close is no cigar. These trix ain't for us, kids. Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved. NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR. ******************** Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.moviejuice.com. The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the laughs)! ******************** TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST: DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL! Just go to http://www.moviejuice.com and follow the directions at the top of the left frame. It's very easy. NOTE: YOUR NAME CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST UNLESS YOU UNSUBSCRIBE USING THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOU REGISTERED WITH). And don't write me lots of mean-spirited crap. I won't read it. ******************** IF YOUR LINES AREN'T WRAPPING If the lines extend way off into the right horizon, then look to your browser or email software for a setting called "Wrap Long Lines." Now, if your lines aren't RAPPING, then you should consider that normal. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: FTWeekly00@aol.com Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 10-19-98 : Slate II, Take 43 Date: 18 Oct 1998 21:56:34 EDT FILM THREAT WEEKLY "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" ============================= Slate II, Take 43 : October 19th, 1998 ============================= http://www.filmthreat.com ============================= "Well, nobody's perfect." - Joe E. Brown reacting to news that his bride-to-be is a man from "Some Like It Hot" <===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========> THIS WEEK "Right here, right now." =========================================== ùù> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent. ùù> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice? ùù> PICKS OF THE WEEK: A load of plugs. ùù> BIG SCREEN: Bride of Chucky, Velvet Goldmine, more... SUBSCRIBE "Unless you already did." =========================================== Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to FilmThreat@aol.com. CLASSIFIEDS "If you advertise, they will come." =========================================== Reach over 60,000 film fanatics on the net. For our reasonable ad rates, e- mail filmthreat@aol.com. NO DANCE FILM FESTIVAL The NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is accepting entries for its 2nd annual alternative D.I.Y. festival in Park City, Utah January 1999. Seeking features, docs, shorts, screenplays, and music videos. Screenings on DVD, VHS and internet streaming. Awards, prizes and parties. Deadline November 20th, 1998. Check web site (http://www.6161.com) for application, or send SASE to: NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 http://www.6161.com FREE VIDEO DEAL! Director's Cut of Penthouse Pet Julie Strain's never-released hilarious and sexy western TAKIN' IT OFF OUT WEST only $16.98. First 25 Film Threat Weekly subscribers ordering receive an award-winning SUPERMODELS IN THE RAINFOREST priced at $19.99 absolutely FREE! http://www.atomic-hollywood.com WIN A FILM THREAT VIDEO! "Sign up a friend!" =========================================== Each week we'll be giving away a special collectible Film Threat Party Video to readers who forward Film Threat Weekly to their friends! (And you know in Hollywood, "friends" is a loose term, so that means just about anybody!!!) You could WIN, too! The more e-mail addresses you send, the more your chances to win. Sign up your whole family, or your whole company! Start forwarding FTW to your pals or send us their e-mail address and we'll send them a weekly fix of Film Threat. That's not a threat, it's a promise. THE NEWS "Filtered and manipulated. Just like the real news." =========================================== Our top story... EXCLUSIVE! INDUCTEES IN THE FIRST-EVER B-MOVIE HALL OF FAME Inductees include John Waters, Ed Wood, Jr. and Ronald Reagan.... Get the full report and look for exclusive reports and more updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section at: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm BOXOFFICE CHART "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!" =========================================== Weekend of October 16-18, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. 1/New PRACTICAL MAGIC $13.6 2/New BRIDE OF CHUCKY $11.6 3/ 1 ANTZ $11.3/$51.5 4/ 2 RUSH HOUR $8.6/$110.3 5/New BELOVED $8.5 6/ 3 WHAT DREAMS MAY COME $6.6/$41.3 7/ 4 A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY $3.9/$23.4 8/ 6 URBAN LEGEND $3.0/$31.0 9/ 7 RONIN $2.8/$35.4 10/ 5 HOLY MAN $2.4/$9.0 PICKS OF THE WEEK "Stuff we wanna plug." =========================================== FILM FESTIVAL: The Cinemaker Co-op Super 8 Film Festival, "Cold Turkey" will show films from Austin, Texas, plus they're screening short films from Canada, Germany, Brazil, El Salvador, everywhere! Get the Austin Cinemaker Co-op entry guidelines at cinemaker@501studios.com. Deadline:11-16-98. The Co-op's admirable motto is "Shut Up and Shoot Something!" http://www.cinemaker.austin.tx.us WEB SITE: Ken Hotz and Spencer Rice are the writing/directing team behind "Pitch", best described as "Roger and Me" meets "The Player". This 35mm feature about two writers trying to sell their comedy script about a Mafia Don who goes to the hospital for a hernia operation and inadvertently gets a sex change features appearances by Al Pacino, Matt Dillon, Eric Stoltz, Neil Simon, Samuel Z. Arkoff, Arthur Hiller, Illeanna Douglas, Fred Williamson, Norman Jewison and more. The Canadian film premiered at the recent Toronto Film Festival. http://www.absolutemedia.com/hotz-rice DVD: Your first kiss. Your first car. The first time you saw "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and almost puked. Ah, the memories. Well now Tobe Hooper's classic slaughterfest is available on a special edition DVD from MPI Home Video. The disc contains a widescreen transfer, a new surround sound track, audio commentary, deleted scenes, trailers, stills and, for the first time ever, bloopers! Who knew blood and guts could be so funny. Get a great deal on "Chainsaw" and other horror flicks from DVD Express' cool Shocktober promotion. Tell 'em Film Threat sent you. http://www.dvdexpress.com BIG SCREEN "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You" =========================================== From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown. THE BRIDE OF CHUCKY (R) * * * (http://www.brideofchucky.com) Who knew that one possessed doll could spin a yarn so complex that is would require four films to bring it to completion? Yes, the little demon-doll known as "Chucky" (voiced by Brad Dourif) is back and this time he has acquired the aid of the stunningly sexy Meg played by Jennifer Tilly. In case you were wondering the cast also includes bombshell Katherine Heigl, Alexis Arquette and in a small but pivotal role, John Ritter. The story is pretty ridiculous and it is this fact that makes the film work ... almost. You must realize that this is a movie about a doll that murders people ... how serious can it possibly be taken? Well, the filmmakers realized this fact and made a film that is extremely tongue-in-cheek, so you can just sit back and laugh at it and ... well ... it will laugh right back at you. It also has plenty of jokes that refer to other horror movies that are actually funny. This is quite an accomplishment since these films are almost without exception unwatchable and are never even remotely close to funny ("Halloween H20" for example). "Bride of Chucky" is a fun trip to the land of absurdity that will make you laugh and show you some beautiful people getting slaughtered. Gotta love it. - Anthony Miele VELVET GOLDMINE (R) or GLITTERZEN KANE * * * (+ or - *) (http://www.miramax.com) In 1941, Orson Welles simultaneously landed himself in cinematic history and committed career suicide with his fictionalization of the life of powerful newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, called "Citizen Kane". Lauded as the greatest film ever made, the film begins with the death of Kane. The rest of the film contains the ensuing investigation of his life as told in flashback by the people who knew him. In 1998, Todd Haynes ("Superstar", "Poison", "Safe") has written and directed a fictionalized account of the life of David Bowie, recently called by Time Out magazine, "The Most Influential Artist of Our Time." Haynes has a bigger agenda, though, than the study of one man. Armed with his semeiotics degree, he tries to hit a lot of targets at once, and this time, the big one is the music genre Bowie made his name on, Glam Rock. Covering a period from roughly 1969 -75, Glam Rock was based as much on visual image as on its sound. Bowie, and other artists of the genre, such as Marc Bolan and Brian Eno, thrived on the new images and identities they created for themselves; glamourous, androgynous, unbound by propriety or convention. In Bowie's case, he transformed himselfed into the bisexual alien known as "Ziggy Stardust". Haynes begins his story with his stand-in, reporter Arthur Kent (Christian Bale). In 1984, Kent is assigned the story to investigate the disappearance of rock star Brian Slade (John Rhys-Meyers). Ten years earlier, Brian had staged the assassination of his glam persona, Maxwell Demon. Revealed as a hoax to a shocked public, Slade soon vanished from the public eye. Kent must now interview those closest to Brian to find out what really happened. In learning Slade's story we also learn of the music and of those around him, particularly his complicated relationship with American rock star Curt Wild (Ewan McGregor). The assignment is painful to Kent as this is the music with which he came of age (as did Haynes). He must also relive the accompanying sexual confusion. In the end, as we can never really know Slade, this is Arthur's story. Haynes mimics Welles in two important ways. First, is the framing structure of the flashbacks. As reporter Leland interviews Kane's boozy ex-wife Susan Alexander, so does Kent interview Slade's sloshed ex-wife Mandy Slade (an excellent Toni Collette). The second, the more important one and less obvious one, is in how the movie is visually constructed. One of the reasons "Kane" is so revered is that it contains a summary of film styles to that point in time. Combining newsreel footage, surrealism, German expressionism and others, it contains the sum of film history up to 1941. Semeiotics is the study of signs, or symbols. Haynes digs deep into emergent film styles from 1969 (around the start of glam rock) on and into the cultural lexicon of imagery. Appropriating style from filmmakers such as Ken Russel, Nicholas Roeg, underground directors, and even himself (there's a scene where two character are represented by Ken dolls); Haynes employs each image to elicit a specific emotional response. While many scenes and information are based on historical fact, he combines or alters them for specific effect. Kurt Wild is Iggy Pop with Lou Reed's abusive, confused childhood. Slade's backup band is called "Venus in Furs". Jack Fairy (Miko Westmoreland) is a cross between Brian Eno and Bryan Ferry, both of the band Roxy Music, and probably several other people. Also, many characters appear like other people, entirely. Eddy Izzard as manager Jerry Divine looks exactly like Oliver Reed in "Tommy!". He's even dressed like him. Ewan McGregor as Curt Wild is a dead ringer for Kurt Cobain. Watching Kurt Cobain move around on stage EXACTLY like Iggy Pop is disconcerting depending on what Cobain means to you (a lot, to me). This all seems very deliberate on Haynes part. Now the big question: Does this whole thing actually work? Some of the time. The director is largely hampered not only by the limited budget, but by the failure of creating the Brian Slade/Maxwell Demon character. David Bowie wouldn't release the rights to his music; he's developing his own "Ziggy Stardust" movie. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers emotional range only seems to go from pouty to needy. He comes off as too mannered, even for glam, compared to McGregor who seems to be living it. It's easy to pass over this film as a noble failure, but I think it's much more than that, largely due to Christian Bale. Much underrated, Bale represents both Haynes and us. He must sort out not only the shifting identities of all the characters, but his own as well. The most memorable image is not from any of the concert footage, but of an adolescent Kent pointing to it on television for his parents screaming, "That's me! That's me!" - Ron Wells HAPPINESS (unrated) * * * * * (http://www.happinessthemovie.com) Take the safety off of the comedy Magnum called "Happiness" and put the barrel in your mouth. You'll laugh your ass off as it takes off the back of your head. Here we have the movie Universal Pictures wet their pants over in fear, probably the worst date film of 1998. Over 140 minutes writer/director Todd Solondz gives us worst-case relationships you would be afraid to even contemplate. Solondz uses (mostly) TV actors and a lot of TV-style situations and gags. Did I mention this was a comedy? A very, very, very black comedy. If this were the sitcom it resembles it would be about the struggle for happiness of three sisters, Trish (Cynthia Stevenson), a wife and mother who appears to have it all, and tells you so; Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle), a beautiful, self- loathing novelist; and Joy (Joyce Adams), a flighty loser who is probably better off than her overbearing sisters. The story expands to include family, friends, and neighbors. The real kick in the nuts, and the story you've probably heard about, is Trish's husband, Dr. Bill Maplewood (Dylan Baker). He is covering for a lot of violent, aggressive tendencies that erupt into serial pedophilia. His father-son talks with his 11-year old are probably some of the best writing and definitely the most f**ked up thing I've seen at the movies this year. All of us watch situation comedies on television. We all know the lexicon of images and wacky situations and Solondz uses that knowledge to bring us in the door. He proceeds to punch us in the kidneys with the most vivid portrayal of the effects of loneliness I think I've ever seen. It's like the "Friends" cast got off "The Last Exit to Brooklyn". I never knew what would happen next. The director makes it clear he won't be bound by anything. He feels empathy for all of his characters, even the pedophile, but lets them get away with nothing. Nobody escapes the repercussions of their actions. I'm at a loss. When you determine what you think are the best films of the year or ever, spectacle or technical prowess don't really matter. The films you love and remember are the ones with which you could relate. Movies done well connect to your life, your dreams, or your nightmares. If you can keep from turning your eyes away from the screen, you're bound to see something here you've either done, or at least thought about. It could be the best film of the year. At the very least, I'll never forget it. - Ron Wells AMERICAN HISTORY X (R) (http://www.historyx.com) * * * * BELOVED (R) (http://www.movies.com/beloved/index.html) * * I have just sat through these two films back to back. one film about skinheads, repercussions of white supremist dogma, and race relations in the '90's ("AHX"); and one film about the repercussions of slavery. Both films are about dealing with a history you can't escape and moving on. Can I have a hug now? I need to see something light, I want to watch "The Waterboy". Oprah Winfrey spent 10 years developing a film version of Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "Beloved". The effort shows; everybody tried REALLY hard. Everyone obviously felt they were making an IMPORTANT film. Close, but not quite. Director Jonathan Demme hasn't made a film in five years. "Silence of the Lambs" seems to have stifled him, creatively. He went from a "quirky" filmmaker to an "important" filmmaker. The world is lesser for it. This is the story a mother, her children, and the lasting effects of slavery. Sethe (Oprah Winfrey) escaped a brutal plantation in Kentucky with her children for Ohio in 1855. Ten years later, her family is haunted by a tormented spirit prone to throwing everything around the room and pulling images out of their minds. Sethe's two sons flee soon after. Eight years after that, Sethe is left only with her daughter Denver (Kimberlee Elise), too afraid to walk beyond the yard by herself, and the spirit, when Paul D. (Danny Glover) walks into her life. Paul was at the plantation with Sethe. Sethe welcomes Paul into her life, and soon her bed. The spirit soon leaves, to be replaced by a mysterious girl (Thandie Newton) who appears in front of the house. Calling herself "Beloved", the girl is either mentally ill or disabled, and may contain the spirit of another daughter Sethe had lost. "American History X" opens, literally, with a bang. Derrick Vinyard (Edward Norton), lord of the skinheads, kills two black men who break into his truck outside of his Venice Beach home. We see a virile, charismatic figure shot in black and white slow motion worthy of a Nike ad. Three years later, in color, we see his kid brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), chastised in school for turning in a civil rights paper on Mein Kampf. The black principle (Avery Books), who also taught Derrick, tells Danny he will now be his history teacher every day for a class called "American History X". The first assignment: write a new paper about Derrick. Derrick, on the other hand, has had a serious change of heart in prison. Cut off from his various influences and mentors he can finally see past the dogma and the hatred. He now has to face all of his old friends and pull his brother out of the life. Both movies are told through the eyes of protagonists coming of age. "Beloved" is really the story of Denver, and "AHX" is about Danny. Each must examine the past of their families and grow past it. Sethe and Derrick are forced to live with the decisions they've made, and they suffer greatly for it. Denver and Danny learn from the mistakes of those they love, but their fates are eventually decided by their own choices. Both families are much at the mercy of their respective communities. Denver and Sethe need the support of theirs (Cincinnati and outskirts) and Derrick and Danny must keep from getting killed by theirs (Venice Beach). The qualities of each film lies in the execution and the risks the filmmakers were willing (or not) to take. "Beloved" barely varies its somber tone for the first two hours. Comic relief shows up in the last twenty minutes. Ultimately, Demme and Winfrey display too much respect for the book and not enough for cinema. It's essentially a noble failure. While directory Tony Kaye is up for the "1998 Vincent Gallo Memorial Pinhead Spitting in the face of Success Award", which Gallo has already sewn up himself, his direction is audacious and impressive. He takes the risky move of demonstrating the lure of the racist propaganda and imagery. The glossy beauty of Norton, shaved, buffed and tattooed, is as seductive as his driven speeches, but nothing can hide the ugliness that always rises. Kaye was allegedly booted from the editing suite for whatever reasons, but the Directors Guild probably wouldn't let him take his name off because, well, you should only do that with bad films. Aside from a score apparently stole from an Oliver Stove flick, there's not much heavy-handedness to all this. Derrick's journey to hell and the one back are portrayed organically and gradually. His lessons are hard won. This all could have easily turned out like a bad after-school special, but it didn't. It actually meets the skinheads on their own ground and dismantles each of their arguments. Unfortunately, just because you stop hating someone, doesn't mean they stop hating you back. At the end you realize the solutions will be harder to find than the truth. I need a hug. -Ron Wells HOLY MAN (PG) * (http://www.holyman-themovie.com) From the director of "101 Dalmations", the writer of "8 Heads in a Duffel Bag" and the star of "Metro" comes another colossal piece of s**t in the grand tradition of Hollywood Pictures. Jeff Goldblum is Ricky Hayman, an executive with the Good Buy Shopping Network who will be fired by Robert Loggia unless he improves sales. Matched with new marketing exec Kate Newell (Kelly Preston), Ricky stumble into a traveling holy man named "G". Ricky puts G on television to preach his non- denominational new age message while G tries to save Ricky from himself. Jeff Goldblum plays Jeff Goldblum, Robert Loggia screams Robert Loggia, and Kelly Preston has a great ass. If the movie starred Mickey Roarke and Louis Farrikhan, I might have cared. What does Hollywood teach us here? Materialism BAD! Television BAD! Media BAD! "The Truman Show" did a much better (and subtler) job of exploring issues of exploitation. "Holy Man" is just a dumb romantic comedy passing itself off as something else. The media is just a big, stupid child with Attention-Deficit Syndrome that will do anything to get your attention. If television programming is exploitive or catering to the lowest common denominator, it's only because the people in charge aren't really capable of any better. Time Warner is one of the biggest, richest media companies in the world, but the year after they made "Batman and Robin", they made "The Avengers", an equally unwatchable mess. Do they look like they know what they're doing? The one thing "Holy Man" gets right is that people will watch the most crass s**t if it's able to connect with its audience. That's always been and probably always will be true. If Hollywood wants to explore the issue, show me how the this stuff damages the American people. I don't want to see how bad the producers feel about making this garbage, because I don't think they feel bad at all. I'm sure Jerry Springer sleeps very well at night, as do the producers of any show on Fox that begins with the word "When". - Ron Wells END CREDITS "Written, produced, and directed by . . ." =========================================== Publisher / Chris Gore Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares Contributors / Merle Bertrand, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron Wells Send us films, videos, CDs, games, screening passes: FILM THREAT, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Website: http://www.filmthreat.com Edress: FilmThreat@aol.com FILM THREAT WEEKLY is published by The Gore Group, LLC. All material ⌐ 1998 Gore Group Publications. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission of the author. You are, however, welcome to forward this e-mail to whomever you wish. All letters, comments and reviews sent to Film Threat Weekly in any manner are assumed intended for publication, unless stated otherwise. Your name and e-mail address will be printed if published herein. Not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Film Threat is now a proud part of the den: the daily entertainment network at http://www.theden.com Film Threat Weekly is distributed by ZENtertainment - http://www.zentertainment.com QUOTING FILM THREAT WEEKLY: Journalists, if you feel the need to quote Film Threat Weekly you MUST include the Film Threat url (http://www.filmthreat.com) so that readers can get more information. Otherwise you are NOT given permission to quote any material or contents contained herein. ADVERTISE: FILM THREAT MEDIA KIT =========================================== Reach over 60,000 film fanatics on the net. Indie filmmakers get a 50% discount! To get an e-media kit, e-mail filmthreat@aol.com. FILM THREAT WEEKLY TAKES OVER THE NET "Read FTW on other sites" =========================================== Read excerpts from Film Threat Weekly on the "All-Movie Guide" at http://www.allmovie.com Read excerpts from Film Threat Weekly on "Planet Direct" at http://www.planetdirect.com Read Film Threat Weekly on the "Internet Movie Database" at http://us.imdb.com/Threat/ Also read Film Threat Weekly on the "Hollywood IndieNetwork" at http://indienetwork.com/filmthreat/index.html Speak Italian? Read Film Threat Weekly translated into Italian at http://www.ottoemezzo.com FTW is also posted on a web site in the Philippines, Cyberville Online at http://www.cyberville-manila.com FILM THREAT "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" =========================================== Independent, Cult, Underground, Alternative Film, Hollywood Satire And No BS ==============CUT-AND-PRINT =============== [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich <gene@ehrich.com> Subject: [MV] Dead Zone Date: 18 Oct 1998 23:48:25 -0400 We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening and found it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. All of the characters were beautifully done. Everybody from Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen and lots of others I cannot remember. At least three separate stories interwoven into one story. We didn't expect a lot since half the time King stories on film are awful while the other half are pretty good. We thought that this one was great. We are not on the quest for more. "It" has been highly recommended. What are the great ones? Which ones should we stay away from? gene@ehrich http://www.voicenet.com/~generic Computer & Video Game Garage Sale [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Dead Zone Date: 18 Oct 1998 23:59:23 -0400 At 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: >We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening and found >it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. >We thought that this one was great. > >We are not on the quest for more. > >"It" has been highly recommended. > >What are the great ones? Well, I am not a "fan" of horror movies. So if I like a horror movie, it tends to be very good. We're talking Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, Near Dark, Scream (and I was not overly impressed), The Thing (John Carpenter), Videodrome, Man Who Fell to Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and some of these are borderline horror only). I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the ones I have seen and liked are: Pet Cemetary (Actually, Pet Semetary, I believe) Doroles Claiborne Misery and isn't he behind Cat's Eye, as well?? Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not even a horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank Redemption. It is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved all seven. IMHO, it is that good. Regards, --Mel --Mel Eperthener president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty email: bcassidy@usaor.net gowanna@australiamail.com http://www.webz.com/gowanna 419 Butler Street PO Box 95184 Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 (412) 781-6140 (412) 781-6380 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE (1-888-454-6926) ____________________________________________ "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" --Dana Scully ______________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Tonya =)" <scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net> Subject: [MV] What Dreams May Come Date: 18 Oct 1998 23:28:10 -0500 I was wondering if anyone had some comments on this film? -Tonya- scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net _______________________________ "Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life" [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerry Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: Re: [MV] Dead Zone Date: 19 Oct 1998 08:48:23 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000D_01BDFB3D.3AD42380 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The only Stephen King adaptions worth seeing apart from "The dead zone" = are "Salems Lot" (the two part t.v movie not the cut version) and = "Misery"......all the rest are pretty dreadful. Incidentally King wrote = "Shawshank" under his own name not a psuedonym.~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >At 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: >>We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening and = found >>it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. > >>We thought that this one was great. >> >>We are not on the quest for more. >> >>"It" has been highly recommended. >> >>What are the great ones? > >Well, I am not a "fan" of horror movies. So if I like a horror movie, = it >tends to be very good. We're talking Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, Near >Dark, Scream (and I was not overly impressed), The Thing (John = Carpenter), >Videodrome, Man Who Fell to Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and some = of >these are borderline horror only). > >I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the ones I have seen and >liked are: > >Pet Cemetary (Actually, Pet Semetary, I believe) > >Doroles Claiborne > >Misery > >and isn't he behind Cat's Eye, as well?? > >Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not even a >horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank Redemption. = It >is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved = all >seven. IMHO, it is that good. > >Regards, > >--Mel > > >--Mel Eperthener >president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > >email: bcassidy@usaor.net > gowanna@australiamail.com > >http://www.webz.com/gowanna > >419 Butler Street >PO Box 95184 >Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 >(412) 781-6140 >(412) 781-6380 >1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE >(1-888-454-6926) >____________________________________________ >"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for >two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > >--Dana Scully >______________________________________________ > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > ------=_NextPart_000_000D_01BDFB3D.3AD42380 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> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The only Stephen = King=20 adaptions worth seeing apart from "The dead zone" are = "Salems=20 Lot" (the two part t.v movie not the cut version) and=20 "Misery"......all the rest are pretty dreadful. = Incidentally=20 King wrote "Shawshank" under his own name not a = psuedonym.~ Gerry=20 T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so = placid and=20 self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do = not sweat=20 and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for = their=20 sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not = one is=20 dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not = one=20 kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years = ago, not=20 one is respectable or unhappy over the whole=20 earth. &nb= sp; &nbs= p; = ; = &= nbsp; =20 Walt=20 Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <B= R></DIV>>At=20 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: >>We saw the = Stephen King=20 movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening and found >>it to be a = wonderfully made and intriguing film. > >>We thought that = this=20 one was great. >> >>We are not on the quest for=20 more. >> >>"It" has been highly=20 recommended. >> >>What are the great=20 ones? > >Well, I am not a "fan" of horror = movies. So=20 if I like a horror movie, it >tends to be very good. We're = talking=20 Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, Near >Dark, Scream (and I was not = overly=20 impressed), The Thing (John Carpenter), >Videodrome, Man Who Fell = to=20 Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and some of >these are = borderline horror=20 only). > >I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the = ones I=20 have seen and >liked are: > >Pet Cemetary = (Actually, Pet=20 Semetary, I believe) > >Doroles=20 Claiborne > >Misery > >and isn't he behind Cat's = Eye, as=20 well?? > >Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, = full stop,=20 is not even a >horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote = The=20 Shawshank Redemption. It >is a prison movie. It was up = for=20 seven Academy Awards. It deserved all >seven. IMHO, it = is that=20 good. > >Regards, > >--Mel > > >= ;--Mel=20 Eperthener >president, Gowanna Multi-media = Pty > >email: <A=20 href=3D"mailto:bcassidy@usaor.net">bcassidy@usaor.net</A> > &n= bsp; =20 <A=20 href=3D"mailto:gowanna@australiamail.com">gowanna@australiamail.com</A><B= R>> ><A=20 href=3D"http://www.webz.com/gowanna">http://www.webz.com/gowanna</A> &= gt; >419=20 Butler Street >PO Box 95184 >Pittsburgh, PA = 15223-0184 >(412)=20 781-6140 >(412) 781-6380 >1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL=20 FREE >(1-888-454-6926) >_____________________________________= _______ >"Mulder,=20 if you had to do without a cell phone for >two minutes, you'd = lapse into=20 catatonic schizophrenia" > >--Dana=20 Scully >______________________________________________ > &= gt; >[=20 To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe = ] >[=20 movies (without the quotes) to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:majordomo@xmission.com">majordomo@xmission.com</A> &n= bsp; =20 ] ></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_000D_01BDFB3D.3AD42380-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: [MV] To: movies@xmission.com Date: 19 Oct 1998 09:06:45 PDT test [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Fw: Re: [MV] Dead Zone Date: 19 Oct 1998 09:12:02 PDT I sent this once, but I'm not sure it went through.. so if it turns out to echo, then my apologies to all! Salem's Lot - So, whatever happened to Starsky anyway? Shawshank was a part of a group of 4 short stories in a book entitled Different Seasons, I think ... That may not be the right title... But, it was in the same collection as The Body, of which Stand By Me is based. Both of these stories are not run of the mill King horror stories or flicks.... the closest that King has come to real literary quality.. both are very good stories. I do enjoy most of his work though... And, i did enjoy the movie Shawshank redemption very much... On a further note, as far I as I can think about it, only two of King's works under his psuedonym have been made into movies, The Running Man and Thinner. Both movies were very pathetic. I favor The Dead Zone and Misery , too. But, I also enjoyed Carrie, Christine, and The Shining. Wade >The only Stephen King adaptions worth seeing apart from "The dead zone" >are "Salems Lot" (the two part t.v movie not the cut version) and >"Misery"......all the rest are pretty dreadful. Incidentally King >wrote "Shawshank" under his own name not a psuedonym.~ >Gerry T >At 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: >>We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening and found >>it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. > >>We thought that this one was great. >> >>We are not on the quest for more. >> >>"It" has been highly recommended. >> >>What are the great ones? > >Well, I am not a "fan" of horror movies. So if I like a horror movie, it >tends to be very good. We're talking Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, Near >Dark, Scream (and I was not overly impressed), The Thing (John Carpenter), >Videodrome, Man Who Fell to Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and some of >these are borderline horror only). > >I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the ones I have seen and >liked are: > >Pet Cemetary (Actually, Pet Semetary, I believe) > >Doroles Claiborne > >Misery > >and isn't he behind Cat's Eye, as well?? > >Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not even a >horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank Redemption. It >is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved all >seven. IMHO, it is that good. > >Regards, > >--Mel > > >--Mel Eperthener >president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > >email: bcassidy@usaor.net > gowanna@australiamail.com > >http://www.webz.com/gowanna > >419 Butler Street >PO Box 95184 >Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 >(412) 781-6140 >(412) 781-6380 >1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE >(1-888-454-6926) >____________________________________________ >"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for >two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > >--Dana Scully >______________________________________________ > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Dead Zone Date: 19 Oct 1998 08:14:10 PDT Salem's Lot - So, whatever happened to Starsky anyway? Shawshank was a part of a group of 4 short stories in a book entitled Different Seasons, I think ... That may not be the right title... But, it was in the same collection as The Body, of which Stand By Me is based. Both of these stories are not run of the mill King horror stories or flicks.... the closest that King has come to real literary quality.. both are very good stories. I do enjoy most of his work though... And, i did enjoy the movie Shawshank redemption very much... On a further note, as far I as I can think about it, only two of King's works under his psuedonym have been made into movies, The Running Man and Thinner. Both movies were very pathetic. I favor The Dead Zone and Misery , too. But, I also enjoyed Carrie, Christine, and The Shining. Wade >The only Stephen King adaptions worth seeing apart from "The dead zone" >are "Salems Lot" (the two part t.v movie not the cut version) and >"Misery"......all the rest are pretty dreadful. Incidentally King >wrote "Shawshank" under his own name not a psuedonym.~ >Gerry T >At 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: >>We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening and found >>it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. > >>We thought that this one was great. >> >>We are not on the quest for more. >> >>"It" has been highly recommended. >> >>What are the great ones? > >Well, I am not a "fan" of horror movies. So if I like a horror movie, it >tends to be very good. We're talking Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, Near >Dark, Scream (and I was not overly impressed), The Thing (John Carpenter), >Videodrome, Man Who Fell to Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and some of >these are borderline horror only). > >I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the ones I have seen and >liked are: > >Pet Cemetary (Actually, Pet Semetary, I believe) > >Doroles Claiborne > >Misery > >and isn't he behind Cat's Eye, as well?? > >Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not even a >horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank Redemption. It >is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved all >seven. IMHO, it is that good. > >Regards, > >--Mel > > >--Mel Eperthener >president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > >email: bcassidy@usaor.net > gowanna@australiamail.com > >http://www.webz.com/gowanna > >419 Butler Street >PO Box 95184 >Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 >(412) 781-6140 >(412) 781-6380 >1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE >(1-888-454-6926) >____________________________________________ >"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for >two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > >--Dana Scully >______________________________________________ > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca (Kevin Marshall) Subject: Re: [MV] Dead Zone Date: 19 Oct 1998 12:30:41 -0400 >Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not even a >horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank Redemption. >It is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved >all seven. IMHO, it is that good. >Regards, >--Mel Most definitely. I rank "The Shawshank Redemption" among the best films I have ever seen. Kevin Marshall "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." - Casino [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Danielle Conkle" <danyelli@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: Fw: Re: [MV] Running man & Misery Date: 19 Oct 1998 11:08:23 PDT >works under his psuedonym have been made into movies, The Running Man >and Thinner. Both movies were very pathetic. I liked The Running Man a lot! oh well ;) for anyone who's read the book it is very different from the movie, but i thought both ideas were fun, and i like how the movie played out its new version. >I favor The Dead Zone and Misery , too. But, I also enjoyed Carrie, >Christine, and The Shining. Oh yes, Carrie. That was a dark movie! I think misery has been my fave book by King. The part where she breaks his feet so he can't move around the house...you know it hurts in the movie, but there's nothing like a book that vividly describes each bone breaking, and crushing, and the pain rushing..... it was almost too much. but that's what made it good. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: Fw: Re: [MV] Running man & Misery Date: 19 Oct 1998 13:19:41 PDT --- On Mon, 19 Oct 1998 11:08:23 PDT Danielle Conkle <danyelli@hotmail.com> wrote: >>works under his psuedonym have been made into movies, The Running Man >>and Thinner. Both movies were very pathetic. > I liked The Running Man a lot! oh well ;) for anyone who's read the >book it is very different from the movie, but i thought both ideas were >fun, and i like how the movie played out its new version. I'll tell you.. the more I have thought about it since posting, the more I think of things I enjoyed about it, so I might not still feel that it is sooo pathetic... Still don't rate it all that high, but it did have some fun stuff in it... but it could've been better, especially if they had kept the ending that King wrote for it.... But, I loved Richard Dawson in it. Just typical Schwarzeneaggar though.. Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: [MV] STEPHEN KING Date: 19 Oct 1998 11:29:39 -0700 Being a huge King fan, I must say that "The Dead Zone" was the BEST rendition of his novels. Ofcourse, the book was much better, but seeing that his movies rarely translate well, it's always good to check out "the buz" before forking over $8... "Apt Pupil" is the fourth novella from the Different Seasons collection (that was NOT written under a pseudomym) and if it's predesesors are any indication, this one ought to be pretty good. Also, "The Green Mile" a six part book serial is being made with Tom Hanks... the script was excellent! "IT" the t.v. movie is not good; the book captured the trials and horrors of childhood so well, that it would have been difficult to do for a tv movie, therefore it shouldn't have been done. "The Shining" t.v. movie is a good translation of the book, but I felt that Kubric's version stayed true to the madness of the story. "The Stand" the tv movie was a disappointment! One of King's greatest novels, with Rob Lowe? I don't think so!! "Misery", "Shawshank", "Stand by Me", "Carrie"; all good movies with the King stamp!! I could go on and on and on.... [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: [MV] underrated movies Date: 19 Oct 1998 11:35:22 -0700 Speaking of King movies, how many of you saw "Diggstown"? or "Deep Cover"? or "Shakedown"? What was a good movie that you felt didn't get enough attention? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: [MV] underrated movies Date: 19 Oct 1998 11:35:22 -0700 Speaking of King movies, how many of you saw "Diggstown"? or "Deep Cover"? or "Shakedown"? What was a good movie that you felt didn't get enough attention? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: cHriS <csothman@nwchiro.edu> Subject: [MV] underrated movies ("Bullet") Date: 19 Oct 1998 16:15:23 -0600 On Mon, 19 Oct 1998, Leticia asked: "What was a good movie that you felt didn't get enough attention?" I'll probably get flames galore for this, but I think Mickey Rourke's "Bullet" deserved better praise than it received. I liked that movie, yet most people I talk to about it immediately slag it because Rourke's in it. I thought that film was a decent drama with some intense messages about family relationships and fulfilling (or failing to fulfill) personal potential. Unfortunately, most reviews I read of it write the movie off as a street gangster film, with the main plot being Rourke and Tupac Shakur trying to gun down each other. Couldn't be further from the truth, in my opinion. Incidently, I'm a fan of Rourke, so my opinion is probably biased. I thought "Bullet" served as a great metaphor for Rourke's career: a promising talent who made some mistakes and is now trapped with a reputation he probably will never escape from. Hopefully, Rourke won't end up like his character in "Bullet." - cHriS [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/19/98 Date: 19 Oct 1998 13:58:54 -0600 (MDT) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oprah Winfrey went head to head with Chucky, the demonic puppet, and Chucky won. Winfrey's much-publicized movie "Beloved" could manage only a tie for fourth place with "Rush Hour" in weekend box office returns with a take between $8.1 million and $8.5 million, according to studio estimates. "Bride of Chucky," on the other hand, was second in the rankings with $11.6 million. Topping them all was "Practical Magic," featuring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as witches, with $13.6 million worth of tickets. -=> * <=- Actor James Woods has gotten his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "You all made it possible," the 51-year-old actor told the crowd of several hundred who turned out for the ceremony last Thursday. Woods' credits include Academy Award nominations for his performances in "Salvador" and "Ghosts of Mississippi." John Carpenter, who directed Woods in his latest film, "Vampires," gave a tongue-in-cheek tribute. "He never rehearsed a scene he couldn't steal, never met another actor he couldn't upstage, and never picked up a prop or grabbed a piece of set dressing he couldn't manipulate and hurl at the narrative with gleeful abandon," Carpenter said. "And as soon as I get permission from my therapist, I can't wait to work with him again." -=> * <=- "Practical Magic" finished No. 1 at the box office this weekend, according to preliminary estimates by Exhibitor Relations. The benign-witches movie starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock pulled in $13.6 million in its debut. The evil doll movie "Bride of Chucky" was a strong second with $11.6 million, followed closely by "Antz" with $11.3 million. The cop buddy picture "Rush Hour" continued to do well with $8.7 million, while the new Oprah Winfrey-starrer "Beloved" had an $8.5 million showing. Eddie Murphy's "Holy Man," however, lost more than 50% of its already paltry audience in its second week out with $2.4 million. -=> * <=- The woman who said she was the inspiration for Truman Capote's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" character -- Holly Golightly -- has died. Bonnie Golightly died of lung cancer last week at age 77, the New York Post reports. She went to her grave believing that Capote stole her identity -- that of a World War II-era party girl. But Golightly was perhaps the only one who thought she was the inspiration for the novel, which Capote was writing at the time of their friendship. "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was brought to the screen in 1961 and starred Audrey Hepburn. Golightly sued Capote for $400,000 after the film was released, but the suit was dismissed. -=> * <=- GIVEN: The thumbs up, a "Dr. Dolittle" follow-up with Eddie Murphy, who is working with Fox and three producers to hire a writer to script a sequel. Alas, Betty Thomas, who directed the summer hit, won't be returning. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: SLAM Date: 19 Oct 1998 16:08:36 -0600 (MDT) SLAM (Trimark) Starring: Saul Williams, Sonja Sohn, Bonz Malone, Beau Sia. Screenplay: Marc Levin, Richard Stratton, Bonz Malone, Saul Williams and Sonja Sohn. Producers: Henri M. Kessler, Richard Stratton, Marc Levin. Director: Marc Levin. MPAA Rating: R (profanity, violence, sexual situations) Running Time: 100 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. SLAM appeals to everything critics want movies to be. It tells a story of a side of American life most of us are lucky enough never to see. It has a unique narrative rhythm, and a gritty, uncompromising style. It's an idea movie, one that clearly wants its audience to walk out pondering its weighty themes rather than humming a theme song or grinning from ear to ear. It comes with the pedigree of an award-winning documentary film-maker directing his first feature film, and a Sundance Film Festival Grand Prize. SLAM is a great praise-worthy package. It is not, however, a great film. In fact, it's not even a particularly good one. Documentarian Marc Levin (HBO's "Bangin' in Little Rock") brings his verite style to the story of Ray Joshua (Saul Williams), a street poet and small-time marijuana dealer in Washington D.C.'s inner city. Caught in the wrong place at the wrong time during a gang shooting, Ray ends up convicted of possession with intent. In prison, Ray finds his survival may depend on allying himself with prison gang leaders like Hopha (Bonz Malone), even though Ray claims to be a pacifist. He also meets Lauren (Sonja Sohn), a poet offering creative writing classes for inmates. The two cross paths again upon Ray's release from prison, where their relationship forces ray to conider his role in the decay of his environment. SLAM virtually bubbles and boils with provocative concepts and viscerally effective scenes. Though at first it seems like it may be little more than a liberal tract on hard lives, inequities in the judicial system and the like, the film probes a bit deeper, questioning whether Ray is part of the solution or part of the problem. It's also hard not to feel a charge from the scene in which Ray defuses a potential fight in the prison workout yard by bursting into a poem of paralyzing ferocity. With Levin occasionally toning down the strident voice for a few wry observations (including Malone's smooth turn as the prison entrepreneur and Marion Barry's cameo as a trial judge waxing ironically indignant about drug dealing), SLAM at its best does manage to grab hold of you. Then, nearly as quickly, it'll let you go again. SLAM depends almost entirely on gripping you in the thrall of its intensity, but that doesn't always happen with a pair of inexperienced lead actors handling the most challenging material. Saul Williams doesn't have the chops to handle Ray's complex character arc, nor can Sonja Sohn always handle Lauren's didactic role. That leads to scenes where the two merely shout at each other with a discouraging lack of subtlety. As comfortable as they may be with the rat-a-tat, stream-of-insanity style of their poetry (showcased in scenes at coffee house poetry "slams"), it often feels like that's the only note they can bring to their performances. Make no mistake, Levin and his cast understand this milieu, and the sincerity of their conviction is never in doubt. Their film-making instincts are another matter entirely. From moment to moment, Levin alternates between compelling realism and the pretentious whiff of conspicuous symbolism -- a gangsta who becomes enlightened after he is blinded, for instance, or the hollowly open-ended final shot. SLAM is its own kind of tone poem, I suppose, its success riding on the strong accented beats provided by a few individually effective scenes. Yet ultimately that's all it is -- a collection of emotional iambs, alternately engrossing and meandering. Sincerity can only get you so far, even when you're telling a story everyone would like to have told. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 slam funks: 5. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Diane Christy <dchristy10@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: [MV] What Dreams May Come Date: 19 Oct 1998 15:04:13 -0500 On 10/18/98, 11:28 PM -0500, Tonya =) said so nicely: >I was wondering if anyone had some comments on this film? I saw it and found it to be very profound and philosophical. Visually, very stunning!! Special effects were wonderful. Very imaginative. Thought Annabella Sciorra was wonderful. Williams was a little distant I thought, but was very good. It's not a movie to see if you want to be entertained and not think too much. It's very imaginative and deals with issues of afterlife, what happens to souls when we die, things like that. I disliked the ending the most. Won't spoil that, but it' didn't fit with my religious teachings. I found it enjoyable and worth seeing. To rate it I would give it a 6 out of 10. It lost points for me for the ending. ~~~~~ Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom) Jefferson, LA http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/ mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net mailto:DChristy1@aol.com ICQ #12904700 ~~~~~ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chris Culligan <culligan@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Dead Zone Date: 19 Oct 1998 19:32:16 -0400 I look for anything with staring Christopher Walken to be pretty darn good and "The Dead Zone" was no exception. Another good horror movie (although not a Steven King, but rather, King's fore-bearer, HP Lovecraft) was "Re-animator". I don't know if this is still available in video stores but if you happen to run across it, rent it. I doubt you will be disappointed! CHRIS Mel Eperthener wrote: > At 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: > >We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening and found > >it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. > > >We thought that this one was great. > > > >We are not on the quest for more. > > > >"It" has been highly recommended. > > > >What are the great ones? > > Well, I am not a "fan" of horror movies. So if I like a horror movie, it > tends to be very good. We're talking Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, Near > Dark, Scream (and I was not overly impressed), The Thing (John Carpenter), > Videodrome, Man Who Fell to Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and some of > these are borderline horror only). > > I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the ones I have seen and > liked are: > > Pet Cemetary (Actually, Pet Semetary, I believe) > > Doroles Claiborne > > Misery > > and isn't he behind Cat's Eye, as well?? > > Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not even a > horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank Redemption. It > is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved all > seven. IMHO, it is that good. > > Regards, > > --Mel > > --Mel Eperthener > president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > > email: bcassidy@usaor.net > gowanna@australiamail.com > > http://www.webz.com/gowanna > > 419 Butler Street > PO Box 95184 > Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 > (412) 781-6140 > (412) 781-6380 > 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE > (1-888-454-6926) > ____________________________________________ > "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for > two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > > --Dana Scully > ______________________________________________ > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: Fw: Re: [MV] Running man & Misery Date: 19 Oct 1998 12:57:44 -0600 I actually really enjoyed the new mini-series version of "The Shining". It was so much more true to the book (which I also enjoyed) than the movie starring Jack Nicholson. Of course the one thing it didn't have was the before mentioned Jack Nicholson which is really too bad. It should be out on video soon. I recommend it. The most disappointing SK film was "The Stand". I loved the book. It was my favorite by far, but when it came to the movie, they could have done so much more. Casting Mollie Ringwald was the biggest mistake (she's a natural redhead playing a brunette when in fact the character was suppose to be blond--go figure), but there were many others. The mini-series "It" was really bad also. Probably one of the scariest of his books, the show didn't cause a single goosebump. "Apt Pupil" looks really good. It's based on a Novella by King. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Monday, October 19, 1998 2:20 PM --- On Mon, 19 Oct 1998 11:08:23 PDT Danielle Conkle <danyelli@hotmail.com> wrote: >>works under his psuedonym have been made into movies, The Running Man >>and Thinner. Both movies were very pathetic. > I liked The Running Man a lot! oh well ;) for anyone who's read the >book it is very different from the movie, but i thought both ideas were >fun, and i like how the movie played out its new version. I'll tell you.. the more I have thought about it since posting, the more I think of things I enjoyed about it, so I might not still feel that it is sooo pathetic... Still don't rate it all that high, but it did have some fun stuff in it... but it could've been better, especially if they had kept the ending that King wrote for it.... But, I loved Richard Dawson in it. Just typical Schwarzeneaggar though.. Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Dave Osborn" <dave.osborn@dialaccess.com> Subject: [MV] Re: Stephen King Flicks Date: 19 Oct 1998 19:14:43 -0500 What was the SK movie where the airplane takes off and can't land somehow. When it finally does the airport has no people because the plane is in some sort of parallel universe. Then these creatures chased the plane up and down the runway as it tried to take off. Strange flick but interesting. Super Dave Chris Culligan wrote: > I look for anything with staring Christopher Walken to be pretty darn > good and > "The Dead Zone" was no exception. > > Another good horror movie (although not a Steven King, but rather, > King's > fore-bearer, HP Lovecraft) was "Re-animator". I don't know if this is > still > available in video stores but if you happen to run across it, rent > it. I doubt > you will be disappointed! > > CHRIS > > Mel Eperthener wrote: > > > At 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: > > >We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening > and found > > >it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. > > > > >We thought that this one was great. > > > > > >We are not on the quest for more. > > > > > >"It" has been highly recommended. > > > > > >What are the great ones? > > > > Well, I am not a "fan" of horror movies. So if I like a horror > movie, it > > tends to be very good. We're talking Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, > Near > > Dark, Scream (and I was not overly impressed), The Thing (John > Carpenter), > > Videodrome, Man Who Fell to Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and > some of > > these are borderline horror only). > > > > I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the ones I have seen > and > > liked are: > > > > Pet Cemetary (Actually, Pet Semetary, I believe) > > > > Doroles Claiborne > > > > Misery > > > > and isn't he behind Cat's Eye, as well?? > > > > Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not > even a > > horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank > Redemption. It > > is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved > all > > seven. IMHO, it is that good. > > > > Regards, > > > > --Mel > > > > --Mel Eperthener > > president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > > > > email: bcassidy@usaor.net > > gowanna@australiamail.com > > > > http://www.webz.com/gowanna > > > > 419 Butler Street > > PO Box 95184 > > Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 > > (412) 781-6140 > > (412) 781-6380 > > 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE > > (1-888-454-6926) > > ____________________________________________ > > "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for > > two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > > > > --Dana Scully > > ______________________________________________ > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Chris Culligan <culligan@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Re: Stephen King Flicks Date: 19 Oct 1998 21:08:35 -0400 Yea - that was a creepy movie. I think it was called something like "The Langolears". CHRIS Dave Osborn wrote: > What was the SK movie where the airplane takes off and can't land > somehow. When it finally does the airport has no people because the > plane is in some sort of parallel universe. Then these creatures chased > the plane up and down the runway as it tried to take off. Strange flick > but interesting. > > Super Dave > > Chris Culligan wrote: > > > I look for anything with staring Christopher Walken to be pretty darn > > good and > > "The Dead Zone" was no exception. > > > > Another good horror movie (although not a Steven King, but rather, > > King's > > fore-bearer, HP Lovecraft) was "Re-animator". I don't know if this is > > still > > available in video stores but if you happen to run across it, rent > > it. I doubt > > you will be disappointed! > > > > CHRIS > > > > Mel Eperthener wrote: > > > > > At 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: > > > >We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening > > and found > > > >it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. > > > > > > >We thought that this one was great. > > > > > > > >We are not on the quest for more. > > > > > > > >"It" has been highly recommended. > > > > > > > >What are the great ones? > > > > > > Well, I am not a "fan" of horror movies. So if I like a horror > > movie, it > > > tends to be very good. We're talking Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, > > Near > > > Dark, Scream (and I was not overly impressed), The Thing (John > > Carpenter), > > > Videodrome, Man Who Fell to Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and > > some of > > > these are borderline horror only). > > > > > > I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the ones I have seen > > and > > > liked are: > > > > > > Pet Cemetary (Actually, Pet Semetary, I believe) > > > > > > Doroles Claiborne > > > > > > Misery > > > > > > and isn't he behind Cat's Eye, as well?? > > > > > > Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not > > even a > > > horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank > > Redemption. It > > > is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved > > all > > > seven. IMHO, it is that good. > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > --Mel > > > > > > --Mel Eperthener > > > president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > > > > > > email: bcassidy@usaor.net > > > gowanna@australiamail.com > > > > > > http://www.webz.com/gowanna > > > > > > 419 Butler Street > > > PO Box 95184 > > > Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 > > > (412) 781-6140 > > > (412) 781-6380 > > > 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE > > > (1-888-454-6926) > > > ____________________________________________ > > > "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for > > > two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > > > > > > --Dana Scully > > > ______________________________________________ > > > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > > > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Danielle Conkle" <danyelli@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [MV] something about a plane in a parallel universe? Date: 19 Oct 1998 19:07:28 PDT >What was the SK movie where the airplane takes off and can't land >somehow. When it finally does the airport has no people because the >plane is in some sort of parallel universe. Then these creatures chased >the plane up and down the runway as it tried to take off. Strange flick >but interesting. > >Super Dave oh wow, that sounds interesting! Actually it reminds me of a book called "One", but i can't remember who it's by...richard something i think. Anyway, i would love to hear the answer to this one too! ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" <ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com> Subject: [MV] Elizabeth Date: 20 Oct 1998 11:09:59 +0100 Has anyone any idea if this film is any good??????????????????? Saw Something about Mary last night. Hillarious Thanks & Regards, ****************************************************************************= ** ****************************************************************************= ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland ****************************************************************************= ** [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Ed Mittelstedt" <gizmo@clark.net> Subject: Re: [MV] something about a plane in a parallel universe? Date: 20 Oct 1998 06:43:16 -0400 > >What was the SK movie where the airplane takes off and can't land > >somehow. When it finally does the airport has no people because the > >plane is in some sort of parallel universe. Then these creatures > chased > >the plane up and down the runway as it tried to take off. Strange > flick > >but interesting. That was The Langoliers. The novella appeared in his Four Past Midnight collection. It's a about a plane goes through a weird storm and then lands in an airport where the people discover that they fell behind "time". There are no people, everything, the chairs, the beer, all is slowly losing its "realness" The theory is that time carries us along with it like a wave in the ocean. The storm made the plane buck off the wave, and now reality is starting to break down for the crew. The Langoliers are the clean-up crew. They come behind time and eat everything. Confusing? Forget the movie. Not powerful enough imagry. Read it. -Ed Then the Lan -Ed ed@onadrenaline.com gizmo@clark.net Trade movie futures in real-time! The Adrenaline Futures Exchange (http://www.onadrenaline.com/af) [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Wade Snider" <judgewd@worldnet.att.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Re: Stephen King Flicks Spoiler Date: 20 Oct 1998 06:33:42 -0700 Spoiler What they had actually done was go back in time like a half hour.... The point was... that there was no linear time line.... once things happened, the so-called langoliers would clean up what was left of time and ate everything up... It was weird Wade >Yea - that was a creepy movie. I think it was called something like "The >Langolears". > >CHRIS > >Dave Osborn wrote: > >> What was the SK movie where the airplane takes off and can't land >> somehow. When it finally does the airport has no people because the >> plane is in some sort of parallel universe. Then these creatures chased >> the plane up and down the runway as it tried to take off. Strange flick >> but interesting. >> >> Super Dave >> >> Chris Culligan wrote: >> >> > I look for anything with staring Christopher Walken to be pretty darn >> > good and >> > "The Dead Zone" was no exception. >> > >> > Another good horror movie (although not a Steven King, but rather, >> > King's >> > fore-bearer, HP Lovecraft) was "Re-animator". I don't know if this is >> > still >> > available in video stores but if you happen to run across it, rent >> > it. I doubt >> > you will be disappointed! >> > >> > CHRIS >> > >> > Mel Eperthener wrote: >> > >> > > At 11.48 PM 18/10/98 -0400, Gene Ehrich wrote: >> > > >We saw the Stephen King movie Dead Zone on cable TV last evening >> > and found >> > > >it to be a wonderfully made and intriguing film. >> > > >> > > >We thought that this one was great. >> > > > >> > > >We are not on the quest for more. >> > > > >> > > >"It" has been highly recommended. >> > > > >> > > >What are the great ones? >> > > >> > > Well, I am not a "fan" of horror movies. So if I like a horror >> > movie, it >> > > tends to be very good. We're talking Lost Boys, Army of Darkness, >> > Near >> > > Dark, Scream (and I was not overly impressed), The Thing (John >> > Carpenter), >> > > Videodrome, Man Who Fell to Earth, Psycho, and not much more (and >> > some of >> > > these are borderline horror only). >> > > >> > > I have not seen many Stephen King movies, but the ones I have seen >> > and >> > > liked are: >> > > >> > > Pet Cemetary (Actually, Pet Semetary, I believe) >> > > >> > > Doroles Claiborne >> > > >> > > Misery >> > > >> > > and isn't he behind Cat's Eye, as well?? >> > > >> > > Actually, I think the best Stephen King movie, full stop, is not >> > even a >> > > horror film. Under his pseudonym, he wrote The Shawshank >> > Redemption. It >> > > is a prison movie. It was up for seven Academy Awards. It deserved >> > all >> > > seven. IMHO, it is that good. >> > > >> > > Regards, >> > > >> > > --Mel >> > > >> > > --Mel Eperthener >> > > president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty >> > > >> > > email: bcassidy@usaor.net >> > > gowanna@australiamail.com >> > > >> > > http://www.webz.com/gowanna >> > > >> > > 419 Butler Street >> > > PO Box 95184 >> > > Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 >> > > (412) 781-6140 >> > > (412) 781-6380 >> > > 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE >> > > (1-888-454-6926) >> > > ____________________________________________ >> > > "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for >> > > two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" >> > > >> > > --Dana Scully >> > > ______________________________________________ >> > > >> > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >> > > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >> > >> > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >> > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >> >> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "David Lee" <sashimi@mbox2.singnet.com.sg> Subject: [MV] A Perfect Murder (spoilers avoided) Date: 20 Oct 1998 19:38:26 +0800 Just watched A Perfect Murder yesterday. For those people in the States, this may be old talk. But for those who haven't watched the movie since it opened in June in the US (I know this cos I surfed the webpage), as well as those who have watched the movie, here are some things I have to say about it. Do tell me if you agree with them or not, that is if you feel like doing so ;-) For the theatrically inclined, it's a remake from the play "Dial M for Murder", which is why you'd have to applaud the movie's efforts at making it a large-scale big-budget movie. The cast is nice (to look at) and true to form (except that it's not that dramatically demanding like Wall Street or Sliding Doors for the two main leads of Michael Douglas [always have been a fan of his] and Gwneth Paltrow [second favourite actress after Pfeiffer]). The plot was intelligent, sophisticated, yet not too demanding. Viggo Mortensten was superb for the role of artist/i'm-not-going-to-tell-you-lest-i-spoil-the-movie. On a personal note, the movie was thrilling to watch as a law student, particularly after having sat for a test on murder!! Had a good time analysing whether that-somebody (don't want to spoil it again) would be liable for murder. There, my two-cents' worth... Till "What Rats Won't Do" (No prizes for guessing why I want to watch it... but in case you're wondering, it's about lawyers and it's a romantic comedy), have a good time at the movies. David Lee [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] something about a plane in a parallel universe? Date: 20 Oct 1998 07:59:14 -0600 "One" was by Richard Bach (Isn't that weird: Richard Bachman -- Richard Bach?). My favorite from "Four Past Midnight" was "The Sun Dog" which was a prelude to "Needful Things." JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Monday, October 19, 1998 8:07 PM >What was the SK movie where the airplane takes off and can't land >somehow. When it finally does the airport has no people because the >plane is in some sort of parallel universe. Then these creatures chased >the plane up and down the runway as it tried to take off. Strange flick >but interesting. > >Super Dave oh wow, that sounds interesting! Actually it reminds me of a book called "One", but i can't remember who it's by...richard something i think. Anyway, i would love to hear the answer to this one too! ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Elizabeth Date: 20 Oct 1998 11:43:45 -0700 Elizabeth is already getting the oscar buzz in L.A.... it's sounds pretty good, and the trailer is gorgeous! > -----Original Message----- > From: ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM [SMTP:ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com] > Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 1998 3:10 AM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Cc: ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com > Subject: [MV] Elizabeth > > Has anyone any idea if this film is any good??????????????????? > Saw Something about Mary last night. Hillarious > > Thanks & Regards, > ************************************************************************** > **** > ************************************************************************** > **** > > Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com > Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. > > Unit 14 Phone:8031461 > Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 > > Cloghran email:abyrne > Dublin 17. > Ireland > ************************************************************************** > **** > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Danielle Conkle" <danyelli@hotmail.com> Subject: RE: [MV] "One" Date: 20 Oct 1998 11:55:56 PDT >"One" was by Richard Bach (Isn't that weird: Richard Bachman -- Richard >Bach?). My favorite from "Four Past Midnight" was "The Sun Dog" which was >a prelude to "Needful Things." > >JAMES K. RUDY Oh, cool, you read "One"? I always think that's weird when i find people who has read the same book as I. Someone just randomly told me about "One" so i read it...I thought the idea was interesting, but i didn't really like the writing style. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/20/98 Date: 20 Oct 1998 13:03:13 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - "Practical Magic," stirred the weekend box office cauldron, casting a $13.6 million spell according to Warner Bros. estimates. "Bride of Chucky" was thrilled to be the box office bridesmaid, with an $11.6 million gross. Disney's "Beloved," the weekend's other major entry, debuted in fifth with $8.5 million. "Practical Magic" was critically pilloried, but the film version of the Alice Hoffman novel - starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman - warded off commercial evil. To no one's surprise, exit polls revealed women accounted for 68% of its audience and 62% of the crowd was older than 25. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Arau has signed a deal to direct "To Catch a Falling Star," which is described as a heartwarming story that employs a magical realism similar to his "Like Water for Chocolate." The Universal project revolves around a mysterious man with an extraordinary gift, who travels to a small, desolate town and teaches the inhabitants about all aspects of love. The screenplay was written by Michael Cohn, from his pitch which Universal picked up last year for a mid-six figure option price. Cohn previously rewrote and directed "Snow White in the Black Forest," which starred Sigourney Weaver. -=> * <=- WASHINGTON (Variety) - The major studios have agreed for the first time to pay residuals to writers, actors and directors for films made prior to 1960. The Motion Picture Assn. of America is offering a residual package that covers 15,000 movies made prior to 1960. Under the MPAA's plan those actors, writers and directors would be eligible for residuals at today's rates. But the guilds are balking, saying that pre-1960 television shows should also be included. The guilds also object to the MPAA's proposal to limit the list of works included in the agreement to films released after the mid-1930s - the era when the guilds were founded. [<=- In the light universe, I have been darkness. Perhaps in the dark zone, I will be light -=>] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/20/98 Date: 20 Oct 1998 13:04:50 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - "Practical Magic," stirred the weekend box office cauldron, casting a $13.6 million spell according to Warner Bros. estimates. "Bride of Chucky" was thrilled to be the box office bridesmaid, with an $11.6 million gross. Disney's "Beloved," the weekend's other major entry, debuted in fifth with $8.5 million. "Practical Magic" was critically pilloried, but the film version of the Alice Hoffman novel - starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman - warded off commercial evil. To no one's surprise, exit polls revealed women accounted for 68% of its audience and 62% of the crowd was older than 25. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Arau has signed a deal to direct "To Catch a Falling Star," which is described as a heartwarming story that employs a magical realism similar to his "Like Water for Chocolate." The Universal project revolves around a mysterious man with an extraordinary gift, who travels to a small, desolate town and teaches the inhabitants about all aspects of love. The screenplay was written by Michael Cohn, from his pitch which Universal picked up last year for a mid-six figure option price. Cohn previously rewrote and directed "Snow White in the Black Forest," which starred Sigourney Weaver. -=> * <=- WASHINGTON (Variety) - The major studios have agreed for the first time to pay residuals to writers, actors and directors for films made prior to 1960. The Motion Picture Assn. of America is offering a residual package that covers 15,000 movies made prior to 1960. Under the MPAA's plan those actors, writers and directors would be eligible for residuals at today's rates. But the guilds are balking, saying that pre-1960 television shows should also be included. The guilds also object to the MPAA's proposal to limit the list of works included in the agreement to films released after the mid-1930s - the era when the guilds were founded. -=> * <=- Singer Gloria Estefan is finishing up a worldwide tour to promote her latest album, "Gloria." But that hasn't stopped the Latina diva from snagging her first dramatic feature film role -- opposite Meryl Streep, no less. Variety reports that Estefan will play Streep's friend and co-worker in director Wes Craven's "50 Violins." Based on a true story, the film focuses on Roberta Tzavaras (Streep), a single mother who moves to East Harlem to teach the violin to deprived kids. Despite numerous bureaucratic obstacles, her pupils end up playing concerts in Carnegie Hall. Shooting begins Oct. 26 in New York. -=> * <=- John Travolta received the annual Britannia Award from the British Academy of Film and Television at a ceremony last week in Los Angeles. The Hollywood Reporter says BAFTA LA honored Travolta for "his extraordinary contribution to the international entertainment industry." In turn, Travolta complimented British actors for their contributions to the film industry. "Like so many Americans, I was brought up on a diet of great British films. So, for me, British films always set the standard," said the star, who has himself served up a number of very special performances in such memorable films as "Saturday Night Fever," "Grease," "Urban Cowboy" and "Pulp Fiction." -=> * <=- Let this be a lesson to anyone who dares label Joan Fontaine a great actress. She's suing Rhino Home Video, claiming she has been hurt and humiliated due to her inclusion in the video "Great Actresses of the 20th Century." Never mind that she won an Academy Award for her role in Alfred Hitchcock's 1941 film "Suspicion." Fontaine claims Rhino invaded her privacy by showing movie clips of her without her permission, saying it has also caused her a "loss of reputation and her standing in the community." She is seeking more than $25,000 in damages in the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. -=> * <=- SIGNED: Director Oliver Stone, to take the helm of "Marching to Valhalla," a film about General George Armstrong Custer, who, at the age of 21, became the U.S. Army's youngest general, making his last stand 16 years later at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Filming begins next year. [<=- In the light universe, I have been darkness. Perhaps in the dark zone, I will be light -=>] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "GARY ZEIG <mlz@nauticom.net>" <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Avengers review Date: 20 Oct 1998 13:29:31 -0600 (MDT) >If you ever hear that a studio is not giving the press a preview screening >because they want the press to "discover the film with the rest of the >audience" then do NOT see that movie. It spells disaster - and disaster is >now spelled A-V-E-N-G-E-R-S. Not the absolute worst movie I've ever seen. >To say something good - the visuals were really interesting. That kept me >awake from scene to scene - wondering what new visual we would be treated >to - men dressed as teddy bears seated around a table, Big Ben blowing up, >mechanical bees attacking etc... The major problem was that it felt so >disjointed. Nothing fit together here - it was as if they took a lot of >cool ideas and threw them into a movie and then created a story around it. >But the story is minimal, transparent and weak. Ralph does a fine job but >the script is at fault for not letting his character develop at all. And I >don't want to even talk about Uma - whew - talk about being cast by the >look only. I have to fail this movie (although I was pleasantly amused by >seeing an M.C. Escher painting acted out!). >Jay the Movieman >movieman@netcom.ca > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] Hey guys and girls- It's been a long time since I've posted- I've had some family problems and computer problems the past 3 months. But I'm back, and hopefully for good. I have a couple points to make... 1. The Avengers- I wanted so badly for this to be a good movie. I thought if any tv show was worth making a movie out of, this was the one. I also think Uma is a perfect looking Mrs. Peel. But the movie had to be the worst movie I've seen the past year. What a waste of time and talent. I almost felt sorry for the people involved with this project. This movie even made Batman & Robin look good. 2. Was pleasantly surprised by Hard Rain. Heard nothing but bad reviews, but saw it recently on PPV, and enjoyed the novelty of it. Randy Quaid as always was a treat to watch. 3. Has anybody seen Siskel or Ebert's review of Bride of Chucky? IF so, please e-mail me. I'd like to read it. 4. WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH PRACTICAL MAGIC? Saw the preview in theatres, it looked excellent. People are going to see it, but the reviews are awful. What's wrong with this film? 5. I'm personally very sick of all these disco era movies. Please no more!!!! 6. I'm very anxious to see The Mighty. It sounds like it has a lot of promise. And it definitely has the cast of the year. Sharon Stone and Gillian Anderson. What more can we ask for? 7. One worth waiting for is Michelle Pfeiffer in A Midsummer NIght's Dream... Any word when it's in theatres? Gary [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: [MV] Enemy of the State Date: 20 Oct 1998 12:30:23 -0700 Saw a sneak preview of it last night (and got to meet Jerry Bruckhiemer) - he's short and not very personable (his attention was on some blonde), but the movie ROCKED!! If you saw "The Conversaton" with Gene Hackman, then his character in "Enemy" will seem familiar. Will Smith was very energitic in his role, just a pleasure to watch, but his character was just too spiffy to be believed. I'm sure Scott will have a better review of the flick when it opens, but I recommended to everyone! Leti Romero "The World Is Not Enough!" [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Avengers review Date: 20 Oct 1998 14:55:38 PDT >If you ever hear that a studio is not giving the press a preview screening >because they want the press to "discover the film with the rest of the >audience" then do NOT see that movie. It spells disaster - and disaster is >now spelled A-V-E-N-G-E-R-S. Not the absolute worst movie I've ever seen. >To say something good - the visuals were really interesting. That kept me >awake from scene to scene - wondering what new visual we would be treated >to - men dressed as teddy bears seated around a table, Big Ben blowing up, >mechanical bees attacking etc... The major problem was that it felt so >disjointed. Nothing fit together here - it was as if they took a lot of >cool ideas and threw them into a movie and then created a story around it. >But the story is minimal, transparent and weak. Ralph does a fine job but >the script is at fault for not letting his character develop at all. And I >don't want to even talk about Uma - whew - talk about being cast by the >look only. I have to fail this movie (although I was pleasantly amused by >seeing an M.C. Escher painting acted out!). >Jay the Movieman >movieman@netcom.ca Amen, brother! I hated this stinking rotten piece of garbage called The Avengers. Stupid plot, stupid dialogue, stupid characters, stupid sets, stupid movie. This movie was worse than Godzilla and Lost in Space.... BY FAR. It is so awful. This movie was apparently disected and reattached all askew by the writers of it and more than likely there were a few different ones at different times. What a crock of . I think someone should avenge all us sorry souls who paid to see that waste of time. Wade W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! ADVANCE - PLEASANTVILLE - All Swell that Ends Swell Date: 20 Oct 1998 18:19:37 -0400 (EDT) This week MovieJuice! received another two awards: The Editor's Choice award from Snap.com and a Best of the Net award from Techmall.com (which sounds like a very large place where the average person can spend only so much time). As for the hard lobbying for the "Paul Allen, won't you buy us?" awardàwell, that continues. For homework, kids, you have the following assignment (that is, besides the Fox News Channel's Entertainment show every day with Dana and Bill): ******************** PLEASANTVILLE - ALL SWELL THAT ENDS SWELL by Mark Ramsey http://www.moviejuice.com October 20, 1998 So movie critic Gene Siskel says Beloved author Toni Morrison had to see Oprah's movie three times to fully appreciate it, but Gene did it in two. Uh, excuse me? Three? Two? Personally, I believe a movie should be like sex: The first time you experience it it's so fucking awesome, you have to immediately move on to different movies, one after the other, again and again and again until you risk fucking blindness, so you go every day - sometimes all by yourself - but eventually the theater expects that you'll buy lots of expensive meals and commits you to only one screen at a time and you realize you've seen the opening reel over and over and once a month the movies get very hormonal and eventually you wait for video and your job is to program the VCR and soon commercials are an acceptable interruption because you've got your remote and a bag of chips and you look out your window waiting for the kids to visit and they never do and you wonder why you're writing like Bret Easton Ellis. What the Hell am I talking about? Stand up and cheer, dear: Pleasantville is the "feel keen" movie of the year! Gee whiz, this movie is swell! In fact, it's one of the very swellest of 1998! If you miss this flick, you go to your room without supper, mister! Gosh, while the folks in the Beloved theater are crawling slowly into Act III, you'll be heading home with an ear-to-ear smile and a song in your heart - even if it is Fiona Apple's characteristically morose and funereal Beatles cover. Yes, Fiona, life sucks for young, rich, good-lookin', video-naked chicks like you. Check out Fiona's new double-disc Motown tribute: "My Shrink Heard it on the Grapevine." Gee, it's Apple Dumpling time on the Silver Screen! Watch for the over-the-top but long overdue cameo from TV Land fave and Mayberry shaky gun icon Don Knotts, whose strangely ill-fitting teeth earned a higher salary than the rest of Don and their own trailer too! All no doubt thanks to dental fixtures superagent O. R. Thadontia over at ICM. O. R., who kept Barbara Stanwyck's choppers in the pink for years, negotiated copious amounts of bottled water and Polident, a trainer, retainer, and dental masseuse, floss flown in daily from France, and - most importantly - a No Oregano clause. Welcome to Pleasantville, where it's always 1958, life is black and white, and all Hispanics are still living somewhere in the far off land of Hispania. Our millennial modern times, you see, are going to Hell in a linoleum-covered handbasket. So when geeky Tobey Maguire and super-hottie Reese Witherspoon (who's very "spoonable," if you know what I'm saying, in a statutory kind of way) zap into their TV set a la Poltergeist, the "Honey, I'm home" Pleasantvillians are in for world-rocking that makes the Fonz seem like the Beav. Tobey and Reese's Ozzie and Harriet parents are George and Betty. I swear to you, George is my dad - even down to the name. George wanders into the house utterly discombobulated because the workday's done, Betty's away self-actualizing and/or getting laid, it's 6pm, and dinner's nowhere in sight. He looks as though he might literally starve to death in this strange foreign land of mystery gadgets and secret, hidden places called a "kitchen." Boy oh boy I've seen that scene in real life! So Reese and Tobey pollute the town, corrupting the safe, predictable, deadly sameness with passion, heart, spontaneity, risk, courage, a bold dash of color, and an unforgettable torpedo bra. Suddenly, nobody knows what's going to happen next. Although everyone wishes it would happen with an R rating, for gosh sakes! Here we have a movie that will do for reading and library-going what Winona Ryder did for smoking and what New Line's own Mike DeLuca did for exhibitionistic fellationics. Books, you see, are blank in Pleasantville. At least until Tobey and Reese describe the story and the pages magically materialize. Before you can say Gee Willikers, all the kids are doing it - and they're all reading too! Hey girls, if watching Titanic made you want to run out and fall in love only to watch your loved one drown, Pleasantville says why not read about stuff instead? The death toll is so much lighter! In a town where all the bowlers are named Jack, Jay, John, Jim, and Jeff, the pleasant, unchanging monochrome vibe is turning Technicolor, one person at a time. Heck No! Far worse than a Red Scare, these "coloreds" are threatening a way of life. In a town meeting to protect the status quo, arch-conservative B&W town fathers and mothers are eerily reminiscent of the Republican Congress. Is it just my TV or is morality czar William Bennett actually Black and White in real life? Jeepers! Pleasantville is the most subversive and viral popular masterpiece of the year. It's a sly flick packed with humanity on a canvas overflowing with Technicolor awakenings. Never heavy-handed, it's about the blissful joy and the terrifying fear of being who you are - of reaching deep down to find the truth inside and letting it blossom in a colorful canopy of rainbow hues. It's what makes us different that makes us human. As mom Betty learns, you can cover up what you are, but you can never hide it. Everything is in you if you have the guts to look for it, and the way to be anything you want is to be everything you are. If this sounds like Chicken Soup for the Soul, it is. And it sure tastes warm going down. Finally, a movie where the special effects actually serve the story! Kudos to the great cast, the gang at New Line, and Director/Writer/Producer Gary Ross (who's a triple-threat and a half). This is the best flick since Saving Private Ryan. Whatever you do, don't miss Pleasantville. Forward march, mister! Golly, color has never looked so good! Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved. NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR. If you fucking rip me off, I WILL come after you. ******************** Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.moviejuice.com. The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the laughs)! ******************** TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST: DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL! Just go to http://www.moviejuice.com and follow the directions at the top of the left frame. It's very easy. NOTE: YOUR NAME CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST UNLESS YOU UNSUBSCRIBE USING THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOU REGISTERED WITH). And don't write me lots of mean-spirited crap. I won't read it. ******************** IF YOUR LINES AREN'T WRAPPING If the lines extend way off into the right horizon, then look to your browser or email software for a setting called "Wrap Long Lines." Now, if your lines aren't RAPPING, then you should consider that normal. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Lillian <lepinatl@topaz.cqu.edu.au> Subject: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 08:23:24 +1000 Does anyone remember a King flick called Sleepwalkers? The movie about a 'long-lived' mother and son team (sort of vampiric) who cannot stand cats - mortally afraid of them you could say. I haven't seen it for awhile, so I can't tell you any actors (or character's names for that matter), but keep an eye out for it. I have been disappointed by many King flicks, one especially was The Tommyknockers - it did not live up to my expectations at all - but that's the problem when you get carried away by the book. BTW the next time you're watching one of the bad King movies, keep an eye out for the Master himself. Stephen has made cameos in Sleepwalkers, The Stand (tv mini-series) to name two.... sorry can't think of any more at the moment. Just thought I'd pass on that little piece of useless information. Peace - Teck. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: PLEASANTVILLE Date: 20 Oct 1998 17:27:57 -0600 (MDT) PLEASANTVILLE (New Line) Starring: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, Jeff Daniels, J. T. Walsh, Don Knotts. Screenplay: Gary Ross. Producers: Gary Ross, Jon Kilik, Robert J. Degus and Steven Soderbergh. Director: Gary Ross. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (sexual situations, adult themes, profanity) Running Time: 122 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. In PLEASANTVILLE U.S.A., it's always 72 degrees and sunny. Every house has a white picket fence, and a mom at home who has dinner on the table at 6:00 sharp. The hometown high school basketball team has never lost a game -- in fact, it has never missed a basket. Teenage lovebirds never go any farther than holding hands, and only then after they've been "pinned." The world and its values are completely black-and-white -- particularly white in the case of the population demographics. In PLEASANTVILLE everything is always perfect, it's always 1958, and nothing ever changes. The one minor problem with Pleasantville is that it doesn't exist, nor has it ever existed. It's the world of an innocuous 1950s family sit-com, played in perpetual reruns on a cable nostalgia network. That doesn't prevent it from being extremely attractive to David (Tobey Maguire), a high school senior living in a single-parent home and a 1990s world of AIDS, economic uncertainty and warnings of impending environmental collapse. For David, Pleasantville is an escape, but he never expects to be physically transported, along with his wild-child twin sister Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon), into the world of the sit-com itself. There they take on the roles of Bud and Mary Sue, the wholesome offspring of wholesome parents George (William H. Macy) and Betty (Joan Allen) in a wholesome town where the road comes right back to where you started. It's a great high-concept premise which could have worked strictly as a fish-out-of-water comedy. Jennifer is overwhelmed by the massive breakfast prepared by Betty, complete with ham steak and drenched in syrup; the basketball team captain responds with blank stares to Jennifer's sexual advances; the local fire department exists solely to rescue cats from trees. While Jennifer does her best to turn Pleasantville upside-down with her contemporary ways, David does his best to minimize the damage and preserve the simple world he has come to love. Screenwriter Gary Ross (BIG, DAVE) continues to show a flair for high concepts with a human touch in his directorial debut, generating laughs from the clash of Eisenhower-era and Clinton-era mores, as well as from characters awakening to the fact that seeking fulfillment may mean an end to their static bliss. But PLEASANTVILLE isn't merely a whimsical lark. As he exposes his characters to experiences they'd never even considered, Ross turns the film into a pointed examination of what we really mean when we talk about "traditional family values." The sudden emergence of teenage rebellion and nascent feminism send townspeople into a panicked search for any way to ensure stability, driven by Pleasantville mayor Big Bob (the late J. T. Walsh, playing a marvelous amalgam of conservative platitude-spitters). PLEASANTVILLE digs into the barely-concealed anxiety and xenophobia at the heart of so much political retro-think, yet that's not even the film's most daring idea. Ross has the guts to take on the notion of original sin itself, suggesting that the very passion and curiosity which lead to upheaval in paradise are also what make us most alive and most human, giving color to an otherwise monochromatic existence. It's unfortunate that Ross gets a bit too self-congratulatory about his social satire, particularly in the final half-hour. As tensions build in Pleasantville, the battle becomes a clash between those characters still in black-and-white and those whose new, life-changing experiences have left them "colored" -- and that may be the _least_ consistently underlined point. Ross starts repeating himself, weighing down the previously light tone and drifting away from solid dramatic anchors like Joan Allen's housewife on a journey of self-discovery. PLEASANTVILLE is a funny and thoughtful film, the kind that works best before it starts tattooing The Moral of the Story across your backbrain. It's plenty entertaining just watching the mythology of the "good old days" laid bare, exposed as a comforting fiction far removed from a world where coping with change is more productive than demonizing it. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 shades of grey: 7. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Tonya =)" <scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net> Subject: Re: [MV] What Dreams May Come Date: 21 Oct 1998 01:16:28 -0500 Thank you Diane for your comments first of all. I went to see it and I agree with you on some things. This was definitely a movie you don't want to see if you don't want to think. I found it to be rather confusing. I kept having to ask the person that went with me what was going on. I thought the actors did a wonderful job. The roles were so hard. Annabella Sciorra was the best, she always steals the scene when she's in it. Even though I thought this movie was very confusing, I still liked it. It made you wonder about a lot of things. It was also sad, I cried at the end, because it was a happy ending (not trying to give anything away). You are right though, that the events portrayed do not go accordingly to certain religious beliefs and biblical facts. I would rate it 7 out of 10. The fact that it confused me made it lose the rating points. -Tonya- scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net _______________________________ If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you!" [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Tonya =)" <scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 01:24:59 -0500 << Does anyone remember a King flick called Sleepwalkers? The movie about a 'long-lived' mother and son team (sort of vampiric) who cannot stand cats ->> I remember this movie. I thought it was sort of a dunb story line, this is the kind of story that would only be good as a book. I didn't hate it though, it kept me interested through most of it. The son was played by Brian Krause (he starred in Return to the Blue Lagoon with Milla Jovanich) What about that one movie where this man came to town to open a store that had everything anyone wanted. I think it is called Be Careful What You WIsh For. That doesn't sound right though, so I could be wrong. I liked this movie. It was twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. I always liked Sometimes They Come Back...it wasn't that deep of a movie, and it would probably go under that category as a 'meant-for-a-book-not-a-movie-type-story'. Even though, I liked it. I did like Carrie too, however, not the part where they kill the pigs for their blood. I can't believe that John Travolta would play such a role anyways. I look down on him for portraying that. Thinner was just stupid. I rented it thinking it was going to be some really awesome scary movie. When all it was, was a big joke. There were so many things that could've been better with that movie! -Tonya- scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net _______________________________ "A conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good!" [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Blacknight <rvchua@ntep.nec.co.jp> Subject: Re: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 19:03:08 +0800 <HTML> Tonya =) wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE><< Does anyone remember a King flick called Sleepwalkers? The movie about a 'long-lived' mother and son team (sort of vampiric) who cannot stand cats ->> </BLOCKQUOTE> I saw this movie several times, it showed promise in the beginning but rather just lost it as the minutes creeped on. <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE> The son was played by Brian Krause (he starred in Return to the Blue Lagoon with Milla Jovanich) </BLOCKQUOTE> I think it is Milla Jovovich who is now married or engaged to Luc Besson (The Fifth Element). <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>What about that one movie where this man came to town to open a store that had everything anyone wanted. I think it is called Be Careful What You WIsh For. That doesn't sound right though, so I could be wrong. I liked this movie. It was twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. </BLOCKQUOTE> I think the title of this movie is Needful Things, it was a typical Stephen King plot. Not really that great as Carrie and Misery though but still a whole lot better than Sleepwalkers. After seeing a couple of lousy King movies, I have stayed away from them. Since I am not a fan of horror novels, I only have read one King book, Firestarter. I intentionally read this since I watched that movie I could never forget certain scenes of that movie eventhough I was the same age as the Drew Barrymore's character. Blacknight </HTML> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich <gene@ehrich.com> Subject: Re: [MV] What Dreams May Come Date: 21 Oct 1998 10:12:11 -0400 At 11:28 PM 10/18/98 -0500, you wrote: >I was wondering if anyone had some comments on this film? We went to see it expecting a light comedy the day before very major surgery. We made a poor choice. Not at all light BUT Very inventive film about death and the sort of hereafter > >-Tonya- >scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net >_______________________________ >"Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life" > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > gene@ehrich http://www.voicenet.com/~generic Computer & Video Game Garage Sale [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 08:17:38 -0600 The movie you are referring to is Needful Things. If you ever want to read just one Stephen King book, don't read this one. I was very disappointed in the book and movie. The only thing really wrong with the book is it took about 300 pages or so until something happens, everything up till then is just build up and that makes it a little tiresome. After the action begins, it's great though. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 12:25 AM << Does anyone remember a King flick called Sleepwalkers? The movie about a 'long-lived' mother and son team (sort of vampiric) who cannot stand cats ->> I remember this movie. I thought it was sort of a dunb story line, this is the kind of story that would only be good as a book. I didn't hate it though, it kept me interested through most of it. The son was played by Brian Krause (he starred in Return to the Blue Lagoon with Milla Jovanich) What about that one movie where this man came to town to open a store that had everything anyone wanted. I think it is called Be Careful What You WIsh For. That doesn't sound right though, so I could be wrong. I liked this movie. It was twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. I always liked Sometimes They Come Back...it wasn't that deep of a movie, and it would probably go under that category as a 'meant-for-a-book-not-a-movie-type-story'. Even though, I liked it. I did like Carrie too, however, not the part where they kill the pigs for their blood. I can't believe that John Travolta would play such a role anyways. I look down on him for portraying that. Thinner was just stupid. I rented it thinking it was going to be some really awesome scary movie. When all it was, was a big joke. There were so many things that could've been better with that movie! -Tonya- scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net _______________________________ "A conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good!" [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich <gene@ehrich.com> Subject: [MV] Re-animator Date: 21 Oct 1998 10:21:43 -0400 At 07:32 PM 10/19/98 -0400, you wrote: >I look for anything with staring Christopher Walken to be pretty darn good and >"The Dead Zone" was no exception. > >Another good horror movie (although not a Steven King, but rather, King's >fore-bearer, HP Lovecraft) was "Re-animator". I don't know if this is still Re-Animator is one of my all time favorite horror/comedy films. Picture the scene of the monster who has had his head cut off carrying it under his arm to the re-animator to have it re-attached. Great movie combination of gory and laughs. Don't think the laughs were intentional which makes them more the fun. gene@ehrich http://www.voicenet.com/~generic Computer & Video Game Garage Sale [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich <gene@ehrich.com> Subject: Re: [MV] What Dreams May Come Date: 21 Oct 1998 10:28:31 -0400 >You are right though, that the events portrayed do not go accordingly to >certain religious beliefs and biblical facts. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ oxymoron >I would rate it 7 out of 10. The fact that it confused me made it lose the I would give it a 9 for inventiveness and execution but only about a five for enjoyment. gene@ehrich http://www.voicenet.com/~generic Computer & Video Game Garage Sale [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca (Kevin Marshall) Subject: Re: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 11:48:27 -0400 >BTW the next time you're watching one of the bad King movies, keep an >eye >out for the Master himself. Stephen has made cameos in Sleepwalkers, >The >Stand (tv mini-series) to name two.... sorry can't think of any more at >the >moment. >Just thought I'd pass on that little piece of useless information. >Peace - Teck. King also made a cameo in the TV version of "The Shining". I believe (IIRC) he was one of the band players. Kevin Marshall "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." - Casino [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 10:22:07 -0600 He was the Conductor of the band. There was a scene they cut where they all melted in some grotesque (apparently too gross for ABC) way or decomposed or something. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 9:48 AM >BTW the next time you're watching one of the bad King movies, keep an >eye >out for the Master himself. Stephen has made cameos in Sleepwalkers, >The >Stand (tv mini-series) to name two.... sorry can't think of any more at >the >moment. >Just thought I'd pass on that little piece of useless information. >Peace - Teck. King also made a cameo in the TV version of "The Shining". I believe (IIRC) he was one of the band players. Kevin Marshall "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." - Casino [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Garrett Winters <gargoyle@iol.ie> Subject: Re: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 18:05:42 +0100 Tonya writes >What about that one movie where this man came to town to open a store that >had everything anyone wanted. I think it is called Be Careful What You >WIsh For. That doesn't sound right though, so I could be wrong. I liked >this movie. It was twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. That would be "Needful Things" with Leland Gaunt as the proprietor. that did turn out to be better than average King fare. another flick where he puts in a cameo was "Maximum Overdrive" where the trucks go crazy. I seem to remember him in another flick, where he is driving a truck and stops on a road after an accident had occurred, was it the one where the woman driving her car kills a hitchhiker and then he comes back? Garrett [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 10:01:33 -0700 Needful Things is a great book if you're a true King fan and are familiar with ALL of his past characters... He wrote this story because he wanted to try and put an end to all the "Castle Rock" stories he had written and interweaved with every other story. Not a great movie! The book WAS a little long, but the ending was worth it! > -----Original Message----- > From: jkrudy [SMTP:jkrudy@micron.com] > Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 7:18 AM > To: 'movies@lists.xmission.com' > Subject: RE: [MV] Stephen King continued... > > The movie you are referring to is Needful Things. If you ever want to > read > just one Stephen King book, don't read this one. I was very disappointed > in > the book and movie. The only thing really wrong with the book is it took > about 300 pages or so until something happens, everything up till then is > just build up and that makes it a little tiresome. After the action > begins, > it's great though. > > JAMES K. RUDY > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Tonya =) [SMTP:scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net] > Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 12:25 AM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] Stephen King continued... > > > > << Does anyone remember a King flick called Sleepwalkers? The movie about > a 'long-lived' mother and son team (sort of vampiric) who cannot stand > cats > ->> > > I remember this movie. I thought it was sort of a dunb story line, this > is > the kind of story that would only be good as a book. I didn't hate it > though, it kept me interested through most of it. > > The son was played by Brian Krause (he starred in Return to the Blue > Lagoon > with Milla Jovanich) > > What about that one movie where this man came to town to open a store that > had everything anyone wanted. I think it is called Be Careful What You > WIsh For. That doesn't sound right though, so I could be wrong. I liked > this movie. It was twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. > > I always liked Sometimes They Come Back...it wasn't that deep of a movie, > and it would probably go under that category as a > 'meant-for-a-book-not-a-movie-type-story'. Even though, I liked it. > > I did like Carrie too, however, not the part where they kill the pigs for > their blood. I can't believe that John Travolta would play such a role > anyways. I look down on him for portraying that. > > Thinner was just stupid. I rented it thinking it was going to be some > really awesome scary movie. When all it was, was a big joke. There were > so many things that could've been better with that movie! > > -Tonya- > scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net > _______________________________ > "A conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good!" > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] Stephen King continued... Date: 21 Oct 1998 11:25:15 -0600 That's the one, but I don't remember the name. It was a series of shorts, wasn't it? I find it kind of funny that the movies he's in, his character is either kind of "slow" (like in The Stand and the truck driver we're talking about here)or else something symbolic like the conductor in "The Shining" miniseries JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 11:06 AM Tonya writes >What about that one movie where this man came to town to open a store that >had everything anyone wanted. I think it is called Be Careful What You >WIsh For. That doesn't sound right though, so I could be wrong. I liked >this movie. It was twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. That would be "Needful Things" with Leland Gaunt as the proprietor. that did turn out to be better than average King fare. another flick where he puts in a cameo was "Maximum Overdrive" where the trucks go crazy. I seem to remember him in another flick, where he is driving a truck and stops on a road after an accident had occurred, was it the one where the woman driving her car kills a hitchhiker and then he comes back? Garrett [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: kaye bishop <pecanlady@netscape.net> Subject: Re: [RE: [MV] Stephen King continued...] Date: 21 Oct 1998 10:32:48 PDT owner-movies@lists.xmission.com wrote: He was the Conductor of the band. There was a scene they cut where they = all melted in some grotesque (apparently too gross for ABC) way or decomposed= or something. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 9:48 AM Well I'm really going to cahnge the subject. Has anyone seen the movie Ur= ban ledgen? Or Bride of Chucky? >BTW the next time you're watching one of the bad King movies, keep an = >eye = >out for the Master himself. Stephen has made cameos in Sleepwalkers, = >The = >Stand (tv mini-series) to name two.... sorry can't think of any more at >the = >moment. >Just thought I'd pass on that little piece of useless information. >Peace - Teck. King also made a cameo in the TV version of "The Shining". I believe = (IIRC) he was one of the band players. = Kevin Marshall "It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable." - Casino [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ____________________________________________________________________ More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at htt= p://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: kaye bishop <pecanlady@netscape.net> Subject: Re: [RE: [MV] Stephen King continued...] Date: 21 Oct 1998 10:38:19 PDT owner-movies@lists.xmission.com wrote: Needful Things is a great book if you're a true King fan and are familiar= with ALL of his past characters... He wrote this story because he wanted = to try and put an end to all the "Castle Rock" stories he had written and interweaved with every other story. Not a great movie! The book WAS a little long, but the ending was worth it! > -----Original Message----- > From: jkrudy [SMTP:jkrudy@micron.com] > Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 7:18 AM > To: 'movies@lists.xmission.com' > Subject: RE: [MV] Stephen King continued... > = > The movie you are referring to is Needful Things. If you ever want to > read I kind of liked Sleepwalkers. It was a bit stupid, but I guess i had noth= ing better to rent that day. I thought thinner was a big stretch. > just one Stephen King book, don't read this one. I was very disappoint= ed > in > the book and movie. The only thing really wrong with the book is it to= ok > about 300 pages or so until something happens, everything up till then = is > just build up and that makes it a little tiresome. After the action > begins, > it's great though. > = > JAMES K. RUDY > = > = > -----Original Message----- > From: Tonya =3D) [SMTP:scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net] > Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 12:25 AM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] Stephen King continued... > = > = > = > << Does anyone remember a King flick called Sleepwalkers? The movie ab= out > a 'long-lived' mother and son team (sort of vampiric) who cannot stand > cats > ->> > = > I remember this movie. I thought it was sort of a dunb story line, thi= s > is > the kind of story that would only be good as a book. I didn't hate it > though, it kept me interested through most of it. > = > The son was played by Brian Krause (he starred in Return to the Blue > Lagoon > with Milla Jovanich) > = > What about that one movie where this man came to town to open a store t= hat > had everything anyone wanted. I think it is called Be Careful What You= > WIsh For. That doesn't sound right though, so I could be wrong. I lik= ed > this movie. It was twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.= > = > I always liked Sometimes They Come Back...it wasn't that deep of a movi= e, > and it would probably go under that category as a > 'meant-for-a-book-not-a-movie-type-story'. Even though, I liked it. > = > I did like Carrie too, however, not the part where they kill the pigs f= or > their blood. I can't believe that John Travolta would play such a role > anyways. I look down on him for portraying that. = > = > Thinner was just stupid. I rented it thinking it was going to be some > really awesome scary movie. When all it was, was a big joke. There we= re > so many things that could've been better with that movie! > = > -Tonya- > scoobygirl@bedford.heartland.net > _______________________________ > "A conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good!" = > = > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > = > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ____________________________________________________________________ More than just email--Get your FREE Netscape WebMail account today at htt= p://home.netscape.com/netcenter/mail [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: GARY ZEIG <mlz@nauticom.net> Subject: RE: [MV] Knock off Date: 21 Oct 1998 12:46:14 -0400 >I will agree that Knock Off was dumb but fun, No way. I did get a >few chuckles out of it and if you were in the theatre with me you >would have heard me almost guffaw a couple of times. My laughter >wasn't the happy kind that we all love and enjoy but was instead my >desperate way of trying to find something to keep me occupied (find >the next idiotic sequence!) while I endured the flick. The action >scenes weren't even enjoyable as you would expect but rather were so >disjointed and filled with groovy camera angles/moves that they made >no sense. > >Of course that's just my opinion. > >bb > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] Hey Bruce- Have you seen the movie Nightwatch yet? It's out on rentals. If so, I wanted to get your opinion on it. It stars Ewan McGregor, Patricia Arquette, Nick Nolte and Alix Koromzay. Post and let me know... Gary [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: GARY ZEIG <mlz@nauticom.net> Subject: RE: [MV] Knock off Date: 21 Oct 1998 12:45:11 -0400 >I will agree that Knock Off was dumb but fun, No way. I did get a >few chuckles out of it and if you were in the theatre with me you >would have heard me almost guffaw a couple of times. My laughter >wasn't the happy kind that we all love and enjoy but was instead my >desperate way of trying to find something to keep me occupied (find >the next idiotic sequence!) while I endured the flick. The action >scenes weren't even enjoyable as you would expect but rather were so >disjointed and filled with groovy camera angles/moves that they made >no sense. > >Of course that's just my opinion. > >bb > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] Hey Bruce- Have you seen the movie Nightwatch yet? It's out on rentals. If so, I wanted to get your opinion on it. It stars Ewan McGregor, Patricia Arquette, Nick Nolte and Alix Koromzay. Post and let me know... Gary [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Knock off Date: 21 Oct 1998 10:52:32 -0700 I thought it was hilarious! It had the feel (and editting) of a real Hong Kong movie. You're right about the action scenes -- it's as if the filmmaker didn't want you to notice how strung out VanDamme was... Have you ever seen a Jet Li movie? His action scenes are pretty exagerated, but at least you get to SEE him do his stuff! > -----Original Message----- > From: GARY ZEIG [SMTP:mlz@nauticom.net] > Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 9:45 AM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: RE: [MV] Knock off > > >I will agree that Knock Off was dumb but fun, No way. I did get a > >few chuckles out of it and if you were in the theatre with me you > >would have heard me almost guffaw a couple of times. My laughter > >wasn't the happy kind that we all love and enjoy but was instead my > >desperate way of trying to find something to keep me occupied (find > >the next idiotic sequence!) while I endured the flick. The action > >scenes weren't even enjoyable as you would expect but rather were so > >disjointed and filled with groovy camera angles/moves that they made > >no sense. > > > >Of course that's just my opinion. > > > >bb > > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > Hey Bruce- > > Have you seen the movie Nightwatch yet? It's out on rentals. > If so, I wanted to get your opinion on it. > It stars Ewan McGregor, Patricia Arquette, Nick Nolte and Alix Koromzay. > Post and let me know... > > Gary > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: APT PUPIL Date: 21 Oct 1998 12:07:40 -0600 (MDT) APT PUPIL (Tri-Star/Phoenix) Starring: Ian McKellen, Brad Renfro, Bruce Davison, Elias Koteas, David Schwimmer. Screenplay: Brandon Boyce, based on the novella by Stephen King. Producers: Jane Hamsher, Don Murphy and Bryan Singer. Director: Bryan Singer. MPAA Rating: R (profanity, violence, adult themes) Running Time: 110 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. APT PUPIL'S Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro) is practically the poster child for an upstanding American teenager circa 1984. He's a straight-A student on track to graduate from high school at sixteen; he's a star baseball pitcher; his parents (Bruce Davison and Ann Dowd) are successful, involved and, astonishingly, still happily married. It is this same Todd Bowden who discovers that a man in his Northern California town named Arthur Denker (Ian McKellen) is actually fugitive Nazi war criminal Kurt Dussander. It is this same Todd Bowden who blackmails Denker, threatening to expose him unless he describes war-time attrocities to Todd in unrelenting detail. It is this same Todd Bowden who becomes obsessed with the horrifying images of concentration camps, and who turns to strange acts of cruelty. Creepy, disquieting stuff, to be sure, but there's one crucial puzzle piece missing from director Bryan Singer's (THE USUAL SUSPECTS) adaptation of the Stephen King novella: why? Why does Todd become so improbably fascinated with the horrors of genocide and the wielding of absolute power over the life of another? Why do Denker's tales turn him alternately into a nightmare-plagued wreck and a glassy-eyed borderline psycho? There's certainly a story to be told by making the teen demon of APT PUPIL a golden boy rather than a troubled misfit -- perhaps to suggest the capacity for evil within us all, perhaps as a commentary on how we make the forbidden fascinating by hiding it from the eyes of children. What's missing is a motivation for this particular boy, something that makes him more than a symbolic representation of good youth gone awry. That absence of motivation becomes even more glaring in the film's second half, when the power dynamic between the two characters shifts back in Denker's favor. His life of quiet isolation shattered by re-living his past, Denker begins to show that the rush he got from manipulating lives was merely in hibernation. McKellen's sharp performance shows Denker's icy confidence growing by the scene, until it's clear that the hunted has become the hunter once more. At that same time, Todd is trying to recover from letting his grades slide through his frequent visits with Denker, seemingly returning to "normal" until Denker forces him into an acknowledgement of how far he's truly willing to go. It's easy to understand Denker's character and follow his twists, turns and changes. By contrast, Todd's dark side seems to emerge strictly for bad seed shock value. Even the gaps in Todd's characterization become less important as Singer's taut direction takes over in the climactic thirty minutes. As circumstances threaten to expose the actions of both Todd and Denker, the simmering tension begins building at an impressive clip. APT PUPIL is a rare example of a thriller that gets better as it approaches its conclusion, rather than collapsing in a muddle of rushed plot points and pat resolutions. It's hard not to imagine how effective a film it might have been if Todd Bowden made more sense as a character. The token glimpses of his friendships, romantic life and hobbies are maddening in their mundanity. Something significant happens in the space between Todd spotting Denker on a bus and their initial contact, something reduced in the film to a "One Month Later" title card. That missing something is what makes APT PUPIL merely morbidly intriguing, rather than truly disturbing. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 diluted pupils: 6. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Christina Stanley <cristina@blarg.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Enemy of the State Date: 21 Oct 1998 11:25:26 -0700 (PDT) On Tue, 20 Oct 1998, Romero, Leticia wrote: > Saw a sneak preview of it last night (and got to meet Jerry Bruckhiemer) - > he's short and not very personable (his attention was on some blonde), but Not surprised one bit ... Jerry Bruckheimer and his ilk (the late Don Simpson, Jon Peters and Peter Guber) are typical high-profile scumbag producers. They have a shiny lacquer coating, and are hollow inside .. as evidenced by their huge movies with lots of exploding things in them. And don't anyone flame me about movies with exploding things in them. I like movies like that, I just don't like the guys who waltz in and take credit for them, when all they did was make phone calls and throw clout around. christina ______________________________________________________________ cristina@blarg.net The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can fake that, you've got it made. Groucho Marx [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Enemy of the State Date: 21 Oct 1998 11:28:36 -0700 > And > don't anyone flame me about movies with exploding things in them. I like > movies like that, I just don't like the guys who waltz in and take credit > for them, when all they did was make phone calls and throw clout around. [Romero, Leticia] here here!!! [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: [MV] The Siege Date: 21 Oct 1998 13:01:46 -0600 Is this movie based on the book Under Siege (I forget who wrote it, but he writes Tom Clancy type novels). It's about terrorist in Washington D. C. and the whole city being put under marshal law. If anybody knows, I'd sure like to know. The book, by the way, was awesome. JAMES K. RUDY [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/21/98 Date: 21 Oct 1998 13:45:58 -0600 (MDT) NEW YORK (Variety) - The controversial suburban tale "Happiness," featuring such nasties as murder, rape and pedophilia, topped the exclusives roster of limited release films in New York and Los Angeles at the weekend. The sophomore effort of "Welcome to the Dollhouse" director Todd Solondz, "Happiness" delivered $125,311 to five neighborhoods on both coasts. Falling to second place on the list was "The Impostors." Stanley Tucci's comedy about two unemployed actors who become stowaways sailed away with $54,230 from seven ports in New York and Los Angeles. Following its expansion to Los Angeles, "The Celebration" became the third most popular limited-release film. Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg's story of a patriarch's birthday party feasted on $36,782 at three tables in Gotham and L.A. -=> * <=- Fox 2000 is looking at Brad Pitt or Matt Damon to play Mickey Mantle in its biopic of the Yankee great, Variety reports. Producers say they envision a "Raging Bull"-type story treatment. Meanwhile, another Yankee biopic, of standout pitcher Orlando ("El Duque") Hernandez, is close to a deal with an as-yet-unnamed studio. Sources are eyeing Cuba Gooding Jr. to play Hernandez, who defected from Cuba (the country). [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 10/21/98 Date: 21 Oct 1998 14:16:32 -0600 (MDT) Ed Neumeier, who adapted Robert Heinlein's classic SF novel Starship Troopers for the big screen, will next turn his hand to Roger Zelazny's fantasy novel Nine Princes in Amber, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Producer Mark Canton and Batman Forever writer Akiva Goldsman are teaming with Neumeier to turn Nine Princes into a feature film. The story centers around a man who awakens one day with amnesia, only to learn that he is the prince of a powerful realm that exists on a greater plane than our own. He finds he must fight his way through political intrigues that would put the Greek gods to shame even as he struggles to regain his memory. -=> * <=- Famed director Roger Corman plans to shoot a film adaptation of the Isaac Asimov story "Nightfall" at a new 2,000-acre studio in Hyderabad, India. Corman chose Hyderabad over Hollywood because of its low production costs, and he also plans to use native actors in many of the supporting roles, according to Variety. Nightfall is scheduled to start shooting in January 1999, with Corman directing from a script written by Michael B. Druxman. The film will likely be released in late 1999 or 2000. "Nightfall" tells the story of a planet that is almost perpetually bathed in light from six nearby suns, experiencing absolute darkness only once every 2,000 years. It has been called "the single most popular SF story every published." -=> * <=- Simon West, who made his debut behind the camera with Con Air, is planning a remake of the 1971 SF environmental disaster flick Silent Running. Variety reported that West pitched the idea to Kevin Misher, an executive vice president with Universal, and the two decided the movie tackled issues and themes that were more relevant today than they were nearly three decades ago. Silent Running starred Bruce Dern as a spaceship pilot charged with overseeing the last samples of Earth's forests. When the order comes down to destroy the ship, Dern instead devises a plan to save the trees, although it ultimately costs him his own life. The updated Silent Running will be written by Rudy Gaines and John Rice, though no actors are currently attached to the project. -=> * <=- The Montecito Picture Co., which is owned by filmmakers Ivan Reitman and Tom Pollock, has picked up Don Jakoby's SF thriller script Evolution, according to Variety. Jakoby, who co-wrote the upcoming flick Vampires with John Carpenter, has reportedly found a new twist to the popular asteroid-strikes-Earth story that has been making the rounds in Hollywood. In Evolution, an asteroid does indeed hit our planet, but this time it leaves behind what appears to be an alien ecosystem. Reitman is purportedly planning to take a humorous approach to the film, as he did with 1984's Ghostbusters. -=> * <=- There's Something About Mary star Ben Stiller is the latest big name to join the ensemble cast of Universal Pictures' offbeat superhero flick Mystery Men. Variety reports that Stiller has agreed to play the part of mystery man Mr. Furious, a hero fueled by anger at having been neglected by his parents. Interestingly, Stiller had at one time considered directing Mystery Men, a role that eventually went to Kinka Usher. As Mr. Furious, he will star alongside super pals Blue Raja and the Shoveler as they battle their nemesis Cassanova Frankenstein, who will be played by Shine headliner Geoffrey Rush. Mystery Men is based on the Dark Horse comic book created by Bob Burden. Its all-star cast includes Hank Azaria, Paul Reubens, Claire Forlani, Janeane Garofalo and Lena Olin. -=> * <=- Six actors have joined the cast of New Line's upcoming supernatural thriller Lost Souls, according to Variety. John Hurt, Philip Baker Hall, Elias Koteas, Leslie Stefanson, John Diehl and W. Earl Brown have agreed to appear in the flick, with Hurt and Hall portraying priests. The film stars Winona Ryder as a young women who learns of a conspiracy to bring the devil to Earth in human form. Ben Chaplin will star opposite Ryder as a New York crime journalist who finds himself the focus of the evil goings-on. Janusz Kaminiski, a cinematographer whose credits include Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan, will direct. -=> * <=- The Metaverse Web site reports that Sean Connery and Tom Hanks are teaming up for a $160 million film adaptation of Robert Heinlein's classic SF novel Stranger in a Strange Land. -=> * <=- Oscar-nominated actor Greg Kinnear has joined the cast of Universal's offbeat superhero movie Mystery Men. Kinnear will play Captain Amazing, the only member in a group of self-proclaimed heros who actually possesses super powers. -=> * <=- Marcus Nispel has stepped aside as director of the upcoming Arnold Schwarzenegger supernatural flick End of Days, according to published reports. There is no word on who his replacement will be. [<=- In the light universe, I have been darkness. Perhaps in the dark zone, I will be light -=>] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerry Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: [MV] Slow King Date: 22 Oct 1998 12:19:50 +0100 Not as slow as he was in "Creepshow"...when he was the main character, a sort of backward hillbilly , he gets infected by a meteorite and turns into a plant monster! He is also at the beginning of his directorial debut, the dire "Maximum overdrive" in which he is getting money from a cash machine spat out at him. -----Original Message----- >That's the one, but I don't remember the name. It was a series of shorts, >wasn't it? I find it kind of funny that the movies he's in, his character >is either kind of "slow" (like in The Stand and the truck driver we're >talking about here)or else something symbolic like the conductor in "The >Shining" miniseries > >JAMES K. RUDY > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Garrett Winters [SMTP:gargoyle@iol.ie] >Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 11:06 AM >To: Movies >Subject: Re: [MV] Stephen King continued... > >Tonya writes >>What about that one movie where this man came to town to open a store that >>had everything anyone wanted. I think it is called Be Careful What You >>WIsh For. That doesn't sound right though, so I could be wrong. I liked >>this movie. It was twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. >That would be "Needful Things" with Leland Gaunt as the proprietor. that >did turn out to be better than average King fare. >another flick where he puts in a cameo was "Maximum Overdrive" where the >trucks go crazy. I seem to remember him in another flick, where he is >driving a truck and stops on a road after an accident had occurred, was >it the one where the woman driving her car kills a hitchhiker and then he >comes back? >Garrett > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (October 22, 1998) Date: 22 Oct 1998 09:13:38 -0400 (EDT) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (October 22, 1998). This week at the movies, Kurt Russell plays soldier, some teens visit a 1950's TV sitcom, another Stephen King story hits the big screen, a story of perversion and despair hidden in seemingly normal people, and a small time criminal uses poetic rap to get himself out of trouble. On home video, a big film from this summer, a huge film from 1939, and a smaller release film all compete for your rental dollars. PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of "American History X" (Edward Norton, Edward Furlong), "John Carpenter's Vampires" (James Woods, Daniel Baldwin) and other new releases. __________________________________________________ FREE SWEEPSTAKES OFFER: Interested in a chance to win a Sony 53-inch Big Screen TV? Enter the sweepstakes (no purchase necessary) at the following location: http://delivere.preferences.com/Sony_Oct/index.shtml?bit=alcscreenitNL:textlink Please note there is a ? (question mark) between "shtml" and "bit". Some mail readers may change or remove this character. This FREE offer is provided in conjunction with a third party not owned or operated by Screen It. Please read all rules & instructions carefully, and note that you can opt out from receiving any solicitation from that party at the bottom of the entry form if you so desire. Good Luck! __________________________________________________ NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23RD: "APT PUPIL" (1998) (Brad Renfro, Ian McKellen) (R) Drama: An unlikely and often wary relationship forms when a sixteen-year-old high school student (Renfro) discovers a former Nazi SS officer (McKellen) living in his neighborhood and blackmails him into telling about his past. Based on a Stephen King novella, the film features a decent mental match between the two combatants, and a great performance from McKellen, but fails to explore what makes either of the characters behave they way they do. The R rating comes from violence, profanity, and an implied oral sex scene. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/apt_pupil.html __________________________________________________ "HAPPINESS" (1998) (Jane Adams, Dylan Baker) (Not Rated) Drama: Three sisters (including Adams), along with others in their lives (including Baker), try to find happiness in their world and in their own romantic lives. Nowhere near as innocuous as it sounds, this is easily one of the most disturbing and definitely controversial films of the year. It's good at times, but the content is often extremely difficult to sit through. As such, the film isn't rated, but would earn a hard R if it were, all due to the extreme sexual content (sexual encounters, masturbation, sexually obscene phone calls), the profanity, and the thematic elements of a homosexual pedophile. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/happiness.html __________________________________________________ "PLEASANTVILLE" (1998) (Tobey Maguire, Joan Allen) (PG-13) Drama: A present day brother (Maguire) and sister find their worlds turned upside down when they're mysteriously transported into the sterile, but always cheerful world of a black and white, 1950's TV sitcom. Enjoyable but a bit more successful in concept than realized execution, "Pleasantville" is a marriage of sorts between the plots of "Back to the Future" and "The Truman Show." Despite a few problems, the film's stellar cast and old-fashioned charm make it an entertaining picture. The PG-13 rating comes from brief strong language and some sexually related material. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/pleasantville.html __________________________________________________ "SLAM" (1998) (Saul Williams, Sonja Sohn) (R) Drama: A young man (Williams) jailed for drug possession uses his highly stylized combination of rap and poetry to survive in jail while hoping to improve his life. Despite garnering praise at recent film festivals (most likely due to viewers centering on the pic's message and not overall quality), this is a sloppily made production with a hackneyed script, mediocre to horrible acting, and a rambling plot and pace. The R rating comes from some violence, a sexual encounter and nonsexual nudity, and nearly nonstop profanity. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/slam.html __________________________________________________ "SOLDIER" (1998) (Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee) (R) Sci-Fi: After being defeated and left for dead by his genetically engineered replacement (Lee), a soldier of the future (Russell) finds himself stranded on a desolate planet where he must help a small community facing their own extinction. Borrowing a great deal from other sci-fi films, this one has plenty of action that may please fans of the genre, but not much else. The R rating comes from violence and profanity. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/soldier.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH: (Notice: Release dates subject to change) (Not all video stores will carry all titles) "THE BUTCHER BOY" (1998) (Eamonn Owens, Stephen Rea) (R) Drama: A young, but charming sociopath (Owens) terrorizes an adult neighbor and her son. From the director of "The Crying Game" and "Interview With The Vampire" comes a powerful and disturbing film that, much like "A Clockwork Orange" (that this film is reminiscent of), may leave you confused about whether you liked it or not. The film, which grossed just less than $2 million domestically, gets its R rating for profanity and violence. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_butcher_boy.html) __________________________________________________ "DEEP IMPACT" (1998) (Robert Duvall, TΘa Leoni) (PG-13) Sci-fi/Thriller: The inhabitants of Earth prepare for the devastating impact of an approaching comet. The first of this year's two calamity from space movies, some found this film highly entertaining, while others -- myself included -- found the long wait for the special effects to kick in as monotonous and boring. Of course, my prediction for the film's financial success was way off -- it grossed around $140 million domestically, with another $180 million coming in from overseas. The PG-13 rating comes from profanity and some intense disaster related scenes. (Some sources say the release is 10/20, others 10/27) (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/deep_impact.html) __________________________________________________ "GONE WITH THE WIND" (1939/1998) (Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh) (G) Drama: A Southern belle (Leigh) pursues the man of her dreams through and after the civil war, while continually dealing with a charming and adventurous man (Gable) who has set his sights on her. This new and digitally restored version of this film only further shows why it's withstood the test of time as one of the best films ever made. Grossing around $7 million in its latest rerelease (and nearly $200 million over the decades -- most when tickets were counted in cents and not dollars), the film still has its G rating, but should probably be rated PG in this uncut version for thematic elements (war scenes, a shooting, an off screen amputation, etc...). (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1939/gone_with_the_wind.html) __________________________________________________ Do you find the Screen It Website useful? If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in your community or country may benefit from this information. Contact information can be found at the following address: http://www.screenit.com/press.html __________________________________________________ Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make sure that first you Screen It! Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents http://www.screenit.com __________________________________________________ Since we respect your privacy and time, we'll always keep these messages brief and we'll never sell or give your e-mail address to anyone. If at any time you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply let us know at reviews@screenit.com and we'll remove you from our list. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/22/98 Date: 22 Oct 1998 11:59:28 -0600 (MDT) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Jamie Foxx, star of his eponymous sitcom on the WB network, will fill the shoes of Sean "Puffy" Combs in the role of a quarterback in Oliver Stone's football picture "Any Given Sunday." Combs dropped off the Warner Bros. picture recently, citing scheduling conflicts with his recording career. The rapper/music mogul also reportedly had difficulty mastering some of the technical aspects of the role. Foxx will play Willie Beaman, the backup QB thrown into the limelight to guide his team to the playoffs after the starting quarterback (Dennis Quaid) gets injured. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: SOLDIER Date: 22 Oct 1998 16:22:38 -0600 (MDT) SOLDIER (Warner Bros.) Starring: Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee, Connie Nielsen, Jason Isaacs, Gary Busey, Sean Pertwee. Screenplay: David Webb Peoples. Producer: Jerry Weintraub. Director: Paul Anderson. MPAA Rating: R (violence, profanity, adult themes) Running Time: 96 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. David Webb Peoples has contributed to some of the most compelling screenplays of recent years. He fashioned haunting visions of the future in the seminal science fiction film BLADE RUNNER and the psychologically gripping 12 MONKEYS; he has deconstructed the mythology of heroic violence in UNFORGIVEN. Peoples has shown a facility for turning genre films into films of ideas. The specific ideas with which he has concerned himself held out the hope that SOLDIER might be something more than this week's disposable bit of whoop-it-up mayhem. Instead, SOLDIER shows what happens when the writer of BLADE RUNNER and UNFORGIVEN meets the director of MORTAL KOMBAT and EVENT HORIZON: the director wins, and we lose. Peoples's script sends us to a near-future where government soldiers are trained from birth for no other purpose but battle. One of these soldiers is Todd 3465 (Kurt Russell), a scarred veteran of multiple wars who has served as the perfect warrior -- no family, no emotional connections of any kind, no reluctance to obey any order, no mercy. Unfortunately, he is rendered obsolete when an even more perfect, genetically-enhanced breed of soldier becomes the new standard. Left for dead after a display of prowess by new soldier Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee), Todd is tossed on the scrap-heap of waste disposal planet Arcadia 234, where he tries to fit into a society of marooned humans understandably wary of this new arrival. I suspect that Peoples's original script focused on how the functionally anti-social Todd begins to explore human interaction for the first time. He recuperates in the home of a kindly man named Mace (Sean Pertwee), begins feeling desire for Mace's wife Sandra (Connie Nielsen), and bonds with their son Nathan (Russell's own son Wyatt) the only way he knows how. The prologue depicting Todd's relentless training is an effective set-up for a story about the psychology of warfare, the challenges of re-adjusting to civilian life, and whether or not it's actually better to create a cold killing machine to survive the horrors of war. That's not the story director Paul Anderson insists on telling. Though in his production notes Anderson describes the story as "SHANE in outer space," he actually makes it much more like RAMBO in outer space. When the new-breed soldiers arrive on Arcadia for a training exercise led by the heartless Col. Mekum (Jason Isaacs, wearing a thin moustache so we _know_ he's dastardly), Todd straps on the artillery, slaps on the camouflage paint and sets out to tear the new soldiers some new orifices. The final half-hour generally finds Todd picking off his faceless adversaries like red-shirts in a "Star Trek" episode, occasionally interrupted by immense explosions and flying bodies. All this naturally leads to a climactic mano-a-mano between Todd and Caine in which the hulking one-eyed terminator becomes evil personified. Never mind that Caine is a programmed soldier just like Todd himself, and that it would be much more interesting to sympathize with him than to cheer his inevitable defeat mindlessly. There's nothing inherently wrong with black hat/white hat action adventures where we watch a bit of carnage and root for good to triumph over evil. The problem is that Anderson pretends SOLDIER is more than that, offering scenes of Todd perplexed by a tear rolling down his face, or recoiling at displays of kindness. Moments that might have been genuinely affecting instead inspire derisive laughter, because Anderson is far more interested in visceral response than in emotional response. Ironically, he spends most of the film reveling in dehumanizing violence instead of showing how dehumanizing violence created his protagonist. I can't believe that's the story David Webb Peoples wanted to tell, which is what makes SOLDIER more disappointing than it might otherwise be. He turned over a smart idea to a director determined to make a dumb movie. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 soldier's stories: 4. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] Correction to review of SOLDIER Date: 22 Oct 1998 18:41:56 -0600 (MDT) Subscribers, I have been informed that there is a factual error in my review which I would like to correct. I misunderstood the participation of Russell's son Wyatt in the film. Wyatt Russell plays Todd in a flashback scene; he does not play Nathan. Apologies for the error. Scott Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com> Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#163, 10/22/98 Date: 22 Oct 1998 18:04:54 -0700 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #163 OCTOBER 22, 1998 PLEASE HELP... ...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive. I am undergoing a serious funding and resource crisis. You can help by renting or purchasing videos from Reel.com! Please visit: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html You can also help in other ways. _Please_ visit: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/support.html Thank you very much. =>T H I S W E E K<= M O V I E S -_Bride_of_Chucky_ -_John_Carpenter's_Vampires_ -_The_Cruise_ -_Unmade_Beds_ -_Soldier_ V I D E O -_The_Big_Hit_ -_Hope_Floats_ -_Species_II_ After months of rebuilding, Movie Site Links is finally complete once again. For that, links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie discussion board, movie theme MIDI files, and more, visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at: http://welcome.to/mrbrown or http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown Please don't forget to sign the guestbook... Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com ...and the Eyepiece Network at: http://www.eyepiece.com ...and Albany Online at: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com all movies graded out of four stars (****) ~~~ =>M O V I E S<= N E W R E L E A S E S Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _Bride_of_Chucky_ (R) * 1/2 _John_Carpenter's_Vampires_ (R) * 1/2 In 1988, killer doll Chucky made his splash in _Child's_Play_; in 1978, director John Carpenter burst onto the horror scene with _Halloween_. Ten and twenty years later, respectively, neither Chucky's novelty nor Carpenter's horror skill have aged very well, as evidenced by the schlocky _Bride_of_Chucky_ and _John_Carpenter's_Vampires_. Unlike eating a box of chocolates, walking into the movie _Bride_of_Chucky_, you're pretty sure what you're gonna get. For the fourth film in the _Child's_Play_ franchise, you pay your admission to see Chucky, the diminutive, redheaded "Good Guy" doll possessed by the spirit of a dead serial killer, slice and dice his way through a long line of human victims--no more, no less, all done somewhat tongue-in-cheek but largely done in the name of a good scare. How surprising it is, then, to watch _Bride_, which plays less like another sequel than a Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker sendup of the series. Perhaps writer Don Mancini (the creator of the series) saw self-parody as the only way to keep Chucky alive in the irony-drenched post-_Scream_ horror climate, making free use of self-deprecating dialogue such as "Chucky? He's so '80s!" The plot itself is a joke, with Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly), a former flame of the incarnate Chucky, becoming Chucky the doll's (voiced by Brad Dourif) partner in serial murder after her newly-liberated spirit inhabits a female doll. All of the added humor, though, does not make _Bride_of_Chucky_ a good film--just a campy one. For all their irony, post-_Scream_ thrillers, in the end, are horror films, going after the big scare. _Bride_, however, makes no attempt to be scary; the scariest thing about it is the fact that it was directed by the gifted Ronny Yu, who in his native Hong Kong directed the brilliant 1993 action fantasy _The_Bride_with_White_Hair_. As gruesome as some of Chucky and Tiffany's murders are (for instance, one man's face becomes a pincushion for nails), they are too over-the-top to truly shock. In fact, the film's big problem is just that, being too over-the-top too much of the time, from the acting (the dreadful Tilly in particular) to story developments (yes, a doll-doll sex scene is funny, but _still_...). Even a film called _Bride_of_Chucky_ could use some restraint and be all the better for it. By the time the film came to its predictable "twist" ending (hint: what logically follows "_bride_ of..."?), you may eel like groaning. The audience with whom I saw the film did (and quite loudly, I might add). That's all _Bride_of_Chucky_ leaves you with--a groan: a groan that this tired series may not yet be over; a groan that you blew hard-earned cash to see it; but most of all, a groan that you've just lost 80-some-odd minutes of your life that can never be recovered. More polished technically, but no less groan-worthy, is _Vampires_. Carpenter obviously has a lot of fun at the helm of this one, staging the brutally (and, some would argue, excessively) bloody scenes of carnage with gleeful abandon: blood, bodies, and body parts fly across the screen in every direction. A great deal of credit goes to the make-up work by the KNB EFX Group (Robert Kurtzman, Gregory Nicotero, and Howard Berger), which is convincing and, yes, more than a little repulsive. So what's the problem? Just about everything else, but mostly Don Jakoby's odious script, which is based on John Steakley's novel _Vampire$_. There's no real plot, just vampire slayer Jack Crow (James Woods) hunting out master vampire Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith), who is after a sacred cross that will make him and his fellow bloodsuckers, as Crow's priest sidekick (Tim Guinee) says, "a force unstoppable--unless we stop him!" That line, which would make the late Ed Wood proud, should tell you all you need to know about the overall quality of the dialogue. But the laughable dialogue and lack of plot isn't as problematic as the uninteresting and unlikable characters. For someone who was raised by the Catholic church after his parents died when he was young, Jack is awfully disrespectful, tossing around priests, threatening them with mortal violence, and frequently flinging F-words at them. Woods's insufferably smug performance makes the character even more unsavory. In addition to being anti-Catholic, the film is also terribly misogynist, with female lead, a Valek-bitten prostitute named Katrina (Sheryl Lee, reduced to screaming and trembling), constantly getting slapped around and humiliated by Jack's boorish partner Tony Montoya (Daniel Baldwin, who, quite simply, sucks--bad pun intended). Even more insulting? Tony eventually falls for Katrina, and--yep--her with him. Like _Bride_of_Chucky_, I'm certain a number of _Vampires_'s laughs are intentional; Carpenter has always displayed an arch sense of humor, and that comes through in certain scenes, including the ridiculous resolution scene. But I'm not so sure so much of it was meant to be laughed at; two women sitting behind me at the screening understandably laughed non-stop. The most disheartening thing about _Vampires_, however, is not its campiness, but its lack of scares; it's hard to believe the same man who made the elegantly creepy (and largely bloodless) classic _Halloween_ directed this piece of schlock. (_John_Carpenter's_Vampires_ opens October 30) IN BRIEF _The_Cruise_ (PG-13) *** _Unmade_Beds_ ** 1/2 After the first five minutes of _The_Cruise_, I wanted to shoot the documentary's subject, wildly eccentric New York tour bus guide Timothy "Speed" Levitch. Ceaselessly babbling in a nasal voice just a tad more listenable than Fran Drescher's, he got on my nerves instantaneously. But as Bennett Miller's beautifully photographed black-and-white film progressed, I became fascinated by him. Though ostensibly about his love affair with every last aspect of the city, _The_Cruise_ gradually reveals itself to be a most unique character study, where the subject reveals himself not through the personal information he imparts (there are vague allusions to a bad relationship with his parents and failed attempts at a writing career), but all else he talks about--and talk he does, in florid verbiage that reveals less about objects than his poetic nature. A little more straightforward on the surface is the dark and depressing _Unmade_Beds_, which follows four New Yorkers on their never-ending (and never-successful) quests for true love and happiness. Our subjects: Aimee Copp, a goodhearted 28-year-old with a weight problem (she weighs 225 pounds) who longs to be married before the big 3-0; Mikey Russo, a 54-year-old struggling screenwriter who is proud of his womanizing past; 40-year-old, 5'4" Michael DeStephano, a bitter but likable guy who more than reminds of _Seinfeld_'s George Costanza; and, most memorably, Brenda Monte, a brash, buxom 40-something divorcee who is less interested in love than a man with deep enough pockets to support her and her 16-year-old daughter. But, as I said, _Unmade_Beds_ is only straightforward on the surface. While these are real people followed over a period of nine months, as the opening disclaimer says, it is not stated that the happenings onscreen are fictionalized. Writer-director Nicholas Barker based his script on extensive interviews with his cast, using their real-life happenings as a jumping-off point for those in his script. While these people's true personalities and pain are clearly revealed throughout, sometimes discomfitingly so (Aimee's pain is most acutely felt), it is that unique veneer of fiction that makes the film fall short. Instead of enhancing the real truths that Barker is after, the fiction, appropriately enough, diminishes any truth he finds; this is especially the case with a late "plot twist" involving Brenda's fortunes. While _Unmade_Beds_ is engrossing, engaging viewing, I cannot shake the feeling that it would have been moreso had I seen the whole truth. _Soldier_ (R) * Literally blink, and you'll miss _Soldier_'s lone flash of wit: a fleeting glimpse of a computer screen listing futuristic supersoldier Todd's (Kurt Russell) numerous war commendations, among them the "Plissken Patch"--referring, of course, to Russell's character in John Carpenter's _Escape_from..._ movies. The rest of this sci-fi actioner is brainless junk though writer David Webb Peoples and director Paul Anderson serve up an interesting basic premise. In the future, a select few males are chosen at birth to be trained their whole life as soldiers, nothing more; veteran soldier Todd is among the best, if not _the_ best. But when a new genetically engineered brand of soldier is developed, Todd and his ilk are rendered obsolete. From here, the story takes a most uninspired turn. Presumed dead, Todd is dumped onto a trash dump planet, where he meets up with a peaceful community of people who look and act like extras from _The_Postman_. For reasons that are never clear, the new soldiers attack this trash planet, and the film becomes an outer space _Rambo_, boldly declaring, "I'm gonna kill 'em all, sir!" Thus ensues much machine gun action and laughable "emotional" content where Todd finds the humanity within his tough exterior. It plays even worse than it sounds. 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) -_Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#antz -_Beloved_ (R) *** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#beloved -_Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#clay -_Happiness_ **** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#happiness -_Holy_Man_ (PG) * 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#holyman -_The_Impostors_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#impostors -_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita -_The_Mighty_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#mighty -_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/6/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#wonderland -_A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_ (PG-13) 1/2* <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#roxbury -_One_True_Thing_ (R) *** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#1truething -_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#153, 8/7/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker -_Permanent_Midnight_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#midnight -_Practical_Magic_ (PG-13) ** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#magic -_Reach_the_Rock_ (R) * 1/2 <MR#161, 10/8/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#rock -_Ronin_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#ronin -_Rounders_ (R) *** <MR#157, 9/6/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rounders -_Rush_Hour_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rush -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan -_Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#simon -_Slums_of_Beverly_Hills_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#155, 8/20/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#slums -_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary -_Urban_Legend_ (R) ** <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#urban -_What_Dreams_May_Come_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#dreams -_Without_Limits_ (PG-13) *** <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits -_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#154, 8/13/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#friends F U T U R E F I L M S -_American_History_X_ (R) *** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#historyx (October 28) -_Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#elizabeth (November 6) O N T H E H O R I Z O N OPENED WEDNESDAY, 10/21 _Slam_ (R) **** Full review in MR#160, 10/5/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#slam Making its Los Angeles bow this week while continuing in New York is Marc Levin's searing drama about a young man (Saul Williams) in Washington D.C. who learns to transcend his crime-ridden surroundings through the power of poetry. FRIDAY _The_Alarmist_ (R) Dark comedy about a young alarm salesman (David Arquette), his con man boss (Stanley Tucci), and the widow (Kate Capshaw) he falls for. _Apt_Pupil_ (R) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#161, 10/8/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#pupil Bryan Singer directed this chilling adaptation of the Stephen King novella in which a curious teen (Brad Renfro) engages in a dangerous game of emotional blackmail with an in-hiding Nazi war criminal (Ian McKellen). _The_Cruise_ (PG-13) *** <see above review> This fascinating documentary about eccentric New York tour bus guide Timothy "Speed" Levitch opens in the Big Apple this week. _La_Separation_ A couple (Isabelle Huppert and Daniel Auteuil) reexamine their relationship in this French drama. _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** Full review in MR#162, 10/16/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#vitabella Co-writer/director/star Roberto Benigni's funny and poignant comedy of hope and survival, improbably set against the backdrop of a Nazi concentration camp. _Orgazmo_ (NC-17) After the disaster that was _BASEketball_, _South_Park_ creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone make another go at big screen success with this comedy about a Mormon preacher (Parker, who also wrote and directed) who becomes a porn star. _Pleasantville_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#162, 10/16/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#pleasantville Exceedingly clever comedy/fantasy in which two teen siblings (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon) in the '90s find themselves transported into a black-and-white '50s sitcom world. Joan Allen, William H. Macy, Jeff Daniels, and Don Knotts also star for writer-director Gary Ross. _Soldier_ (R) * <see above review> Laughable sci-fi actioner in which a supersoldier (Kurt Russell) protects the people of a trash dump planet from some evil ubersoldiers. _Unmade_Beds_ ** 1/2 <see above review> Fascinating, if sometimes unconvincing, "fictional documentary" which follows four New Yorkers in their mostly-true pursuit of love. ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _The_Big_Hit_ (R) ** 1/2 Full review in MR#139, 4/23/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt32.html#bighit Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41067 Uneven action comedy about a group of hitmen (Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bokeem Woodbine, and Antonio Sabato Jr.) who unwittingly kidnap their boss's (Avery Brooks) goddaughter (China Chow) for ransom. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) _Hope_Floats_ (PG-13) ** Full review in MR#145, 6/4/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#hope Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41419 This weepy, TV-movie-like melodrama about a single mom (Sandra Bullock) attempting to rebuild her life in her small Texas hometown should feel right at home on the small screen. (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment) _Species_II_ (R) * Full review in MR#138, 4/16/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt32.html#species2 Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41017 This cheesy sequel to the cheesy 1995 sci-fi yarn once again has Michael Madsen and Marg Helgenberger on the trail of a libinous alien/human hybrid (this time Justin Lazard) on a breeding/killing spree. The original's alien, Natasha Henstridge, is also back, as a clone of her character in the first film. (MGM/UA Home Video) ~~~ =>N E X T W E E K<= More reviews, including: -_Living_Out_Loud_ -_The_Siege_ 'til then... __________________________________________________________ Michael Dequina Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site http://jordan.sportsline.com mj23@michaeljordanfan.com | jordan_host@sportsmail.com michael_jordan@geocities.com | mrbrown@iname.com >My personal WWW sites< Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23 Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md >Other WWW sites I work on< CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com "Life is knowing the toughest competition you ever face is yourself." --Michael Jordan __________________________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: LISA N HAMILTON <HAM6934@cup.edu> Subject: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #121 Date: 23 Oct 1998 12:19:02 -0400 cancel subscription Lisa-Nichole Hamilton Ham6934@cup.edu Secondary Ed./Comp Soc. Sci [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/23/98 Date: 23 Oct 1998 12:26:26 -0600 (MDT) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of an Arab-American organization said Thursday a forthcoming Hollywood film incited hate against Arab Americans and Muslims and could provoke hate crimes against people of Arab descent. Hala Maksoud, president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said in a letter to Edward Zwick, producer of "The Siege," that she would hold him responsible for any hate crimes resulting from the movie. "... the film is insidious, dangerous and incendiary," Maksoud wrote. In the film, Denzel Washington plays an FBI agent tracking Islamic militants bombing New York, and Bruce Willis plays an Army general who declares martial law in Manhattan. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - If the Armand Hammer Museum ever mounts an in-depth retrospective on the Eisenhower Era, the courtyard will surely resemble Monday's "Pleasantville" premiere party at the Westwood site. Not since Doris Day ruled the box office have so many Formica dinette sets, white picket fences and heroically antique Philco TVs been seen in public. The decor tied in with writer-director Gary Ross' New Line feature in which a 1950s town evolves on screen from black-and-white to living color. And while Wendy Creed designed the party, Ross said the film's hue-changing sequences "are all home-grown product" - a new use of an endearing '60s term. -=> * <=- Kristen Johnston has been signed to the new Mike Meyers film "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," according to the Hollywood Reporter. The actress, who won an Emmy last year for her role as Sally Solomon on the NBC sitcom "3rd Rock From the Sun," will play a character named Ivana Humpalot in the spy spoof. Production begins next month on the film, which is a sequel to Meyers' "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery." -=> * <=- CAST: Harrods department store magnate Mohammed al-Fayed, father of the late Dodi (who, together with Princess Diana, died in a car crash last year), as a doorman in "Mad Cows." The big-screen comedy will also star Joanna Lumley ("Absolutely Fabulous") and Oasis lead singer Noel Gallagher. -=> * <=- DIED: Molly O'Day, 88, a star of the silent screen, on Thursday, in Avila Beach CA. O'Day began her career in "Our Gang" films and worked with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: ORGAZMO Date: 23 Oct 1998 15:25:52 -0600 (MDT) ORGAZMO (Rogue) Starring: Trey Parker, Dian Bachar, Robyn Lynne Raab, Michael Dean Jacobs, Matt Stone. Screenplay: Trey Parker. Producers: Fran Rubel Kuzui, Jason McHugh, Matt Stone. MPAA Rating: NC-17 (sexual content, profanity, adult themes, violence) Running Time: 95 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. It's the film so daring that it earned a rare NC-17 rating! It's the film so controversial that Universal Pictures, the parent company of October Films, forced October to create a separate releasing arm to distance itself from the film! It's the film so outrageous that only Trey Parker, the bad-boy co-creator of "South Park," could have brought it to you! It's ORGAZMO, a film destined for midnight movie immortality! They say there's no such thing as bad publicity...unless you're a potential film viewer who pays attention to it. Anyone expecting naughty, edgy fun from ORGAZMO might find that its most shocking surprise is how uninspired much of its "outrageousness" is. Sure, it hits two guaranteed hot-buttons -- religion and sex -- in this tale of a naive Mormon lad named Joe Young (played by Parker himself) serving a mission in Los Angeles. One day he knocks on the wrong door, and ends up on the set of porno film director Maxxx Orbison (Michael Dean Jacobs). Impressed by Joe's martial arts skills when he fends off a group of bodyguards, Orbison offers Joe the lead role of Captain Orgazmo (physical stunts only, no sex required), along with a huge paycheck which will allow Joe and his fiancee Lisa (Robyn Lynne Raab) to marry in the Salt Lake City temple and live well. Oh, and Joe also becomes a _real_ crime-fighting super-hero who uses a high-tech weapon to paralyze adversaries with intense sexual pleasure. Occasionally, it looks like Parker is going to take this story on just the right avenue of absurdity. The film-within-the-film "Orgazmo" turns out to be a crossover smash hit, ranking third on the all-time box office chart and naturally creating demand for a sequel. Then there's the odd little aside in which Joe's film sidekick Ben (Dian Bachar) re-lives a painful childhood memory of giving up "hamster style" martial arts, and a cameo appearance by a certain heavenly personage. There are a few amusing gags sprinkled throughout ORGAZMO, many aimed at the absurdity of adult film "plot" scenarios when they're not taking broad shots at Utah or the Latter-Day Saints. The problem with Parker's sense of humor is that it can be terribly lazy. His favorite set-up involves wacky character incongruities which actually lost most of their wackiness many iterations ago -- an old woman swearing like a sailor, an old woman showing sexual arousal, a Japanese sushi chef who uses hip-hop lingo. His running gags include brilliant innovations like a surly porno actor who passes gas in the face of others ("South Park's" Terence and Philip, eat your hearts out), and a lighting technician (Parker's cohort Matt Stone) who begins every sentence with "I don't want to seem like a queer or nothin'..." until eventually -- inevitably -- he actually makes a pass at another male character. You can see punch lines coming from several theaters away in ORGAZMO. Those who might attend just for prurient interest should also be warned that ORGAZMO is about as tame as an NC-17 film could get. Though there's plenty of full-clothed grinding and prominent displays of certain marital aids, there's nary an exposed female body part to be found (hairy male buttocks, on the other hand, get a disturbing amount of screen time). Make no mistake, Trey Parker's brand of offensiveness is far more sniggering, middle-of-the-road crude than it is truly shocking. There's nothing wrong with the production being sloppy and amateurish; after all, this is among other things a parody of porno films, with a wonderfully cheesy fake explosion for a conclusion. It's another thing when the humor is often sloppy and amateurish...or worse yet, re-cycled. ORGAZMO inspires the one reaction a "daring," "controversial," "outrageous" film can't afford: a great big "so what?" On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 missionary positions: 5. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: FTWeekly00@aol.com Subject: [MV] Film Threat Extra: Film Festival Secrets: Get Your Film Into Festivals Date: 24 Oct 1998 00:50:40 EDT GET YOUR FILM INTO FESTIVALS =================== (Please excuse this e-mail, if this does not appeal to you just throw it away.) Join us for a special evening with the directors and programmers of some of the hottest film festivals in the industry Sponsored by Crest National and Film Threat! Thursday, October 29th, 7-10pm Gower Theater, Paramount Pictures --> Join us for a party hosted by FilmmakerÆs Alliance honoring their screening at the AFI Film Festival immediately following the event. *** CALL 1-800-404-4484 FOR INFO. SEATING IS LIMITED*** ***MENTION FILM THREAT FOR A SPECIAL DISCOUNT*** Speakers include: - Peter Baxter, Executive Director, Slamdance Film Festival. - Oren Bitan, Vice President of Marketing and Acquisitions, Seventh Art Releasing. - Robert Faust, Founder and Director, The Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. - Jason White, Director of Programs, Austin Film Festival. Event will be hosted and moderated by: - Chris Gore, Editor of Film Threat and Author of the upcoming Lone Eagle Book ôThe Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide.ö - Steve Montal, Jury member of numerous festivals including Slamdance, the Namur Film Festival in Belgium, the Sydney International Short Film Festival, the Colombia Festival of the Image, the Toronto Worldwide Short Film Festival and the Stockholm Film Festival. TOIPICS INCLUDE: ** Strategies for getting your film into festivals. ** Case studies of films that have gone through the festival route. ** Marketing yourself at festivals. ** Distribution deals / Legal & business affairs you need to know. ** Contacts, dates & application information to the major film festivals. ** A look into how festival juries work and make prize decisions. ** How studios and independent distributors buy films at festivals. ** Getting your film accepted into as many festivals as possible. -- Space is limited. To reserve call 1-800-404-4484 -- mention Film Threat for a special discount! [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Pallavi Jatia <fengshui@messages.to> Subject: [MV] (no subject) Date: 26 Oct 1998 00:23:09 +0530 test [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Steve Andrychuk" <sandrychuk@cintek.com> Subject: [MV] Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1998 21:58:23 -0700 Date: 25 Oct 1998 22:00:56 -0700 unsubscribe movies-digest [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: FTWeekly00@aol.com Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 10-26-98 : Take 44 Date: 26 Oct 1998 02:37:24 EST FILM THREAT WEEKLY "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" ============================= Take 44 : October 26th, 1998 ============================= http://www.filmthreat.com ============================= "I love the smell of napalm in the morning. ...It smells like victory." - Robert Duvall on the frontlines from "Apocalypse Now" <===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========> THIS WEEK "Right here, right now." =========================================== ùù> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent. ùù> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice? ùù> PICKS OF THE WEEK: A load of plugs. ùù> BIG SCREEN: Soldier, more... ùù> AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL: Festival Coverage from Texas SUBSCRIBE "Unless you already did." =========================================== Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to FilmThreat@aol.com. CLASSIFIEDS "If you advertise, they will come." =========================================== Reach over 60,000 film fanatics on the net. For our reasonable ad rates, e- mail filmthreat@aol.com. NO DANCE FILM FESTIVAL The NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is accepting entries for its 2nd annual alternative D.I.Y. festival in Park City, Utah January 1999. Seeking features, docs, shorts, screenplays, and music videos. Screenings on DVD, VHS and internet streaming. Awards, prizes and parties. Deadline November 20th, 1998. Check web site (http://www.6161.com) for application, or send SASE to: NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 http://www.6161.com FREE VIDEO OFFER EXTENDED BY ATOMIC HOLLYWOOD! Due to tremendous response, the next 50 Film Threat Weekly subscribers will continue to receive a SUPERMODELS IN THE RAINFOREST video (list $19.99) absolutely FREE when they order the Director's Cut of Penthouse Pet Julie Strain's never-released hilarious and sexy TAKIN' IT OFF OUT WEST for just $16.98. Type in "FTWLY" into the "discount code" to assure the FREE video. http://www.atomic-hollywood.com GET YOUR FILM INTO FESTIVALS An evening with the directors of some of the hottest festivals in the industry. Sponsored by Crest National and Film Threat. Speakers include reps from Slamdance, Austin and the LA Independent Film Festivals. Moderated by Steve Montal and Chris Gore, author of the upcoming book ôThe Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide.ö Join us for a party hosted by FilmmakerÆs Alliance honoring their screening at the AFI Film Festival immediately following the event! Thursday October 29, 7-10 pm in Los Angeles, Paramount Pictures. Call 1-800-404-4484. DIGITAL EFFECTS - AFFORDABLE FOR INDIES! LOOK! is a new digital effects company producing inexpensive, high-quality solutions for independent filmmakers. 310-858-0130, or contact@lookfx.com http://www.lookfx.com WIN A FILM THREAT VIDEO! "Sign up a friend!" =========================================== Each week we'll be giving away a special collectible Film Threat Party Video to readers who forward Film Threat Weekly to their friends! (And you know in Hollywood, "friends" is a loose term, so that means just about anybody!!!) You could WIN, too! The more e-mail addresses you send, the more your chances to win. Sign up your whole family, or your whole company! Start forwarding FTW to your pals or send us their e-mail address and we'll send them a weekly fix of Film Threat. That's not a threat, it's a promise. THE NEWS "Filtered and manipulated. Just like the real news." =========================================== Our top story... NO DANCE RETURNING TO THE MOUNTAIN The 1999 NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is seeking submissions for its 2nd annual alternative event in Park City, Utah January 23rd-26th 1999. Surviving a frenetic first year, NO DANCE - Year Two - will screen its ten film competition selections on DVD, a global first for the fledgling technology. NO DANCE will author the DVD-Rs through a combination of DVD technologies provided by returning sponsor, 6161 Entertainment. ôThis is desk-top level stuff that is quickly becoming affordable to indie filmmakers,ö says founder and festival director James Boyd. ôThe DVD projection quality is far superior to VHS tape, and much cheaper than creating a film print. The film print is dead.ö NO DANCE screened twelve films last January on video, including CANNIBAL: THE MUSICAL, HANDS ON A HARDBODY, THE NEW GODS, and episodes from Comedy CentralÆs SOUTH PARK. This year, NO DANCE seeks new, original works (features, documentaries, shorts, screenplays, and music videos) from emerging filmmakers created in any format. Boyd adds, ôThere are no film vs. video production requirements. The story content comes first, and the technology is secondary.ö NO DANCE will donate prizes such as a laptop computer, media software, and film production services, and award trophies for ôBest Filmö, ôAudience Awardö, and the highly coveted ôGolden Orbsö award for the most creative guerrilla marketing campaign on the mountain. NO DANCE will play in an undisclosed 125 seat digital projection theater, and will sponsor a DVD-R demonstration in the upstairs interactive media room. Additionally, there will be an all day video bar lounge, and digital art gallery. NO DANCE screenings are free to the public. The NO DANCE application deadline is November 20th, 1998. Please check web site (http://www.6161.com/nodance) for more details and application, or send SASE to : NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA, 90254. (310) 939-6269 http://www.6161.com GET OUT AND VOTE!! FOR THE TOP 100 SCI-FI FILMS EVER As devoted fans know, the sci-fi legacy holds both unrecognized gems and a wider reach than many movie-goers appreciate. Sci-fi fans now have 30 days to make history by casting their votes for the top 100 science fiction films of all time, helping to define the sci-fi legacy by creating a much-deserved roster of fan-worthy flicks. Fans can voice their top three picks by logging onto the content-rich cyber site http://www.scifi.com/entertainment/filmpoll. Votes will be tabulated by The SciFi Channel's Dominion web site, and will be announced both on-line and as a feature in the April issue of Sci-Fi Entertainment Magazine. Voting closes November 15th, so the electorate must act now! With The American Film Institute recently releasing its list of "America's100 Greatest Movies," science fiction favorites were given short shrift, only a handful making the list. SciFi Channel's Dominion now need your help to determine the 100 greatest science fiction films of all time. Participants can select from a list of 200 films considered worthy, or vote for films not on the list. We are urging ALL readers of Film Threat Weekly to vote for "Free Enterprise" as one of the Top 100. Do your part and vote! Make your voice heard! Take a stand for your favorites, and you'll also educate the public at large about the breadth and scope of the science fiction genre. Whether you worship modern classics like "Blade Runner" or the 1932 version of "Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde," it's a wide world out there. Log on and be counted! http://www.scifi.com/entertainment/filmpoll http://www.freeent.com Look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section at: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm BOXOFFICE CHART "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!" =========================================== Weekend of October 23-25, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. 1/New PLEASANTVILLE $9.0 (1) 2/ 1 PRACTICAL MAGIC $8.8/$25.8 (2) 3/ 3 ANTZ $8.2/$61.8 (4) 4/ 2 BRIDE OF CHUCKY $6.7/$21.0 (2) 5/New SOLDIER $6.3 (1) 6/ 4 RUSH HOUR $5.7/$117.1 (6) 7/ 5 BELOVED $4.4/$14.6 (2) 8/ 6 WHAT DREAMS MAY COME $4.0/$47.1 (4) 9/New APT PUPIL $3.6 (1) 10/ 7 A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY $2.4/$26.6 (4) PICKS OF THE WEEK "Stuff we wanna plug." =========================================== FILM FESTIVAL: The WorldFest-Flagstaff International Film Festival takes place November 13-22, 1998. This annual Independent film festival, now held in the High Country of Flagstaff, Arizona (previously in Charleston, SC) offers premieres of independent and international features, shorts, documentaries, and video. Enjoy Indie Films in the cool, clear evergreen-scented mountain air of Flagstaff, where the air smells like Christmas every morning! ôFlagö is located at the foot of the snow-covered San Francisco peaks in the middle of the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in North America. The 10-day event also offers in-depth film & video production seminars, from writing screenplays to Cinematography to directing and producing the independent feature film. WorldFest screens only Independent Films, and NO major studio films are accepted. We have more than 5,500 very reasonably priced hotel rooms available there, placing FlagFest in direct competition with Sundance and Telluride. It is one hour from the Grand Canyon! Direct Amtrak service from Chicago & LA! Or drive to Flag on John SteinbeckÆs ôMother Highwayö of Route 66! Series VIP Passes start at just $100, singles start at free, then $4 and $5.50 per film! It is the sister-festival to the Spring WorldFest-Houston. Contact: WorldFest-Flagstaff, Maribel Amador, Program Director, PO Box 56566, Houston, Texas USA 77256. email: worldfest@aol.com http://www.vannevar.com/worldfest ALTERNATIVE FILM FESTIVAL: "Call it a Mini-Sundance." Ruth Ratney, Screen Magazine. The Chicago Alt.film Fest is now seeking entries. Categories for this years festival are: Features - American narrative feature film competition; Shorts - American narrative short film competition; Documentary - American documentary film competition; Premiere - World and U.S. premieres of specially invited films only; and Spectrum - Screenings of non-competitive films, experimental works, and animation by American or International directors. The Chicago Alt.film Fest celebrates the best in independent films by emerging and established American filmmakers and provides a forum for exhibition, recognition, and education. Be cool. The deadline is April 9, 1999. e-mail: ChiAltFilm@aol.com http://members.aol.com/ChiAltFilm/Fest WEB SITE: The Film & Video Producer's Guild is a new organization and they are rapidly building a membership and contacts base. Maybe one day, there will be an Academy Award for "Best Producer"! http://www.bajecreative.com/fvpg/link.htm DVD: Lucio Fulci's gore-fest "Zombie" takes place on a deserted island where a group of vacationers become the unwilling feast of some hungry zombies. The zombies are worm-ridden Spanish Conquistadors reanimated by a deranged doctor bent on unravelling the secrets of life and death. "Zombie" gushes with some incredibly graphic blood and guts but the most disturbing of the bunch is witnessing a woman's eyeball getting pierced by a shard of wood! Try picking out that splinter with a pair of tweezers!! Director Lucio Fulci, in his infinite wisdom, included a healthy dose of large breasted women in this Italian horror classic which makes flesh-eating not look so bad. "Zombie" is a sequel of sorts to George Romero's classic "Dawn of the Dead" and is available on a special edition DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment. The disc contains a widescreen transfer, audio commentary, trailer and more. Get a great deal on "Zombie" and other horror flicks from DVD EXPRESS' cool Shocktober promotion. Tell 'em Film Threat sent you. http://www.dvdexpress.com BIG SCREEN "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You" =========================================== From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown. SOLDIER (R) * * (http://www.wb-soldier.com) From the pen of David Webb Peoples, acclaimed scriptor of "Blade Runner," "Unforgiven" and "Twelve Monkeys," you'd expect something edgy, macabre and titillating. Unfortunately "Soldier" misses that mark by a disappointing berth. It's a disarmingly, unimaginative sci-fi thriller that egregiously lifts plot elements from other genre hits ("Terminator," "Road Warrior" and "Universal Soldier") and even the western classic, "Shane." The futuristic, interplanetary showdown pits an outdated career commando (an awkward, but endearingly taciturn Kurt Russell) against his beefier and more lethal successor (a bald, buff Jason Scott Lee). In round one -- a deadly training demonstration -- Russell's conditioned-from-birth sergeant gets his ass handed to him by Lee's genetically-engineered uber-trooper. Left for dead on a barren, deep-space junkyard, Russell is taken in by the planet's raggedy inhabitants, who nurse him back to health and get him in touch with his human side. Of course there's a round two, when Lee and his legion of robotic exterminators storm the planet, and Russell, recharged by his newfound emotion, goes on the warpath, proving that the older model can still blood let like there's no tomorrow. To its credit, "Soldier" does offer a few good mano- e-mano, testosterone moments, and the set designs are ultra-cool, but there's too little character development and no reason to care. - Tom Meek LOVE IS THE DEVIL (Unrated) * * * * I really HATE movies about ARTISTS. "Basquiat", "Basketball Diaries"... all CRAP. Filmmakers always want to show you how an artist "suffered" through life and overcame hardships to express themselves through their art. Directors usually make these kind of movies to make themselves look like artists. HOWEVER, once in a while, someone gets it right. In this case, it's John Maybury who wrote and directed "Love is the Devil", subtitled, "Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon". Sometimes called the most important artist of the latter half of the twentieth century, Bacon (Derek Jacobi) was known for painting dark and disturbing portraits of figures in extreme emotional states. The studies came from photos or from episodes in Bacon's life. Guess what? We get to see some of those episodes. The film covers the period of Bacon's life from 1964 to '71 as he receives a triumphant retrospectivee at the Grand Palais in Paris. Meanwhile, back at the hotel, his lover of seven years George Dyer (Daniel Craig), model of many of his greatest works, is having a pill and bourbon cocktail as a send-off to this mortal coil. The rest of the film recounts their sordid affair, from the moment they met when George tried to break into Bacon's house. While the film does present many real events, it does so in an impressionistic manner. It often seems both the art direction and the cinematography took their cues from Bacon's art. The amazing thing is, while we occasionally see him paint, we never actually see Bacon's art, just how it expresses itself in his life. This style is perfect as much of the film is from George's point of view, as his sanity dissolves in a cocktail of drugs, alcohol and self-loathing. Working class George is never really able to fit into Bacon's inner circle or the art world. Bacon seems intent upon playing out the role of tortured, unfeeling artist the art world has created for him. He can't even publicly grieve for George as that would display a compassion absent from his image. At one point, Bacon is accused of putting more energy into his paintings of George than into their actual relationship. In the end we're left to ponder the true price of art. - Ron Wells THE CRUISE (R) * * * 1/2 This documentary chronicles the life of an eccentric tour guide (Timothy "Speed" Levitch), who loquaciously offers an intriguing cultural history of New York City. When Levitch isn't pointing out the more dicey moments in the lives of Greta Garbo, Arthur Miller and Thomas Paine from atop a double-decker bus, he's articulately spewing into the camera contemplative bleatings about the city's oppressive grid system, sexually suggestive terra-cotta architecture and his own misanthropic being. To the gaudy nebbish, who looks like John Lennon, sans charisma, and sounds like Woody Allen on helium, the universe is a neatly compartmentalized dichotomy of "cruise" and "anti- cruise," with "cruise" referring to Levitch's carnival-like occupation and fee-spirited ideology. Shot in gritty black-and-white, documentary style, "The Cruise" is an improvisational piece that hangs on the perverse quirkiness of Levitch's persona. His standup caricature is at once compelling, arrogant and -- when its learned that Levitch is a frustrated playwright who can barely eke out an existence -- even contemptible. The dark blend of bleak reality and bubbly wit, may depress some and annoy others, but no mater how it affects you, "The Cruise" is deftly provocative. - Tom Meek A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY (PG-13) * (http://www.theroxbury.com) Another "Saturday Night Live" skit-to-screen comedy. This one isn't as abysmal as "The Coneheads" or "It's Pat," but it's certainly not on par with "Wayne's World" or "The Blues Brothers." SNLers Chris Kattan and Will Ferell reprise their head-bopping Butabi brothers, and spend the entirety of the film trying to get into the Roxbury, L.A.'s hottest night club. Of course the fashion- challenged siblings -- replete with chains and polyester -- think they're the hottest movers and shakers since John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever," but they're really a pair of delusional dimwits who live at home, can't get laid and are shunned at every club door. Along the way a woman comes between them (SNL's Molly Shannon in an uproarious bit) they schmooze with the Pat Lyons of L.A. (Chazz Palminteri,), hang out with Richard Grieco and get berated by their controling father (Dan Hedaya looking ripe for a coronary). There are few subtle moments in "A Night at the Roxbury." Its forced slapstick egregiously mugs the audience for laughs, and while things occasionally hit the warm, goofiness of "The Wedding Singer," the film's real star is the retro-hip, disco soundtrack ("What is Love") that sustains the sherds of momentum with a throbbing, rhythmic energy. If only SNL alum, Mike Myers, had tossed his "54" shtick into this flick, there might have been at least one entertaining cinematic take on club life. - Tom Meek AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL & HEART OF TEXAS SCREENWRITER'S CONFERENCE =========================================== Festival Coverage from Texas http://www.austinfilmfestival.org by Merle Bertrand Just as some towns deserve two major league baseball teams, cinema-savvy Austin, TX deservedly hosts two rising stars on the film festival circuit: SXSW in the spring and the Austin Film Festival and Screenwriter's Conference in the fall. With the AFF devoted to that infrastructure of film the screenplay, it seemed apropos that the elegant Driskill Hotel, once again the AFF's headquarters, has been stripped down to its infrastructure while undergoing major renovations. One glance at the Driskill Lounge's bare sheet- rocked walls, cleverly plastered over with oversized screenplay pages, and the "Brazil"-like steel beams and duct work exposed in the ceilings unfortunately also symbolized the tattered and bleeding condition of several film prints after encountering the most voraciously sadistic projectors I've ever seen. Yes, the AFF attracted big names deep to the heart of Texas - the Coen brothers, John Landis, Jon Cryer, Bryan Singer (Sandra Bullock doesn't count 'cause she lives here now) and many others. Yes, this year's films were a solid crop. And yes the festival turned its usual welcome spotlight on the forgotten screenwriter. But what this year's festival may mostly be remembered for is more technical snafus, delays, and foul-ups at normally four-star screening venues than even last year's 30th Parallel Film Fest. Patient audiences endured, for instance, at least three breakdowns during the World Premiere of Gary Ross' excellent "Pleasantville" and an impressive on-screen frozen frame melt during "Went to Coney Island On A Mission From God... Be Back By Five" the likes of which I haven't seen since my Super 8 days as a kid. These were just the proverbial tip of the iceberg as horror stories abounded. Here's hoping that next year's AFF uses projectors that aren't held together with baling wire and bubble gum and hires projectionists that know where to find the Dust-Off can and Focus and Frame Line knobs. Many more instances of a director having to act out a "missing" scene during the Q&A, and this'll quickly be a one festival town again. Enough griping. Let's get to the good stuff... To read reviews from the Austin Film Festival, visit Film Threat Online at: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm END CREDITS "Written, produced, and directed by . . ." =========================================== Publisher / Chris Gore Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares Contributors / Merle Bertrand, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron Wells Send us films, videos, CDs, games, screening passes: FILM THREAT, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Website: http://www.filmthreat.com Edress: FilmThreat@aol.com FILM THREAT WEEKLY is published by The Gore Group, LLC. All material ⌐ 1998 Gore Group Publications. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission of the author. You are, however, welcome to forward this e-mail to whomever you wish. All letters, comments and reviews sent to Film Threat Weekly in any manner are assumed intended for publication, unless stated otherwise. Your name and e-mail address will be printed if published herein. Not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Film Threat is now a proud part of the den: the daily entertainment network at http://www.theden.com Film Threat Weekly is distributed by ZENtertainment - http://www.zentertainment.com QUOTING FILM THREAT WEEKLY: Journalists, if you feel the need to quote Film Threat Weekly you MUST include the Film Threat url (http://www.filmthreat.com) so that readers can get more information. Otherwise you are NOT given permission to quote any material or contents contained herein. ADVERTISE: FILM THREAT MEDIA KIT =========================================== Reach over 60,000 film fanatics on the net. Indie filmmakers get a 50% discount! To get an e-media kit, e-mail filmthreat@aol.com. FILM THREAT WEEKLY TAKES OVER THE NET "Read FTW on other sites" =========================================== Read excerpts from Film Threat Weekly on the "All-Movie Guide" at http://www.allmovie.com Read excerpts from Film Threat Weekly on "Planet Direct" at http://www.planetdirect.com Read Film Threat Weekly on the "Internet Movie Database" at http://us.imdb.com/Threat/ Also read Film Threat Weekly on the "Hollywood IndieNetwork" at http://indienetwork.com/filmthreat/index.html Speak Italian? Read Film Threat Weekly translated into Italian at http://www.ottoemezzo.com FTW is also posted on a web site in the Philippines, Cyberville Online at http://www.cyberville-manila.com FILM THREAT "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" =========================================== Independent, Cult, Underground, Alternative Film, Hollywood Satire And No BS ==============CUT-AND-PRINT =============== [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Catherine Clark <clarkc45212@yahoo.com> Subject: [MV] Pleasantville Date: 26 Oct 1998 09:55:41 -0800 (PST) I am planning to see the blockbuster Pleasantville on sunday, but I was wondering if someone who had seen it would recomend it. So did anyone take a trip to the theater this weekend to see the number one ranked film? How was it? _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Pleasantville Date: 26 Oct 1998 13:09:56 PST I saw Pleasantville this weekend. I was very pleased. ;-) It probably really just doesn't quite live up to the hype in my mind, given that we've been seeing previews for it since June, but it's probably one of the best movies I've seen this year in the theater. I tend to think that maybe seeing so many previews for this movie hurt it. i kept feeling here and there that I had already seen it... but that was really just the things from the previews. Everyone probably knows the setup.. Geeky brother and popular sister fight over TV remote and get stuck in a 'Leave it to Beaver' type 50's sitcom. At first, it's a funny spoof on the time period and tv shows of that time, but then it gets deeper and goes into the theme of personal liberty and human growth. The two leads cannot hide their true selves from their surroundings, and as the people of the town begin to see that things are not always the same as they thought they were, the people of Pleasantville begin to not only change but strive for further change. As they change, their attitudes change and the colors begin to crrep into their formerly bland existence. The imagery and coloring effects are beyond reproach. The black and white world is so resemblant of shows you mostly see today on Nick at Nite, and then as people of Pleasantville change, and the colors emerge, the startling differences are even more clear. There's the obvious metaphors about change and racism and growth, and that seems as the writers tried a little too hard on that aspect. I couldn't quite get over the fact that the analogies and metaphors were a little too obvious and overdone - for instance, in the many 'No Coloreds' signs that pop up in the town as thigs change....and that is a minor thing. Also, the acting is really very good, and a lot of the dialogue is well written. Jeff Daniels and Joan Allen give two of the best performances, but even the leads - Toby Mcquire and Reese Witherspoon manage to show some depth. And, William Macy manages to give a strong showing in a smaller role. It is also funny in many places and nearly a tear-jerker here and there. Some of the most touching scenes are when we first see a dash of color in a single rose, when Daniels gets muddled and confused when his routine is disturbed, and when he first views a book of classic artwork, when McQuire tries to help his screen mother Allen hide her color from the rest of the town by covering it with makeup, and even when Mcquire answers the curiousity of other schoolkids about other places than Pleasantville, popular literature, and even the weather. There are certainly a lot of great moments in the movie. It has a great underlying theme about change but also encouragement and hope. That world may have seemed 'perfect,' but as the movie shows, it really wasn't; there was so much more for people to learn, and as they began to see this, not changing would have been a great tragedy. And when you walk out of the theater, the colors of the regular world seem to bounce at your eyes like you wouldn't believe. It's a great movie. See it on a big screen, and if you have to, pay the full price. I think it's worth it. --- On Mon, 26 Oct 1998 09:55:41 -0800 (PST) Catherine Clark ><clarkc45212@yahoo.com> wrote: >I am planning to see the blockbuster Pleasantville on sunday, but I >was wondering if someone who had seen it would recomend it. So did >anyone take a trip to the theater this weekend to see the number one >ranked film? How was it? W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Rebecca Bezant" <sunybruk@infoblvd.net> Subject: [MV] Where is the 3rd House? Date: 26 Oct 1998 16:12:52 PST To whomever might know the answer to this question: Im sure alot of you reading this message may know of the movies House,= House II: The Second Story and House IV, but as my sentace goes, I can = not find the third House movie. I was just curious how a jump like that = can be taken without another number in between had taken place. If anyone= knows how I might find this House III(If there is a another title for = it, please tell me because I am very interested in finding this film). = Please write back to me Tim at Sunybruk@infoblvd.net. I am totally lost = on that movies where abouts. Also, does anyone know of any good thrille= rs like that of Fallen and A Perfect Murder, I'm into those as well. Than= k you! [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/26/98 Date: 26 Oct 1998 13:46:25 -0700 (MST) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Practical Magic" fell out of the top spot on the North American box office list this weekend, giving way to "Pleasantville," according to studio estimates. "Pleasantville," a fantasy about two modern-day teens thrown into a real-life 1950s TV show setting, earned about $9 million for the Friday-to-Sunday period. Last week's box office champ, "Practical Magic," featuring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sister witches, slipped to No. 2 with almost $8.8 million. Third was "Antz," followed by "Bride of Chucky" and Kurt Russell's sci-fi action flick "Soldier." -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Reuters) - Just call her Queen Oprah. Entertainment Weekly puts talk show host-actress-producer-author Oprah Winfrey at the top of its ninth annual list of the 100 most influential people in the entertainment business. Winfrey takes over the No. 1 spot from Steven Spielberg, who slipped to second. Rounding out the top 10 are mogul Rupert Murdoch, George Lucas, Time Warner execs Ted Turner and Gerald Levin, Tom Hanks, Disney's Michael Eisner, Viacom honcho Sumner Redstone, "Titanic" director James Cameron and a trio of execs from Murdoch-owned companies. Newcomers to the list include No. 17 Leonardo DiCaprio and No. 40 Helen Hunt. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Reuters) - Christian Slater says he has cleaned up his act, which in recent years included being busted for taking a gun on a plane, time in jail for driving under the influence and being taken into custody for roughing up a girlfriend. Slater, 29, says he has settled down, but that does not mean the characters he portrays have gone soft. In his upcoming movie, "Very Bad Things," Slater plays an amoral real estate agent who is involved in the death of a prostitute. "I like to be loud in moves and I like to break things and I like to have a good time," he said in a New York Daily News interview. "I have that side to me and if I can express it in a creative manner, we're all a lot safer." -=> * <=- "Practical Magic" slipped to No. 2 on the North American box office list this weekend, giving way to "Pleasantville," according to studio estimates. "Pleasantville," a fantasy about two modern-day teens thrown into a real-life 1950s TV show setting, earned about $9 million. "Practical Magic," featuring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sister witches, earned almost $8.8 million. In third place was "Antz," followed by "Bride of Chucky" and Kurt Russell's sci-fi action flick "Soldier." [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Carmine Pascuzzi." <carminep@mediasearch.com.au> Subject: [MV] subscribe Date: 27 Oct 1998 08:04:52 +1100 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (LA VITA 'E BELLA) Date: 26 Oct 1998 16:11:33 -0700 (MST) LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (LA VITA 'E BELLA) (Miramax) Starring: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Sergio Bustric, Horst Buchholz. Screenplay: Robert Benigni and Vincenzo Cerami. Producers: Elda Ferri and Gianluigi Braschi. Director: Roberto Benigni MPAA Rating: PG-13 (adult themes) Running Time: 114 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, a fancifully dark Italian comedy from co-writer/director/star Roberto Benigni, has inspired one of the most misguided criticisms of recent years. A large portion of the film, set in Italy circa 1939-1945, involves an Italian family in a concentration camp: Jewish bookseller Guido Orefice (Benigni); his Gentile wife Dora (Nicoletta Braschi); and their five-year-old son Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini). In an effort to protect his son from the terrifying reality of their situation, Guido convinces Giosue that they are playing a grand game, collecting points for being quiet or remaining hidden. When German soldiers arrive at the bunkhouse to announce the camp rules, Guido feigns being able to translate into Italian so he can announce the rules of the "game" to Giosue; when Giosue hears stories of the evils going on at the camp, Guido laughingly dismisses them as the attempts of other "players" to gain a psychological advantage. The criticism leveled at LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL is that it is a sanitized version of the Holocaust, which somehow diminishes the gravity of the tragedy by squeezing humor from it. The absurdity of that criticism is that it seems to miss the point entirely. Guido's entire purpose in the second half of the film becomes sanitizing the Holocaust, turning the experience into something his son can survive both physically and emotionally. Benigni crafts a sensitive relationship between the father and son, as Guido's wit and imagination allow him to create a world of pleasure and hope where no pleasure or hope should be possible. There are more than enough grim reminders of the camp's true purpose -- as well as a glimpse of banal evil in the character of an obliviously self-absorbed physician (Horst Buchholz) -- to dismiss any notion that Benigni as a film-maker is candy-coating one of the bleakest chapters in human history. His character, however, is doing exactly that; his success is a triumph of love and determination in the creation of their own reality. The irony of that misguided criticism is that there's a much simpler reason to be less than dazzled by LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL -- namely, most of the first hour. In essence, it's an _extremely_ extended prologue, introducing us to Guido as a carefree seeker of love and fortune who directs his creative energies towards winning Dora's heart. The pleasant scenes between them certainly establish their bond, as well as Guido's imaginative gifts, but on their own they're fairly innocuous bits of romantic tomfoolery. Benigni mixes physical comedy with the occasional social commentary, all with moderate success and the sense that he's just passing time until he can get to the real meat of the story. It's easy to imagine Benigni setting up all the necessary relationships in about half the time, making the shift in tone less abrupt...and making shifting in your seat less necessary. None of that detracts from the potent, bittersweet pleasures of the film's second half. All of the things that could have gone wrong instead go right -- the young Cantarini radiates charming innocence without cloying self-awareness; Benigni hits just the right balance between clown and unlikely hero; the darker moments always feel consistent with the human comedy. LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL grows richer by the minute, making it easy to forgive the amiable but meandering first half. If it hadn't takeng quite so long to reach its most powerful scenes, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL would have been an easy choice as one of the year's best films. An expression as trite as "triumph of the human spirit" doesn't quite do justice to what Benigni has pulled off here. He has taken pure horror and turned it into a whimsical love story -- between a man and a woman, between a man and his son, between a man and the idea that we never lose the capacity to create beauty in our lives. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 beautiful dreamers: 8. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Olaf Adam <olaf.adam@ruhr-uni-bochum.de> Subject: Re: [MV] REVIEW: LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (LA VITA 'E BELLA) Date: 27 Oct 1998 03:13:30 +0100 There's only one thing left to add to Scott Renshaw's well observed review of LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL (LA VITA 'E BELLA). I saw a feature on television some time ago that showed director/actor Benigni receiving an award for his film in Israel. The minutes-long standing ovations the audience in the theatre granted him should say enough, because after all they're are still some kind of authority concerning the question how this difficult subject-matter is handled. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich <gene@ehrich.com> Subject: [MV] The Casper Caper Date: 27 Oct 1998 16:20:56 -0500 Last night my wife and I saw a previously unreleased flick from the very early career of Tom Cruise. Rather disjointed black humor about a small town detective and his attempt to solve a series of crimes where the perpetrator dresses as Casper the Ghost and commits the crimes only on Halloween night. The film gets needlessly bloody which kind of takes away its unique charm. Cruises mother in the film bears a uncanny resemblance to Goldie Hawn but the age doesn't fit. His girl friend also looks familiar but cant place her. Does anybody know who plays the mother or the girl friend? gene@ehrich http://www.voicenet.com/~generic Computer & Video Game Garage Sale [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: LISA N HAMILTON <HAM6934@cup.edu> Subject: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 Date: 27 Oct 1998 16:29:05 -0500 signoff movies-digest Lisa-Nichole Hamilton Ham6934@cup.edu Secondary Ed./Comp Soc. Sci [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] The Casper Caper Date: 27 Oct 1998 13:25:44 -0800 where did you see it? > -----Original Message----- > From: Gene Ehrich [SMTP:gene@ehrich.com] > Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 1998 1:21 PM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: [MV] The Casper Caper > > Last night my wife and I saw a previously unreleased flick from the very > early career of Tom Cruise. Rather disjointed black humor about a small > town detective and his attempt to solve a series of crimes where the > perpetrator dresses as Casper the Ghost and commits the crimes only on > Halloween night. The film gets needlessly bloody which kind of takes away > its unique charm. Cruises mother in the film bears a uncanny resemblance > to > Goldie Hawn but the age doesn't fit. His girl friend also looks familiar > but cant place her. > > Does anybody know who plays the mother or the girl friend? > gene@ehrich > http://www.voicenet.com/~generic > Computer & Video Game Garage Sale > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] The Casper Caper Date: 27 Oct 1998 16:05:09 PST Never heard of such a movie with Cruise. My college roomate watched many foreign movies, and I remember him telling me about an old swedish movie that had a similar premise... Don't remember more than that though..But that one didn't have Cruise for sure. ABout how old do you think the movie is? Is Cruise pretty young in it ? Where'd you see it? Sounds interesting to know, though. Wade --- On Tue, 27 Oct 1998 16:20:56 -0500 Gene Ehrich <gene@ehrich.com> wrote: >Last night my wife and I saw a previously unreleased flick from the very >early career of Tom Cruise. Rather disjointed black humor about a small >town detective and his attempt to solve a series of crimes where the >perpetrator dresses as Casper the Ghost and commits the crimes only on >Halloween night. The film gets needlessly bloody which kind of takes away >its unique charm. Cruises mother in the film bears a uncanny resemblance to >Goldie Hawn but the age doesn't fit. His girl friend also looks familiar >but cant place her. >Does anybody know who plays the mother or the girl friend? > gene@ehrich > http://www.voicenet.com/~generic >Computer & Video Game Garage Sale W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net> Subject: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 Date: 27 Oct 1998 19:36:33 -0500 Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach. >signoff movies-digest > >Lisa-Nichole Hamilton >Ham6934@cup.edu >Secondary Ed./Comp Soc. Sci >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] (Here's a clue: Using the address above, send the message: unsubscribe movies-digest not to the bloody list) Regards, --Mel --Mel Eperthener president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty email: bcassidy@usaor.net gowanna@australiamail.com http://www.webz.com/gowanna 419 Butler Street PO Box 95184 Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 (412) 781-6140 (412) 781-6380 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE (1-888-454-6926) ____________________________________________ "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" --Dana Scully ______________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich <gene@ehrich.com> Subject: Re: [MV] The Casper Caper Date: 27 Oct 1998 20:40:05 -0500 >ABout how old do you think the movie is? Is Cruise pretty young in it ? >Where'd you see it? Sounds interesting to know, though. On a late night satellite channel picked up at friends house. He looked like very early twenties. > > >Wade > > > >--- On Tue, 27 Oct 1998 16:20:56 -0500 Gene Ehrich <gene@ehrich.com> wrote: >>Last night my wife and I saw a previously unreleased flick from the very >>early career of Tom Cruise. Rather disjointed black humor about a small >>town detective and his attempt to solve a series of crimes where the >>perpetrator dresses as Casper the Ghost and commits the crimes only on >>Halloween night. The film gets needlessly bloody which kind of takes away >>its unique charm. Cruises mother in the film bears a uncanny resemblance to >>Goldie Hawn but the age doesn't fit. His girl friend also looks familiar >>but cant place her. > >>Does anybody know who plays the mother or the girl friend? >> gene@ehrich >> http://www.voicenet.com/~generic >>Computer & Video Game Garage Sale > > >-------------------------------------------------------- >W. Snider > >Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. >-Kierkegaard > >-------------------------------------------------------- > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > gene@ehrich http://www.voicenet.com/~generic Computer & Video Game Garage Sale [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ryana@allensysgroup.com (Ryan Allen) Subject: Re: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 Date: 28 Oct 1998 08:25:29 -0500 That is SO CLASSIC! :) Some people are so stupid... It's a shame people like that are allowed to procreate. At 19:36 10/27/98 , you wrote: >Those that can, do. >Those that can't, teach. > >>signoff movies-digest >> >>Lisa-Nichole Hamilton >>Ham6934@cup.edu >>Secondary Ed./Comp Soc. Sci >>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > >(Here's a clue: Using the address above, send the message: > >unsubscribe movies-digest > >not to the bloody list) > >Regards, > >--Mel > > >--Mel Eperthener >president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > >email: bcassidy@usaor.net > gowanna@australiamail.com > >http://www.webz.com/gowanna > >419 Butler Street >PO Box 95184 >Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 >(412) 781-6140 >(412) 781-6380 >1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE >(1-888-454-6926) >____________________________________________ >"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for >two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > >--Dana Scully >______________________________________________ > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 Date: 28 Oct 1998 08:20:44 PST Now calling her stupid is uncalled for. She may not have been paying proper attention to her messages or the list-admin instructions, and she gets an F for paying attention, but calling her stupid is pretty rude. --- On Wed, 28 Oct 1998 08:25:29 -0500 Ryan Allen <ryana@allensysgroup.com> wrote: That is SO CLASSIC! :) Some people are so stupid... It's a shame people like that are allowed to procreate. At 19:36 10/27/98 , you wrote: >Those that can, do. >Those that can't, teach. > >>signoff movies-digest >> >>Lisa-Nichole Hamilton >>Ham6934@cup.edu >>Secondary Ed./Comp Soc. Sci >>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > >(Here's a clue: Using the address above, send the message: > >unsubscribe movies-digest > >not to the bloody list) > >Regards, > >--Mel > > >--Mel Eperthener >president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > >email: bcassidy@usaor.net > gowanna@australiamail.com > >http://www.webz.com/gowanna > >419 Butler Street >PO Box 95184 >Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 >(412) 781-6140 >(412) 781-6380 >1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE >(1-888-454-6926) >____________________________________________ >"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for >two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > >--Dana Scully >______________________________________________ > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges <Bruce@SABAN.COM> Subject: Re: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 -Reply Date: 28 Oct 1998 08:25:33 -0700 Hey Guys, I've been on the road for about a month so I have probably missed hundreds of riveting emails. Hopefully I will be around for a little while this time and can participate. Upon my return I ran across the very detailed explanation from Ryan on why he thinks somebody is stupid and how his courage allows him to make such bold statements in the face of the cowardly masses. I thought this list was about movies? I'm sure that there must exist a "stupid" list for such discussions. Anyway, I finally bought a DVD player and began watching the Usual Suspects Director's comments last night. It was fascinating. bye, bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 Date: 28 Oct 1998 11:11:02 PST I didn't realize that making a mistake implies stupidity. Ah, I am oh so enlightened, now. Thanks, so much, for clearing that up for me, Ryan. Oh, and I thought she was stupid? I didn't realize that I was afraid to say that. Glad to see you know us all so well, Ryan. Getting back to an appropriate topic, Who has seen Apt Pupil? I'm curious as to anyone on the list's opinion... Wade --- On Wed, 28 Oct 1998 11:06:38 -0500 Ryan Allen <ryana@allensysgroup.com> wrote: I call 'em like I see 'em. I do not believe in caring for those who are unintelligent, and I have no tolerance for STUPID people. In this day and age, where political correctness reigns, it's sad to see people covering for the faults of others. She was STUPID, and obviously couldn't read. I have no regrets in what I said, and I do believe she was STUPID. There is no excuse that you could give me to NOT call her STUPID. You may find it rude. You may find it unprofessional. However I am simply saying what we all thought. Just because you don't have the guts to call someone what they are, don't take it out on me. Cheers, Ryan [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 Date: 28 Oct 1998 09:47:17 -0800 actually, I thought it was a really dumb mistake.... but I can be catty too!! > -----Original Message----- > From: ryana@allensysgroup.com [SMTP:ryana@allensysgroup.com] > Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 1998 8:07 AM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 > > At 11:20 10/28/98 , you wrote: > >Now calling her stupid is uncalled for. She may not have been paying > proper > >attention to her messages or the list-admin instructions, and she gets an > F > >for > >paying attention, but calling her stupid is pretty rude. > > I call 'em like I see 'em. I do not believe in caring for those who are > unintelligent, and I have no tolerance for STUPID people. In this day and > age, where political correctness reigns, it's sad to see people covering > for the faults of others. She was STUPID, and obviously couldn't read. > > I have no regrets in what I said, and I do believe she was STUPID. There > is no excuse that you could give me to NOT call her STUPID. You may find > it rude. You may find it unprofessional. However I am simply saying what > we all thought. Just because you don't have the guts to call someone what > they are, don't take it out on me. > > Cheers, > Ryan > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 -Reply Date: 28 Oct 1998 09:51:43 -0800 bruce, this list is for people to talk about movies, how they enjoyed the work of the filmmaker and how it affects THEIR lives -- we are not a bunch of Hollywood jerks trying to impress the masses (well, maybe one or two of us...) but a loyal few who love movies for movies' sake. > -----Original Message----- > From: Bruce Bridges [SMTP:Bruce@SABAN.COM] > Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 1998 7:26 AM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] RE: movies-digest V2 #122 -Reply > > Hey Guys, I've been on the road for about a month so I have probably > missed hundreds of riveting emails. Hopefully I will be around for > a little while this time and can participate. > > Upon my return I ran across the very detailed explanation from Ryan > on why he thinks somebody is stupid and how his courage allows him to > make such bold statements in the face of the cowardly masses. I > thought this list was about movies? I'm sure that there must exist > a "stupid" list for such discussions. > > Anyway, I finally bought a DVD player and began watching the Usual > Suspects Director's comments last night. It was fascinating. > > bye, > bb > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <greg_swarthout@autosoft.com> Subject: [MV] Pleasantville, * (out of 4 stars) Date: 28 Oct 1998 12:29:31 -0700 Review by Gregory A. Swarthout Stars: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels,=20 William H. Macy, J.T. Walsh, Don Knotts. Written and directed by Gary=20 Ross. Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements emphasizing sexuality, and=20 for language. "Pleasantville" isn=92t terribly pleasant. Its admittedly intriguin= g=20 premise wears out its welcome, and the storyline lacks any semblance of a= =20 moral compass. Good ideas get buried along the way or are never fully=20 developed. The "mixing black-&-white with color" gimmick, a clever=20 novelty through the first half of the film, becomes tiresome and stale by= the=20 end. Anyone expecting another "The Truman Show" will be sorely=20 disappointed. Where that film was fun and life affirming, this one is co= ld=20 and sterile. The shenanigans start when siblings David (Tobey Maguire) and=20 Jennifer (Reese Witherspoon) get sucked into a classic family sitcom by=20 means of a souped-up remote control given to them by an eccentric=20 repairman (Don Knotts). Finding themselves stuck in the idyllic town of=20 Pleasantville, the pair decides to try and make the best out of their sta= y. =20 David, now known as Bud Parker, knows enough about the show to fit in=20 easily. Meanwhile, Jennifer, now know as Mary Sue Parker, has no=20 intention of changing her "wild child" ways and becoming the straight-lac= ed=20 teeny-bopper everyone expects.=20 When Mary Sue introduces Pleasantville boys to sex, strange things=20 start to happen. Foremost is the mysterious appearance of color in the=20 previously black-&-white world. The citizens of Pleasantville also disco= ver=20 that their formerly agreeable lives are hollow and that only through chan= ge=20 can they become fulfilling once again. Although this is supposed to be a= =20 positive evolution in the citizenry, it instead takes on the melancholy=20 overtones of a paradise lost. There is a lot to like about "Pleasantville", but such things are mi= red=20 in a story that doesn=92t quite know what it wants to be about. Somewher= e in=20 the mish-mash is a parable of racial prejudice that isn=92t fully explore= d. =20 There is also a clumsy attempt to reverse the attitudes of its two modern= -day=20 protagonists. And sexual awakening is looked upon as the end-all-be-all = of=20 human experience. But worst of all is the message the film seems to pres= ent,=20 that corruption of the human animal is inevitable and should be embraced.= =20 "Pleasantville" may be many things, but pleasant it is not. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: cHriS <csothman@nwchiro.edu> Subject: [MV] APT PUPIL [non-spoiler review] Date: 28 Oct 1998 14:42:35 -0600 On Wed, 28 Oct 98, Wade asked: "Getting back to an appropriate topic, Who has seen Apt Pupil? I'm curious as to anyone on the list's opinion..." I saw APT PUPIL and thought it was all right. This was a real middle-of-the-road movie for me, in the essence that nothing really struck me as really great (except maybe the acting of the old man who played the Nazi), yet I was attentive all the way to the end. The story wasn't exactly thrilling or suspenseful, but it didn't bog down in boredom either. I know this isn't the greatest review, but that's how I felt about the movie. It didn't stir up anything in me, other than just mildly entertain me for an afternoon. I walked out of the theater thinking "Hm. Well, that was okay. What's for dinner?" - cHriS p.s. One highlight does come to mind: the unanimous groan from the audience as David Schwimmer's name pops up during the opening credits. :) [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <greg_swarthout@autosoft.com> Subject: [MV] Releases this week Date: 28 Oct 1998 13:45:14 -0700 **************************************** NEW MOVIES RELEASED THIS WEEK **************************************** Movies Opening October 30, 1998 (in alphabetical order) "All the Rage" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?allrage Comedy: A slick, gay attorney seeks out the perfect match in the cultural environment of Boston's South End. He finds it in his exact opposite: a book editor who has no interest in gyms or pick-up joints. For once, the thirtysomething may be up for something more than a one-night stand. He just has to prove he's worth it. October 30, 1998 - expanded, LA release "American History X" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?americanx Drama: Edward Norton becomes the leader of a white supremacist group after his father is violently murdered by a black gang member. After spending time in prison, Norton no longer wants to be a part of the hate and violence that his neo-Nazi group cultivates, and tries to separate himself and brother Edward Furlong from the urban racism. October 30, 1998 - national release "Hands on a Hardbody" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?handshardbody Documentary: Twenty-four contestants compete in a sleep deprivation contest to win a Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the truck is the winner. Documentary filmmaker S.R. Bindler covers this true-life marketing promotion/endurance marathon. Produced by actor Matthew McConaughey's J.K. Livin' Productions. October 30, 1998 - expanded, 13 cities release "The Inheritors" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?inheritors Drama: An Austrian farm owner in the 1930s does something different in his will. He leaves the land to his seven peasants. Although he had hoped his adversaries would fight each other for the property, the experiment holds. Under the steady hand of two peasants, an orphan and a fiery woman, the group works together to keep their freedom. October 30, 1998 - expanded, LA release "Life is Beautiful" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?lifebeautiful Drama: Roberto Benigni directs and stars in this award-winning film set in Europe during World War II. Benigni is an optimistic Jewish man who falls in love and nearly lives happily ever after. Several years after he marries, he and his son are deported to a concentration camp. Using his spirit and imagination, Benigni tries to shelter his boy from the Holocaust. October 30, 1998 - expanded, top 20 markets release "Living Out Loud" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?livingout Comedy: Elevator operator Danny DeVito falls in love with divorcee Holly Hunter in a romantic comedy written and directed by Richard LaGravenese, whose script credits include "The Fisher King," "Beloved" and "The Bridges of Madison County." October 30, 1998 - LA/NY release "Talk of Angels" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?talkangels Drama: Political and sexual passions boil over for an Irish governess (Polly Walker) and the son (Vincent Perez) of an aristocratic family in Spain on the brink of civil war. October 30, 1998 - LA/NY release "John Carpenter's Vampires" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?vampires Horror: James Woods leads a team of Vatican-sponsored vampire slayers in director John Carpenter's latest fright fest. After destroying a bloodsuckers nest in New Mexico, Team Crow hosts a celebration spoiled only by the arrival of an ancient lord of darkness. Woods and the remaining survivors pursue the 600-year-old vampire through the high desert for one final confrontation. October 30, 1998 - national release [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Olaf Adam <olaf.adam@ruhr-uni-bochum.de> Subject: [MV] Just a simple question Date: 29 Oct 1998 00:58:24 +0100 Hi there. I just spoke to a friend about Saul Bass' only feature film PHASE IV which is probably one of the finest SF films ever made, and I wondered if anyone knows if it's currently available on video, or ever was? Someone, anyone ...? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Just a simple question Date: 28 Oct 1998 16:17:55 -0800 It SHOULD be available on video... renting it (finding it at a rental place) will be a little tough... but you can sign on to imdb.com or Amazon.com to buy it.... > -----Original Message----- > From: Olaf Adam [SMTP:olaf.adam@ruhr-uni-bochum.de] > Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 1998 3:58 PM > To: Movies Mailing List > Subject: [MV] Just a simple question > > Hi there. > I just spoke to a friend about Saul Bass' only feature film PHASE IV > which is probably one of the finest SF films ever made, and I wondered > if anyone knows if it's currently available on video, or ever was? > Someone, anyone ...? > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Just a simple question Date: 29 Oct 1998 00:22:58 -0500 At 12.58 AM 29/10/98 +0100, Olaf Adam wrote: >Hi there. >I just spoke to a friend about Saul Bass' only feature film PHASE IV >which is probably one of the finest SF films ever made, and I wondered >if anyone knows if it's currently available on video, or ever was? >Someone, anyone ...? As of the Spring of 1997 (last catalogue I have available), there was a SF film listed as available under the name Phase Four. First suggestion is to try Suncoast Motion Picture Company (should be in a mall near you). They should at least be able to tell you if it is still in print. If it is, they can order it for you easily. If not, try Video Oyster (they have a web site). They specialise in out of print videos. If you buy from Video Oyster, it will be used. If all of this fails, let me know, and I can try some of my sources. (Actually, I should have checked your address before opening my mouth. You are from Germany?? Simple answer is I don't know. However, if no one else can help you, the offer still stands for you to contact me directly. I have some contacts, and may even be able to find a PAL copy for you) Regards, --Mel --Mel Eperthener president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty email: bcassidy@usaor.net gowanna@australiamail.com http://www.webz.com/gowanna 419 Butler Street PO Box 95184 Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 (412) 781-6140 (412) 781-6380 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE (1-888-454-6926) ____________________________________________ "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" --Dana Scully ______________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Rebecca Bezant" <sunybruk@infoblvd.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Just a simple question Date: 29 Oct 1998 02:03:14 PST I dont know if its Olaf Adam or Mel Eperthener asking this question, but = whomever, this regard that person, I looked up in this Wegmans Home Video Video Guide 1997(by the way I'm = not trying to advertise, in fact I am not employed at all, its just part = of my point of reference) and found the name of Phase IV. I have not watc= hed it all, even though it was made in 1974(being two years older than = me), I would like that person to know that is on video. Thank you. Tim ---------- > At 12.58 AM 29/10/98 +0100, Olaf Adam wrote: > >Hi there. > >I just spoke to a friend about Saul Bass' only feature film PHASE IV > >which is probably one of the finest SF films ever made, and I wondered > >if anyone knows if it's currently available on video, or ever was? > >Someone, anyone ...? > > As of the Spring of 1997 (last catalogue I have available), there was = a SF > film listed as available under the name Phase Four. First suggestion = is to > try Suncoast Motion Picture Company (should be in a mall near you). = They > should at least be able to tell you if it is still in print. If it is, > they can order it for you easily. If not, try Video Oyster (they have = a > web site). They specialise in out of print videos. If you buy from = Video > Oyster, it will be used. > > If all of this fails, let me know, and I can try some of my sources. > > (Actually, I should have checked your address before opening my mouth. = You > are from Germany?? Simple answer is I don't know. However, if no one = else > can help you, the offer still stands for you to contact me directly. = I > have some contacts, and may even be able to find a PAL copy for you) > > Regards, > > --Mel > > > --Mel Eperthener > president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty > > email: bcassidy@usaor.net > gowanna@australiamail.com > > http://www.webz.com/gowanna > > 419 Butler Street > PO Box 95184 > Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184 > (412) 781-6140 > (412) 781-6380 > 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE > (1-888-454-6926) > ____________________________________________ > "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for > two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia" > > --Dana Scully > ______________________________________________ > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ren <reneer@post.cis.smu.edu> Subject: [MV] dead poets society Date: 29 Oct 1998 00:37:53 -0600 (CST) hey, guys, i was just wondering if anyone was familiar with the extended version of dead poets society? it's about 20 minutes longer than the regualr version and really makes a difference in the story. as far as i know, it's only ever shown on tv, and not availible for sale anywhere. does anyone know if, in fact, it is availible somewhere, or is there anyone who has a copy that would be willing to make a copy for me seeing as dead poets society is so rarely on tv anymore???? thanks a million. -Ren ************************************************ * Renee' Rhodes * * reneer@post.cis.smu.edu * * http://www.smu.edu/~reneer * * "... am I alive or thoughts that drift away? * * does summer come for everyone? * * can humans do as prophets say? * * and if I die before I learn to speak * * can money pay for all the days I lived * * awake but half asleep"? * * - Primitive Radio Gods * ************************************************ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES Date: 28 Oct 1998 16:25:12 -0700 (MST) JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES (Columbia) Starring: James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith, Tim Guinee, Maximilian Schell. Screenplay: Don Jakoby, based on the novel _Vampire$_ by John Steakley. Producer: Sandy King. Director: John Carpenter. MPAA Rating: R (violence, gore, profanity, adult themes, nudity) Running Time: 107 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. It's refreshing to see a film about vampires that's actually about vampires. Not vampirism as a metaphor for AIDS, not vampirism as a metaphor for drug addiction, not vampirism as a metaphor for persecuted minority groups, or as a metaphor for anything else -- just blood-suckin', sun-hatin', butt-kickin' vampires. JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES is the kind of slick horror package that's increasingly hard to find: raucous, sanguine and almost utterly devoid of sociological sub-text. Based on John Steakley's novel _Vampire$_, it incorporates that oh-so-90s-vogue vocation of vampire hunting into the context of an old spaghetti Western. Jack Crow (James Woods) is one of many vampire hunters on a Vatican-funded mission to eradicate the plague of the undead. One night his team is obliterated by Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith), the oldest vampire ever to walk the earth. Crow and his one surviving associate Montoya (Daniel Baldwin), accompanied by newly-recruited young priest Father Guiteau (Tim Guinee), have to find Valek and kill him before he can locate a mysterious relic which might give him the power to walk in the daylight. Add plenty of flying body parts, stark Western vistas and Carpenter's own twangy Tex-Mex score, and you have a simple, economical horror yarn. It all makes for fine gruesome entertainment, but it should have been better. John Carpenter has always been able to incorporate wry, weird humor into his films -- remember the crawling head in THE THING, or practically all of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, for that matter? -- and he manages again to pull of a few nice bits of black comedy. Woods, playing Crow with snarling relish and a serious bad attitude, gets most of the choice lines, all of which are either unprintable or incredibly offensive or both. Carpenter's sense of the horrific usually involves a kind of self-aware outrageousness, turning his displays of blood-spraying special effects into absurdist cinematic goofs too purely escapist to get worked up over. Unfortunately, VAMPIRES keeps upsetting its delicate balance of humor and horror by taking frequent detours into mean-spiritedness. It's one thing to play with notions of political incorrectness; it's quite another to get off on it. The only human female characters in VAMPIRES are hookers who hang around just long enough to get naked and get turned into lunchmeat; when Woods really wants to insult someone, a bit of gay-baiting always fits the bill. Even if you grant Carpenter and screenwriter Don Jakoby the slack they seem to be searching for -- it's okay that a woman is stripped and smacked around because she's a vampire-in-waiting, and it's okay that a Catholic priest participates in a human sacrifice because another priest is a stand-up guy -- the tone simply gets nastier than it needs to be. Everyone is too unpleasant too often. The thing about VAMPIRES is that when Carpenter rolls up his sleeves and dives into genre action, it's a lot of fun. In fact, if he had rolled with the tone of the first 25 minutes, he might have had a minor classic on his hands. The opening assault on a New Mexico vampire "nest" is wild, silly and superbly paced; Valek's first attack is a creepy and crafty splatter-fest. From there, VAMPIRES gets progressively more angry and ominous, before it finally rights itself for the climactic confrontation between Crow and Valek. There's not enough interest in characterization here to make the casual brutality of Crow and Montoya somehow psychologically appropriate. Psychology's got virtually nothing to do with JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES, a slice of Halloween mayhem that works wonderfully when it lets the good times roll. For a vampire movie without a "message," it offers some mixed messages it could do without. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 stake-outs: 6. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (October 29, 1998) Date: 29 Oct 1998 08:33:45 -0500 (EST) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (October 29, 1998). This week at the movies, another vampire picture, this one just in time for the Halloween weekend, and in limited release, one of the year's better films featuring a performance that's a sure bet come Oscar time. On home video: Leapin' Lizards! Godzilla stomps his way into video stores this Tuesday, obviously overshadowing the lone other release. PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of "Living Out Loud" (Holly Hunter, Danny DeVito), "The Siege" (Denzel Washington, Bruce Willis), "The Waterboy" (Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates) and the rerelease of "The Big Chill" (Glenn Close, Kevin Kline) and "The Wizard of Oz" (Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton). ===========PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS=========== FREE 30 DAY MEMBERSHIP!!! Try DISNEY'S BLAST, the premiere online site for kids, FREE for 30 days! Join what hundreds of other parents sign up for every day and give your kids a fun, and safe place to play, explore, and learn on line. Visit our page for more information: http://www.screenit.com/disney_blast.html ===========PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS=========== NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30TH: "AMERICAN HISTORY X" (1998) (Edward Norton, Edward Furlong) (R) Drama: Upon his release from prison, a former skinhead (Norton) tries to prevent his younger brother (Furlong) from following him down the same path of hatred and violence. Undeniably one of the more powerful films you'll see this year, "American History X" is a thought-provoking, moving, and visually stunning picture that features a performance from Norton that will certainly earn him another Oscar nomination. That said, it's clearly not for younger kids and gets its R rating from nonstop profanity, violence (shootings, prison rape), sexual material, and nudity. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/american_history_x.html __________________________________________________ "JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES" (1998) (James Woods, Daniel Baldwin) (R) Horror: A vampire slayer (Woods) and his team (including Baldwin) battle a 600-year-old vampire who hopes to find a long-hidden cross that will enable him to live in full sunlight. Something akin to "Dracula" meets "The Wild Bunch," this film is neither scary nor campy enough to enjoy on either level. The R rating comes from vampire-related violence and gore, nudity and sensuality, and profanity. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/john_carpenters_vampires.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD: (Notice: Release dates subject to change) (Not all video stores will carry all titles) "GODZILLA" (1998) (Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno) (PG-13) Action/Adventure: A small team of specialists (including Broderick & Reno) tries to find a reptilian behemoth that's ravaging Manhattan. Overblown and only moderately thrilling whenever Godzilla is on screen, but comatose when he or other similar creatures are not, the film might fit the bill for those looking for brain dead escapist pleasures, but will probably insult nearly everyone else's intelligence just as is expected from a summer blockbuster film. Grossing more than $350 million worldwide ($136 million domestically), the film's PG-13 rating comes from sci-fi monster action and violence. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/godzilla.html) __________________________________________________ "LES MISERABLES" (1998) (Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush) (PG-13) Drama: In 19th century France a former convict (Neeson) continually tries to elude a police officer (Rush) whose lifelong pursuit of the man has turned into an obsession. If you're not familiar with the story or have never seen the musical, this production might impress you, as well it should. Featuring some decent performances and great technical work, the film is good. It's just not great, and lacking the power and emotional thrust that the musical so effectively presented, the film comes off as a flatter and much weaker version of novelist Victor Hugo's work. Grossing nearly $14 million domestically, the film's PG-13 rating comes from violence and some sexual content. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/les_miserables.html) ===========PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS=========== FREE 30 DAY MEMBERSHIP!!! Try DISNEY'S BLAST, the premiere online site for kids, FREE for 30 days! Join what hundreds of other parents sign up for every day and give your kids a fun, and safe place to play, explore, and learn on line. Visit our page for more information: http://www.screenit.com/disney_blast.html ===========PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS=========== Do you find the Screen It Website useful? If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in your community or country may benefit from this information. Contact information can be found at the following address: http://www.screenit.com/press.html __________________________________________________ Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make sure that first you Screen It! Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents http://www.screenit.com __________________________________________________ Since we respect your privacy and time, we'll always keep these messages brief and we'll never sell or give your e-mail address to anyone. If at any time you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply let us know at reviews@screenit.com and we'll remove you from our list. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: [MV] Highlander (The European Edition) Date: 29 Oct 1998 08:06:52 -0700 When I was in London ten years ago I rented Highlander. I had seen it a dozen times before, but was completely shocked with the inclusion of a previously cut scene. It's another flashback scene, (***********------Spoiler to this scene------************) to WWII France (or Germany) and the Highlander finds a little girl in the rubble of a building. He picks her up just before being gunned down by an SS officer. The girl is totally stunned by having this dead guy on top of her, but of course he opens his eyes and smiles. She gasps, and he says, "Hey, it's a kind of magic". He stands up, making the nazi nearly pee himself, then kills the nazi. I don't understand why this scene was cut from the original, because it explains who Rachael is and why she knows about his powers, and also why they never got romantically involved. It's also kind of cool that the last thing he ever says to her is "Hey it's a kind of magic". It puts a nice, rounded, finishing touch on their relationship. My question is, does anybody know how I can get a copy of it here in the states? Is it in the Director's Edition of the movie? JAMES K. RUDY [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" <ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Highlander (The European Edition) Date: 29 Oct 1998 15:18:31 +0000 --=_ORCL_5986968_0_0 Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I can get it over here for you, and send it too you, and all you have to do is get it translated. Thanks & Regards, ****************************************************************************= ** ****************************************************************************= ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland ****************************************************************************= ** --=_ORCL_5986968_0_0 Content-Type:message/rfc822 Reply-to:IEUNIX1.IE.ORACLE.COM:movies@lists.xmission.com Return-Path:<owner-movies@lists.xmission.com> Received:from iedns1.ie.oracle.com by iemail1.ie.oracle.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-4.1) id PAA02451; Thu, 29 Oct 1998 15:03:33 GMT Received:from mail-gw3.uk.oracle.com (ukaa04.uk.oracle.com) by iedns1.ie.oracle.com (5.x/SMI-SVR4) id AA00865; Thu, 29 Oct 1998 15:07:24 GMT Received:from uksn98.uk.oracle.com (uksn98.uk.oracle.com [138.3.208.67]) by mail-gw3.uk.oracle.com (8.8.5/8.8.8) with SMTP id PAA23742 for <ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com>; Thu, 29 Oct 1998 15:08:49 GMT Received:from lists.xmission.com ([198.60.22.7]) by uksn98.uk.oracle.com via smtpd (for ukaa04.uk.oracle.com [138.3.208.99]) with SMTP; 29 Oct 1998 15:08:49 UT Received:from domo by lists.xmission.com with local (Exim 2.04 #1) id 0zYtgH-00037o-00 for movies-goout@lists.xmission.com; Thu, 29 Oct 1998 08:08:09 -0700 Received:from [204.134.212.40] (helo=fwext.micron.com) by lists.xmission.com with smtp (Exim 2.04 #1) id 0zYtgE-00037W-00 for movies@lists.xmission.com; Thu, 29 Oct 1998 08:08:06 -0700 Received:from admin-srv21.micron.com by fwext.micron.com via smtpd (for lists.xmission.com [198.60.22.7]) with SMTP; 29 Oct 1998 15:08:06 UT Received:from ntxchange01.micron.com (ntxchange01.micron.com [137.201.105.67]) by admin-srv21.micron.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id IAA17234 for <movies@lists.xmission.com>; Thu, 29 Oct 1998 08:06:54 -0700 (MST) Received:by ntxchange01.micron.com with Internet Mail Service (5.0.1460.8) id <VJ4W26Z5>; Thu, 29 Oct 1998 08:06:56 -0700 Message-Id:<3BDC522EBE62D211A2A80020AFFC0D7515865E@ntxchange02.micron.com> Sender:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable When I was in London ten years ago I rented Highlander. I had seen it a dozen times before, but was completely shocked with the inclusion of a previously cut scene. It's another flashback scene, (***********------Spoiler to this scene------************) to WWII France (or Germany) and the Highlander finds a little girl in the rubble of a building. He picks her up just before being gunned down by an SS officer. The girl is totally stunned by having this dead guy on top of her, but of course he opens his eyes and smiles. She gasps, and he says, "Hey, it's a kind of magic". He stands up, making the nazi nearly pee himself, then kills the nazi. I don't understand why this scene was cut from the original, because it explains who Rachael is and why she knows about his powers, and also why they never got romantically involved. It's also kind of cool that the last thing he ever says to her is "Hey it's a kind of magic". It puts a nice, rounded, finishing touch on their relationship. My question is, does anybody know how I can get a copy of it here in the states? Is it in the Director's Edition of the movie? JAMES K. RUDY [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] --=_ORCL_5986968_0_0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: FW: FW: [MV] Highlander (The European Edition) Date: 29 Oct 1998 11:39:20 -0800 My sistert is the definitive fan of the show.... > -----Original Message----- > From: Lisa Romero [SMTP:lromero1@earthlink.net] > Sent: Thursday, October 29, 1998 11:43 AM > To: Romero, Leticia > Subject: Re: FW: [MV] Highlander (The European Edition) > > You're serious, Right?á What a question!!! > > What he is refering to is what US fans know as the "Eurominutes". Since > the series is filmed in Canada and France, where commercial aren't as > insidious, the episodes are shot with an average of 10-12 minutes, which > is edited out of the U.S. broadcast versions to make room for the standard > commercial format. > > The first five seasons of Highland is available on tape, the complete > "Eurominutes" version.á Point him to www. highlander-official.com to get > info on the catalogue where he can order the complete sets of seasons.á As > far as I know, individual episodes are not sold outside of the sets, with > the exception of "Counterfit" and "Finale" episodes in which the > continuations were edited in to feature length.á Those can be purchased at > any video store and some video stores may even carry the early seasons > complete sets (I've seen the first season at Suncoast Video) > > Romero, Leticia wrote: > > can you help? > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: jkrudy [SMTP:jkrudy@micron.com] > > Sent: Thursday, October 29, 1998 7:07 AM > > To:áá 'movies@lists.xmission.com' > > Subject:ááááá [MV] Highlander (The European Edition) > > > > When I was in London ten years ago I rented Highlander.á I had seen it a > > > dozen times before, but was completely shocked with the inclusion of a > > previously cut scene.á It's anotherá flashback scene, > > (***********------Spoiler to this scene------************)á to WWII > France > > (or Germany) and the Highlander finds a little girl in the rubble of a > > building.á He picks her up just before being gunned down by an SS > officer. > > The girl is totally stunned by having this dead guy on top of her, but > of > > course he opens his eyes and smiles.á She gasps, and he says, "Hey, it's > a > > kind of magic".á He stands up, making the nazi nearly pee himself, then > > kills the nazi.á I don't understand why this scene was cut from the > > original, because it explains who Rachael is and why she knows about his > > > powers, and also why they never got romantically involved.á It's also > kind > > of cool that the last thing he ever says to her is "Hey it's a kind of > > magic".á It puts a nice, rounded, finishing touch on their relationship. > > > > > My question is, does anybody know how I can get a copy of it here in the > > > states?á Is it in the Director's Edition of the movie? > > > > > > JAMES K. RUDY > > > > > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.comáááááááááá ] > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: [MV] FW: OOOPS!! Date: 29 Oct 1998 11:46:19 -0800 She's also the definitative geek.... I'm Queen Geek for not catching it... > -----Original Message----- > From: Lisa Romero [SMTP:lromero1@earthlink.net] > Sent: Thursday, October 29, 1998 11:54 AM > To: Leti Romero > Subject: OOOPS!! > > I reread the message, he isn't refering to the t.v. serious but the actual > movie.á The directors cut is available in the U.S. and in the catalogue.á > The url I sent is still applicable though. > > Sorry for the mix up!! [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Garrett Winters <gargoyle@iol.ie> Subject: [MV] Old movie question Date: 29 Oct 1998 20:00:25 +0000 this has bugged me for a while as I have been unable to locate since I left America, the problem now being I'm not sure if I remember the name right. It was a horror film from the late 60's early 70's ( in colour) that was almost like an early "Evil Dead" where a group of friends go to spend a weekend or somesuch out in a country house owned by a professor ( I think). once there they find the professor is missing and he has left audio tapes ( again I think) telling them what he has been doing. they go off to look for him and see a mythological type fortress in the distance and they go into a cave where spooky shit happens, I even think it was an early use of the Necronomicon (unless that was truly coined for Evil Dead) or a Book of the Dead. some of them get killed and possessed by the evil entity and only one girl survives (ostensibly as at the end of the film we leave her in a hospital bed and the camera comes outside to show 2 of her possessed friends approaching the hospital) now I think it was called "Equinox" but I'm not 100%, so does anyone here recall such a film and if so do you know if it is still available? TIA Garrett [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com> Subject: RE: [MV] FW: OOOPS!! Date: 29 Oct 1998 13:07:16 -0700 Hey mistakes happen, and I don't think you or your sister is a geek or dumb or even stupid, but I'm sure somebody on this list does. Thank you for looking into it for me. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, October 29, 1998 12:46 PM She's also the definitative geek.... I'm Queen Geek for not catching it... > -----Original Message----- > From: Lisa Romero [SMTP:lromero1@earthlink.net] > Sent: Thursday, October 29, 1998 11:54 AM > To: Leti Romero > Subject: OOOPS!! > > I reread the message, he isn't refering to the t.v. serious but the actual > movie. The directors cut is available in the U.S. and in the catalogue. > The url I sent is still applicable though. > > Sorry for the mix up!! [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/29/98 Date: 29 Oct 1998 13:08:37 -0700 (MST) HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Tom Cruise is in final talks to take an unbilled cameo in the ensemble cast of the next film by the director of "Boogie Nights." Cruise, a member of the $20 million salary club, is adapting his standard deal to join "Magnolia," which is a series of vignettes set in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Director Paul Thomas Anderson, who grew up in the Valley, wrote a script that involves six interwoven stories dealing with parents, children, love and loneliness. The $30 million-plus New Line Cinema project is slated to start shooting in January, with castings being finalized this week. Many of the "Boogie Nights" alumni will star in "Magnolia." -=> * <=- Edward Norton's weight is back down now that he's finished "American History X." Norton muscled up by gaining 30 pounds to play a vicious skinhead, but he was looking lean again at Monday's premiere. Norton told Variety he's lost more than the 30 pounds he gained and said taking off the weight was easier than putting it on. "I just collapsed like a balloon," he said. -=> * <=- Jean-Claude Van Damme lost his cool in a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday. Frank Dux contends in his $1.5 million lawsuit that he co-wrote a screenplay that became "The Quest" and that the 38-year-old Belgian actor promised to share profits with him. Van Damme started shouting after Dux testified that the actor told him to stop dating his sister-in-law several years ago because Van Damme wanted to pursue her. "You can take my money, but don't touch my family!" Van Damme yelled from his seat. His lawyer tried to calm him down, but Van Damme insisted: "I don't care if I go to jail. I won't take that from him." Van Damme quieted down only after the judge stood up and yelled over the actor's voice. -=> * <=- * VOTED: Most outrageously beautiful people, Brad Pitt and "Mask of "Zorro" star Catherine Zeta-Jones, by Movieline magazine. The mag also named David Duchovny "most overeducated for the job of movie star" and Shannen Doherty "most likely to play Monica Lewinsky in a TV movie." [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com> Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#164, 10/29/98 Date: 29 Oct 1998 17:18:05 -0800 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #164 OCTOBER 29, 1998 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 renting or purchasing videos 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 -_Living_Out_Loud_ -_The_Siege_ -_Orgazmo_ -_Waking_Ned_Devine_ -_Little_Voice_ V I D E O -_The_Butcher_Boy_ -_Deep_Impact_ -_Gone_with_the_Wind_ -_The_Opposite_of_Sex_ On Monday, November 2, Mr. Brown's Movie Site celebrates its third birthday. For links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie discussion board, movie theme MIDI files, a comprehensive link section, and more, visit: http://welcome.to/mrbrown or http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown Please don't forget to sign the guestbook... Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com ...and the Eyepiece Network at: http://www.eyepiece.com ...and Albany Online at: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com all movies graded out of four stars (****) ~~~ =>M O V I E S<= N E W R E L E A S E S Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _Living_Out_Loud_ (R) *** All signs seem to indicate that New Line is at a loss as to how to market _Living_Out_Loud_: the poster is simply three candid headshots of the stars (Holly Hunter, Danny DeVito, and Queen Latifah) unimaginatively arranged on a black background, and the dull trailer left every audience I've seen it with making audible groans. It's a shame, for hot Hollywood scribe Richard LaGravenese's directorial debut is a nice surprise, a refreshingly adult romantic comedy-drama. When I say "adult," I don't mean as in raunchy but as in mature--in attitude and characters. The central pair are two lonely, divorced people north of 40. Judith (Hunter) has lost all direction and meaning in life after her successful surgeon husband (Martin Donovan) left her for a thirtysomething (Tamlyn Tomita); she drinks heavily, spending most of her days in her apartment and her nights listening to her favorite crooner Liz Bailey (Latifah, who does her own singing) perform at a jazz club. Pat (DeVito)'s marriage, already troubled by his gambling, was dealt a fatal blow when his daughter succumbed to cancer. There's a lyric in a key song in the musical _Rent_ that goes, "What was it about that night?/Connection in an isolating age." Such a connection in such a night is the pivotal event in _Living_Out_Loud_, but it's not between the pair one would expect. One night at the club, Judith receives a passionate kiss from a mysterious stranger (Elias Koteas), which shakes her out of her malaise. Her renewed sense of romantic hope leads her to engage in idle conversation with her posh building's doorman, Pat, and gradually their talk grows deeper--eventually resulting in the profoundly touching connection between Judith and Pat. There is not much plot in _Living_Out_Loud_, but LaGravenese's main concern here are, rather, the characters and their relationships, and he succeeds in creating genuine, recognizably human characters that are sympathetic to the audience. This is not to say that they are incredibly wholesome; they are generally good but flawed individuals, especially in the case of Judith, who is often angry and more than a little self-centered. These characters connect with the viewer because the viewer can see a little of themselves in everyone: bitter Judith, broken Pat, and the (mostly) sensible Liz. The most well-rounded character is, of course, Judith, and the film's title is what she must learn to do: live "out loud" and not in her head. LaGravenese delves into _Ally_McBeal_ territory by depicting Judith's imaginings on screen, and the results, for the most part, are effective, generating some of the film's best laughs. (Especially memorable is one where she jumps from her bedroom window to her death, which is then immediately reported on the news.) But LaGravenese sometimes doesn't know when to quit. A delightful dance floor epiphany, with Judith and other dancers suddenly breaking into synchronized, choreographed moves, is marred by its heavyhanded, unsubtly symbolic conclusion where she literally embraces her younger self. LaGravenese makes up for his occasional missteps (the origins of Judith and Liz's friendship is unconvincing) with his musical choices. George Fenton composed the silky score, which effectively extends the mellow jazz/R&B sounds beyond the walls of the nightclub. The smooth, soothing soundtrack could not be a better fit for the laid-back, low-key, unforced appeal of _Living_Out_Loud_. _The_Siege_ (R) ** 1/2 Denzel Washington and director Edward Zwick have had an amazing track record together, working on two of the most powerful war films in recent cinematic history: 1989's aptly named Civil War epic _Glory_, and 1996's underappreciated Gulf War mystery _Courage_Under_Fire_. For _The_Siege_, their third collaboration, Washington and Zwick work with a fictional war-like situation, and the mediocre result is dismayingly unworthy of their combined talents. _The_Siege_ would appear to take an original spin on a basic political thriller. After the efforts of an FBI team led by special agent Anthony Hubbard (Washington), aided by shady CIA operative Elise Kraft (Annette Bening), fail to end a rash of terrorist bombings in New York City, the White House takes drastic action--deploying a squadron of Army troops to enforce martial law in the Big Apple. This should be the point at which _The_Siege_ takes off, but it instead takes a turn for the worse. What had been a rather thoughtful thriller with some effective suspense sequences (notably a scene with a bomb-rigged bus, which is prominently featured in the tell-all trailer) becomes formulaic and, at times, insufferably didactic and sappy. After some investigation, the bombing culprit(s) is determined to be Arab, so the troops round up the entire Arab-American population and hole them up in a stadium. This not only leads to some scenes of races uniting to protest the injustice, but one of the detained is the son of Hubbard's partner Frank Haddad (Tony Shalhoub), setting the stage for tiresome "concerned father" moping and a teary father-son reunion (oops, did I spoil something for anyone there?). At the center of _The_Siege_'s problematic final act is Bruce Willis and his character General William Devereaux, who leads the Army in New York. Writers Zwick, Lawrence Wright, and Menno Meyjes never figure out what do to with the character. Devereaux is shown in the White House earlier in the film expressing his reluctance to be involved in the enforcement of martial law, yet by film's end he's become a gung-ho, power-mad zealot, getting in touch with the _Judge_Dredd_ within and angrily declaring, "I AM THE LAW!" An understandably confused Willis, wearing a ridiculously godawful wig (his hair stylist, Bunny Parker, should be shot), plays Devereaux as only he can--as if he wandered in from the set of his latest action opus. Apparently that bug is contagious, because the overwrought standoff climax (complete with, yes, a preachy speech) the writers cook up is straight out of a standard-issue Hollywood actioner. On the other hand, Bening and especially Washington deliver reliably strong, passionate performances. However, as stunning on the whole as Roger Deakins's cinematography is, his camera is inexplicably unforgiving on these two powerful screen presences. Washington looks more than a little chunky, and the usually luminous Bening looks shockingly haggard. That mix of the largely good with some glaring bad spots pretty much sums up the rest of _The_Siege_. (opens November 6) IN BRIEF _Orgazmo_ (NC-17) * 1/2 I am not a fan of _South_Park_--never have been, likely never will be. So I was surprised to find myself laughing during the early moments of this big screen comedy written, directed, and starring the popular adult animated series's co-creator (with Matt Stone, who also has a small role here), Trey Parker. He plays Joe Young, an innocent door-to-door Mormon preacher who unwittingly finds himself an adult film superstar after naively agreeing to play the title role in a pornographic superhero flick called _Orgazmo_. But as amusing as the setup and a few jokes (an old lady's F-word-ridden tirade about Mormons, a title card reading "Hollywood" appearing on a shot of the Hollywood sign) are, recurring gags that initially garner a giggle wear thin fast. An ebonics-spouting Asian sushi bar owner named G-Fresh (Masao San) is funny the first time we see him, the joke grows old with each subsequent appearance. The same can be said for the knowingly cheesy chopsocky action scenes and Orgazmo sidekick Choda-Boy's (Dian Bachar) vast array of dildo-derived gadgets. (The pervasive presence of sex toys undoubtedly factored in the MPAA's decision to brand this crude but quite tame film with an overly restrictive NC-17 rating.) Before long, the entirety of the film follows suit, straining to fill the rest of its slim 90-minute running time with a dull subplot in which Joe must fight off some heavies harassing G-Fresh. What is consistently funny, however, are the songs on soundtrack. The Parker-penned opening theme, "Now You're a Man," is a hilarious parody of "macho" hard rock ("What makes a man?/Is it the woman in his hands/Just 'cause she has big titties?"). Even better is the closing tune, a bossa nova groove that is quite seductive... until it gets to the hilariously absurd title lyric, which is repeated ad nauseum in the chorus: "Sorry about your penis." _Waking_Ned_Devine_ (PG) *** _Little_Voice_ (R) *** Fox Searchlight is pushing the modest Irish comedy _Waking_Ned_Devine_ as this year's _The_Full_Monty_, and it more than reminds of that sleeper hit: (1) it's a shameless, effective crowdpleaser, and (2) it's likely to be as wildly overrated as that inexplicable Best Picture nominee. Writer-director Kirk Jones's charming film can be best described as _Grumpy_Old_Men_ with a dash of _It_Could_Happen_to_You_, with two crafty codgers (Ian Bannen and David Kelly) leading the population of their tiny village (a mere 52) in an attempt to claim a lottery jackpot won by a recently deceased resident. The film is as cute and enjoyable as it sounds, and every bit as slight. Beyond the basic premise, there's a touch of romance involving a young pig farmer (James Nesbitt) and his stench-sensitive love (Susan Lynch), a blackly comic zinger of a final joke, and, unfortunately, not much in the way of memorable characters. A bit meatier is another crowdpleaser from the same part of the globe, the sweet British comedy _Little_Voice_. The title character (Jane Horrocks), nicknamed "L.V.", is a soft-spoken young woman who spends her days and nights listening to her late, beloved father's old record collection, much to the chagrin of her boozy floozy mother Mari (Brenda Blethyn). Through listening to the likes of Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey, the meek L.V. has developed quite a big singing voice of her own, catching the ear of one of Mari's greasy lovers, Ray Say (Michael Caine). A wildly unsuccessful talent agent, Ray sees L.V. as his long-awaited ticket to the big time. Writer-director Mark Herman's script, based on Jim Cartwright's play _The_Rise_and_Fall_of_Little_Voice_, goes through predictable, pedestrian paces, with Mari and Ray attempting to exploit L.V.'s gift without paying attention to her needs as a person. (The only person who pays much attention to her is kind, pigeon-raising telephone worker Billy, played by Ewan McGregor.) But what makes the film consistently engaging is its lead trio of characters. Caine and especially Blethyn are a hoot, exuding the right mix of sleaze, sexuality, selfishness, and even sympathy; the power of Ray's climactic breakdown comes as a bit of a shock. But the star of the film is indeed Horrocks, recreating her acclaimed stage role. She is quite simply remarkable, equally convincing speaking in a mousy murmur and belting "Big Spender" with the full-throttle lungs of a true diva. Horrocks, amazingly enough, not only did her own singing, she did it all live on the set, with no pre-recorded help. Quiet or loud, hers is the voice that clearly rings throughout. (_Waking_Ned_Devine_ opens November 20; _Little_Voice_ opens December 4) 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) -_Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#antz -_Apt_Pupil_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#161, 10/8/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#pupil -_Beloved_ (R) *** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#beloved -_Bride_of_Chucky_ (R) * 1/2 <MR#163, 10/22/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#chucky -_Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#clay -_The_Cruise_ (PG-13) *** <MR#163, 10/22/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#cruise -_Happiness_ **** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#happiness -_Holy_Man_ (PG) * 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#holyman -_The_Impostors_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#impostors -_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#vitabella -_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita -_The_Mighty_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#mighty -_A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_ (PG-13) 1/2* <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#roxbury -_One_True_Thing_ (R) *** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#1truething -_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#153, 8/7/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker -_Pleasantville_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#pleasantville -_Practical_Magic_ (PG-13) ** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#magic -_Ronin_ (R) ** <MR#158, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#ronin -_Rush_Hour_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rush -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan -_Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 <MR#157, 9/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#simon -_Slam_ (R) **** <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#slam -_Soldier_ (R) * <MR#163, 10/22/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#soldier -_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary -_Unmade_Beds_ ** 1/2 <MR#163, 10/22/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#unmade -_Urban_Legend_ (R) ** <MR#159, 9/25/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#urban -_What_Dreams_May_Come_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#160, 10/5/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#dreams -_Without_Limits_ (PG-13) *** <MR#156, 8/28/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits F U T U R E F I L M S -_Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#elizabeth (November 6) O N T H E H O R I Z O N OPENED WEDNESDAY, 10/28 _American_History_X_ (R) *** Full review in MR#162, 10/16/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#historyx Edward Norton's powerhouse performance propels this incendiary drama in which he plays a reformed neo-Nazi determined to prevent his younger brother (Edward Furlong) from going down the same destructive path. FRIDAY _The_Inheritors_ (R) A group of peasants inherit a farm in this Austrian import set in the 1930s. _John_Carpenter's_Vampires_ (R) * 1/2 Full review in MR#163, 10/22/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#vampires Schlocky horror flick in which a vampire hunter (James Woods) goes after a powerful bloodsucker (Thomas Ian Griffith) that will lead his brethren to become "a force unstoppable... unless we stop him!" Sheryl Lee and Daniel Baldwin also star. _Living_Out_Loud_ (R) *** <see above review> Celebrated scribe Richard LaGravenese makes his directorial debut refreshingly mature comedy-drama about the friendship between two lonely, recently divorced people (Holly Hunter and Danny DeVito). _Talk_of_Angels_ (PG-13) Finally being rescued from the black hole that is Miramax's shelf is this drama about the romance between an Irish governess (Polly Walker) and a Spanish aristocrat (Vincent Perez). ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _The_Butcher_Boy_ (R) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#butcherboy Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40528 Neil Jordan's darkly funny--and genuinely disturbing--tale of a young Irish lad's (Eamonn Owens, in an amazing performance) violent descent into madness. (Warner Home Video) _Deep_Impact_ (PG-13) *** Full review in MR#141, 5/7/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt33.html#impact Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41201 The first of this year's "the sky is falling" extravaganzas was this diverting, surprisingly serious ensemble piece about a comet on a collision course with earth. Tea Leoni, Robert Duvall, and Elijah Wood lead the cast for director Mimi Leder. (Paramount Home Video) _Gone_with_the_Wind_ (G) **** Full review in MR#147, 6/17/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#gwtw Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=481 Digitally restored version of Victor Fleming's classic 1939 adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's epic romance set against the backdrop of the Civil War- and Reconstruction-era South. Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh play enduring screen couple Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara. (New Line Home Video) _The_Opposite_of_Sex_ (R) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#144, 5/29/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt34.html#sex Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41411 An unrepentant teen temptress (Christina Ricci) makes life hell for her gay half-brother (Martin Donovan) and everyone else who gets in her way in Don Roos's wonderfully wicked black comedy. Lisa Kudrow turns in a movie-stealing turn as the bitter sister of Donovan's dead lover. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) ALSO NEW THIS WEEK _Clockwatchers_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41244 The darkly comic travails of office temp workers, from director Jill Sprecher. Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, and Alanna Ubach star. (BMG Independents) _The_Lion_King_II:_Simba's_Pride_ Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=43370 The latest Disney marketing ploy disguised as a direct-to-video animation sequel is this follow-up to the 1994 blockbuster, in which the still-tortured Simba (once again voiced by Matthew Broderick) teaches his daughter Kiara (Neve Campbell) the ways of the circle of life. (Walt Disney Home Video) ~~~ =>N E X T W E E K<= More reviews, including: -_I_Still_Know_What_You_Did_Last_Summer_ -_Velvet_Goldmine_ -_The_Waterboy_ 'til then... __________________________________________________________ Michael Dequina Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site http://jordan.sportsline.com mj23@michaeljordanfan.com | jordan_host@sportsmail.com michael_jordan@geocities.com | mrbrown@iname.com >My personal WWW sites< Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23 Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md >Other WWW sites I work on< CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com "Life is knowing the toughest competition you ever face is yourself." --Michael Jordan __________________________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/28/98 Date: 28 Oct 1998 14:16:57 -0700 (MST) NEW YORK (Variety) - "Happiness," director Todd Solondz' gripping tale of suburban alienation, remained the most popular limited release film at the exclusive box office in New York and Los Angeles during the weekend. The controversial drama, which deals with such topics as incest and pedophilia, earned $112,306 on both coasts. "Life Is Beautiful," Italian actor/director Roberto Benigni's Holocaust comedy, joined the list in second place with $110,583 in five theaters in New York and Los Angeles. -=> * <=- JOHANNESBURG (Variety) - Morgan Freeman is in line for the role of an older Nelson Mandela in the $23 million film about the South African president's life, producer Anant Singh said. But, if cast, Freeman could be just one of four actors who will play Mandela, according to Singh, the South African filmmaker who has been awarded the rights to Mandela's autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom." Singh, who has just returned from the U.S., where he held talks with Freeman, said he had tried without success to find one actor to play Mandela, but was now considering casting four males instead. He said the idea was to break down Mandela's role into four parts - a child, a teen-ager, a 25- to 35-year-old and a 35- to 70-year-old. -=> * <=- Brad Pitt is launching his new movie "Meet Joe Black" in his hometown of Springfield MO, where his family still lives and where his brother Doug sits on the board of the Children's Miracle Network, one of the charities to benefit from the Nov. 12 premiere. (Tickets for the screening are $40, for the reception $150.) The theater is just down the street from Brad's high school, and he'll speak between showings. -=> * <=- Julia Roberts doesn't turn 31 until Wednesday, but the big surprise party was Saturday night off Annapolis MD. The actress had been in Baltimore filming "Runaway Bride" with Richard Gere, and her boyfriend, Benjamin Bratt of "Law and Order," convinced her that he was taking her to a quiet dinner in Annapolis, says New York's Daily News. Instead, he took her to a chartered yacht where 60 people, including Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and Disney studio chief Joe Roth, were waiting. Paramount paid for the yacht. -=> * <=- Lauren Holly says she will always love Jim Carrey but that their romance is finished. Holly, who filed for divorce in 1997, told New York's Daily News not to make too much of her several appearances with Carrey last summer. She says she accompanied him to the premiere of "The Truman Show" as a "show of support." She also denies there was anything going on with actor-director Ed Burns, whom she describes as just one of her many male friends. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: mea culpa <jericho@dimensional.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Highlander (The European Edition) Date: 29 Oct 1998 22:25:00 -0700 (MST) > states? Is it in the Director's Edition of the movie? > Yup. "Director's Cut". I have had it for several months now. You can order it from SunCoast if no where else. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions <flickfilos@aol.com> Subject: [MV] Coming Monday, 11.02, to The Flick Filosopher Date: 30 Oct 1998 15:45:33 -0000 The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos I'm tellin ya, these kids taday! With the beepas and the cell phones and the Nintendo. The noise is drivin me bonkas. And everything dot com this and dot com that. I don't even know what dot com means. I'm tellin ya, back in my day -- good old Dubya Dubya Two -- the kids knew some respect. None a this piercin every unmentionable part a the body. And the kids then drove round in decent American cars. Now they all go ta the mall in those little Japanese boxes. Hondas? Bah! Hey, we fought a war gainst the Japs! And I can't even go the movies anymore without seeing these kids gettin up ta no good. Why, there's that one pitcha about the kids that get in the TV and ruin a perfectly decent show. *Pleasantville,* I think it's called. Pleasant? Don't get me started. So I says to myself, I'll rent one a them videos. This one's got a buncha kids killin folks and hidin the body. *I Know What You Did Last Summer*? Sure I do, you was committing a felony! Those Darn Kids! ===================== T-shirts. Fridge magnets. Both with the lovely Flick Filosopher logo smack dab in the middle. Check 'em out at http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos/goodies.html ===================== MaryAnn ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to FlickFilosopher-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bill Code <bcode@tourvic.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Highlander (The European Edition) Date: 30 Oct 1998 09:49:47 +0100 >My question is, does anybody know how I can get a copy of it here in the >states? Is it in the Director's Edition of the movie? > > >JAMES K. RUDY > > Here in Canada, they are all over. I own a copy. It's great. Funny thing about this movie is, you can actually see the make-up lines on the actors. When McCloud & The Kurgan( sp) are in the church, there is a scene that the make-up effects stand out like a cheezy movie. After that I am always looking for the make-up when I watch it. Bad habit. If you have much trouble finding it, I'll send you a copy. They're about $21-25.00 canadian. Bill Code Code Dlugos & Associates of Victoria http://www.tourvic.com http://www.retailad.bc.ca cell: 250-216-7135 pgr: 250-995-4191 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Highlander (The European Edition) Date: 30 Oct 1998 11:57:02 PST That's really funny... Of course, the guys making Highlander were on a shoestring budget... ALl the testament ot the making of a wonderfully filmed movie... even with the goofs! Wade >Here in Canada, they are all over. I own a copy. It's great. Funny thing >about this movie is, you can actually see the make-up lines on the actors. >When McCloud & The Kurgan( sp) are in the church, there is a scene that >the make-up effects stand out like a cheezy movie. After that I am always >looking for the make-up when I watch it. Bad habit. Bill Code W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 10/30/98 Date: 30 Oct 1998 12:57:39 -0700 (MST) LONDON (Reuters) - A London libel court awarded "substantial" damages to Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise and his wife Nicole Kidman Thursday over allegations that the couple were gay and their marriage was a sham. "I take no pleasure in having to be here today but it is the last recourse to counter the vicious lies that have been printed about me and my family," the star of blockbuster movies such as "Top Gun" and "Rain Man" told reporters outside the court. The presiding judge heard that Express Newspapers, which the couple sued, apologized and accepted there was no truth in the allegations. -=> * <=- LONDON (Variety) - Sean Connery and Rhonda Tollefson's Fountainbridge Films has struck a three-picture deal with Intermedia. Connery is likely to star in all three projects. The first picture will be "Do Not Go Gentle," a drama to be produced by Tollefson, Connery and Juliet Blake from a screenplay by David and Peter Griffiths. The other two are "The Patriot" and "Mount Weather." -=> * <=- * DIED: "The Lion in Winter" and "Follies" playwright and screenwriter JAMES GOLDMAN, 71, Wednesday, of a heart attack ... TED HUGHES, 68, a British poet laureate who won some of his greatest acclaim at the end of his life with a searing poetic account of his troubled marriage to American poet Sylvia Plath, Wednesday, of cancer. Hughes and Plath married in 1956 after meeting at Cambridge University. Plath committed suicide in 1963 by gassing herself in the oven, months after Hughes left her for another woman. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" <geeg@vossnet.co.uk> Subject: [MV] Subscribe Date: 18 Jan 1998 12:13:39 -0000 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_002C_01BD240A.827C50A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable subscribe ------=_NextPart_000_002C_01BD240A.827C50A0 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 4.71.2016.0"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>subscribe</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_002C_01BD240A.827C50A0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]