Has anyone seen Bill Murray's The Man Who Knew Too Little?
What's the buzz?
[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 06 May 1998 19:11:20 -0400
From: Chris Culligan <culligan@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [MV] Actors and Actress and Those Whom we Adore
Living or dead??
My favorite actor live?? Christopher Walken. Haven't seen him in a lot of
good lead roles but when it comes to supporting roles...second-to-none!
Dead?? Jimmy Stewart. Talk about versatile!
Favorite actress live?? Got to go with Marisa Tomei. Beautiful and strong
at the same time. I wish she would do more movies!
Dead?? For me, its gotta be Ingrid Bergman. Not only a great actress but
the most beautiful women, IMHO, to ever grace the silver screen.
At 12:29 AM 5/6/98 EDT, you wrote:
>In a message dated 98-05-05 23:31:11 EDT, you write:
>
><< >Earlier today, a friend asked me who my favorite movie stars were. >>
>
>Favourite actors/actresses i would have to say are:
>
>Kevin Kline: brilliant from Shakespeare (Midsummer Night's Dream) to musical
>(Pirates of Penzance) to comedic (In & Out) to Dramatic (Ice Storm) the
man is
>a veritable actor of actors.
>
>Goldie Hawn: cute, funny, and knows how to have a great time making a movie.
>Everyone of her movies is so fun to watch.
>
>Vincent D'Onofrio: now that's versatility Excellent performances include
>Feeling Minnesota & Men In Black. The man is going places!
>
>Meg Ryan: I always enjoy women in comedic roles; because they're too often
>type-caste being whiny miserable nagging, cry-baby, wenches whom i care very
>little about. (please diregard "When a Man Loves a Woman). But Meg in Joe vs
>the Volcanoe was just perfect. Underated movie by the by. She was also
>incredible in the new City of Angels flick. Bravo, Meg!
>
>Nicholas Cage: As peculiar and unpredictable a personality as you can
figure.
>His perspectives on acting are just so original, i can't praise his talent
>enough. However, i would like to make a disclaimer about City of Angels that
>he was tired and hadn't finished reading the script, i'm sure, when they
began
>filming. Can't tell you what happened. Sorry, Nick.
>
>Mary Stuart Masterson: She's just so lovely to watch. She has the flair and
>bravada of a queen. I just wish i knew where she was. Last i saw, she had a
>small part in the Postman (no snide comments please) and did a TV Chrismas
>movie on Lifetime. But i could watch Benny & Joon a million times.
>
>Liam Neeson: He has got to be one of the most intuitively sensitive actors
out
>there. You can see every emotion he feels without him saying a word. A
>brilliant actor. It is such a shame that so few actors or actresses have the
>same intensity to match him on screen. In "Before & After'" even Meryl
Streep
>seemed a little flustered to be working with such class A acting. I can't
>wait to see Les Miserables.
>
>Madonna: Hopefully she's got her rebellious, i-wanna-show-you-i'm-all-about-
>sex phase over with and she'll finally be doing some more movies with the
>calibre of Evita. I know she can act; she just has to get over her
>immaturity. Do it for Lourdes, Ma.
>
>Robin Williams: such an underated actor. Just as Tom Hanks was and probably
>still is. i am thrilled for Robin's Oscar win. He deserves it not only for
>Good Will Hunting but for every other incredible performance he's done over
>the last 25 years. He should win a lifetime achievement award for the works
>he's done. From "Good Morning Vietnam" to "Mrs. Doubtfire" he's been nothing
>short of astounding.
>
>Mercedes Ruehl: She's like fire when she's on screen. Burning coals in Lost
>in Yonkers, a towering inferno in Fisher King. Amazing talent.
>
>I'd also like to add that Terry Gilliam is my favourite director. Having
come
>from the pits of Monty Python, and directing those films, he's done some of
>the most creative directing and creative films to date. 12 Monkeys, Brazil,
>Baron Muenchausen, Time Bandits, Fisher King, and the much anticipated (by
me)
>Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas.
>
>[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
>[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
>
>
[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 06 May 1998 22:04:07 -0700
From: Jason Cormier <movieman@netcom.ca>
Subject: Re: [MV]Sam Raimi
I am a huge fan of the Raimi man...Evil Dead series is so damned creative! Tons of cool shots and cinematography...plus it was just too funny! Darkman was also very interesting - and although it is not based on a comic book - I think that that movie is the closest thing to a comic book you'll ever get (besides the cool colours and sets of Dick Tracy). Also - did you know that Raimi and the Coen Bros. are close friends - their first move together was a silly little movie called Crimewave which has its moments and also Raimi co-wrote The Hudsucker Proxy which is definitely my favourite comedy of all time!! Up next for the Raimi man is A Simple Plan with Nicholas Cage..can't wait!
jay
At 12:05 AM 5/6/1998 EDT, you wrote:
>In a message dated 98-05-05 23:31:11 EDT, you write:
>
><<<< The Quick and the Dead was a cute movie, but not for everyone.
> >I am not into Westerns but I liked its corniness.
> >Any comments?
> > >>
>
>The Quick and the Dead took every silly spaghetti western and turned it into a
>cool Sam Raimi directed fun-filled fest. With his peculiar camera angles and
>camera tricks, the film is worth watching just for that.
>
>Then, of course, Gene Hackman is always as cool as ice. I always thought he
>should have been able to kick Clint's ass in "Unforgiven" That's where the
>movie lost all credibility for me. Now, as far as versatility, i don't know,
>but he is good nonetheless.
>
>[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
>[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
>
>
Wanna see a movie? Get all the facts on all the FLIX...
www.netcom.ca/~movieman
[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 00:19:35 -0400
From: gary zeig <mlz@nauticom.net>
Subject: [MV] The Peacemaker-Thumbs Up
Finally got around to renting this movie! Was impressed by its attention to
detail. Enjoyed Nicole Kidman's performance (maybe a little too manic at
times, but nevertheless enchanting) and it was nice to see George Clooney
play the tough (but good-hearted) guy. You could tell this was a big budget
picture from the beginning. I especially admired the photography of the
Slovakian terrain (representing the USSR in the movie). As far as action
pictures go, this one actually had a plot and didn't bore me to tears. I,
for one, am looking forward to future SKG productions! The Peacemaker's
lack of mega box office appeal stems, I believe, not because it wasn't a
good movie but instead because this movie is similar to a lot of other
action/adventure/terrorism movies. I think it kinda got lost in the
shuffle. But well worth the $2 to rent! I am very critical of modern movies
and rarely recommend a new movie, but I will say this one is worthy of your
time and money, if for no other reason than it is a good story and a well
filmed story, which is a somewhat rare combination these days.
Gary
[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 07 May 1998 01:54:48 -0400
From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net>
Subject: [MV] The Man Who Should Know Better...
At 11.29 PM 06/05/98 +0100, you wrote:
>Has anyone seen Bill Murray's The Man Who Knew Too Little?
>What's the buzz?
Not as bad as the reviews made it sound, but not going to win any awards
(not even a Razzie:-)
I saw it not long after seeing The Game, and there were some plot
similarities that struck me. Watch it if there is nothing else available.
Watch it before Bean. With the exception of The Full Monty and In & Out
(which I did not particulary like), there aren't many new comedies on the
video shelves, so it might be amongst the best choices. But don't expect
Groundhog Day.
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
____________________________________________
That was a wicked googly!
--Jerry Seinfeld, AMEX commercial
______________________________________________
[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 07 May 1998 02:26:44 -0400
From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net>
Subject: Re: [MV] The Peacemaker-Thumbs Up
At 12.19 AM 07/05/98 -0400, Gary wrote:
>Finally got around to renting this movie! Was impressed by its attention to
>detail.
What I liked most about it was the way that they showed the military
working together. Most movies of this genre have the heroes as outsiders,
fighting to save the world themselves. Here, Clooney and Kidman were
working WITH the military, not against them. When they tried to shut down
NYC, I felt this was rather realistic in how they would try (and fail) to
handle the situation in Real Life (TM). Any other movie would have them
finding the terrorist themselves, without any help (and with much hinderance)
I'd give it a thumbs-up, too
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
____________________________________________
That was a wicked googly!
--Jerry Seinfeld, AMEX commercial
______________________________________________
[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 10:54:48 -0400
From: gary zeig <mlz@nauticom.net>
Subject: Re: [MV] The Peacemaker-Thumbs Up
>At 12.19 AM 07/05/98 -0400, Gary wrote:
>>Finally got around to renting this movie! Was impressed by its attention to
>>detail.
>
>What I liked most about it was the way that they showed the military
>working together. Most movies of this genre have the heroes as outsiders,
>fighting to save the world themselves. Here, Clooney and Kidman were
>working WITH the military, not against them. When they tried to shut down
>NYC, I felt this was rather realistic in how they would try (and fail) to
>handle the situation in Real Life (TM). Any other movie would have them
>finding the terrorist themselves, without any help (and with much hinderance)
>
>I'd give it a thumbs-up, too
>
>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
>____________________________________________
>That was a wicked googly!
> --Jerry Seinfeld, AMEX commercial
>______________________________________________
>
>
>[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
>[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
Mel-
Right on about the realism. I liked the fact that some of the good guys
died while pursuing the terrorists.
Very few movies would have the courage to show a helicopter shot down and 9
good guys die. Then in NYC several innocent bystanders were shot in the
exchange of gunfire. I found this surprising, yet more realistic. I think
the message here was that no one really won in this situation. Obviously,
this victory came with a price. It would have been better to avoid this
situation altogether. And it also shows that people use other people for
selfish causes.
I also liked the confusion about 44E on the invoice. First Nicole Kidman
thought it meant a longitude reading for Sarajevo. Then later she realized
her mistake and understood it meant a street address in NYC , the
destination of the terrorist. This was very plausible.
Overall, a very enjoyable movie with a strong anti-terrorism message. It
made me think, and I guess that's what a good movie often does.
GRZ
[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 07 May 1998 15:24:43 +0200
From: Jakob Straub <jakob.straub@nothing.lake.de>
Subject: [MV] Re: Mimic
> From: Chris Culligan <culligan@hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [MV] Re: Mimic
>
> I have to disagree on what seems to be general opinion here. I liked the
> underground gothic atmosphere created in the Grand Central Station tunnels.
> It reminded my of older 'B' type horror movies.
> Give me the old time look and feel of a monster movie with some
> updated special effects anyday! Monster movies like Starship Troopers and
> Lost In Space you can just toss in the trash!
Mimic is like a B-Picture, indeed. Maybe future viewers will give it a
better rating when they catch it at some videostore...
Starship Troopers is NOT a Monster movie. It's full of bugs, yes, but
that's not the main topic. It has a message behind its facist look.
Jakob
[ To quit the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe movies" ]
[ (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 07 May 1998 13:26:51 -0700
From: Michael Dequina <mj23@michaeljordanfan.com>
Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#141, 5/7/98
T H E
M O V I E
R E P O R T
#141
MAY 7, 1998
Just 8 more shopping days left until my 22nd b-day... (if you need gift
ideas, let me know... ;-))
=>T H I S W E E K<=
M O V I E S
- -Deep Impact
- -Woo
- -Black Dog
- -Go Now
V I D E O
- -Alien Resurrection
- -Gattaca
- -Mouse Hunt
E V E N T S
- -Woo premiere
Select reviews are available at Hollywood Hotline on CompuServe and:
http://www.HollywoodHotline.com
...on Albany Online at:
http://www.AlbanyOnline.com
...and the Eyepiece Network at:
http://www.eyepiece.com
Mr. Brown's Movie Site and The Movie Report are in serious need of your
help. Visit:
http://members.tripod.com/~MrBrown/support.html
For that, links to the official websites of all the current films, past
reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, live MovieChat, movie discussion
board, movie theme MIDI files, Trivia Blitz, and more, visit Mr. Brown's
Movie Site at:
http://welcome.to/mrbrown
Please don't forget to sign the guestbook...
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
Deep Impact (PG-13) ***
Before even seeing a single frame of the film, it would be easy to snicker
at Deep Impact, in which a comet on a collision course with Earth threatens
the existence of all life on the planet. It is the latest entry in this
decade's dubious revival of the '70s disaster film, and the first of two
"the sky is falling" flicks to hit screens this year (the other being this
coming July's Armageddon, in which a meteor is the threat). Its tagline,
"Oceans Rise. Cities fall. Hope survives" is not as cornball as that of
the utterly ridiculous collapsing tunnel thriller Daylight ("They came in
alone... the only way out... is together"), but it's every bit as treacly.
The opening moments of Deep Impact offer more to snicker at. The
cheesiness is not confined to the disaster movie conventions, such as the
usual opening "roll call," in which all the major characters and their
personal problems are introduced. The most prominent of the "personal"
stories is that of ambitious TV news reporter Jenny Lerner (Tea Leoni), who
is distraught that her father (Maximilian Schell) left her mother (Vanessa
Redgrave) for a younger woman (Rya Kihlstedt). What is just as
snicker-worthy is how this co-venture between Paramount and DreamWorks SKG
aggressively pushes another high-profile corporate collaboration, Microsoft
and NBC's cable news network MSNBC, which employs Jenny, who is the film's
ostensible main character. In the vision of America presented here, MSNBC
is the television news source of choice in every home, when in reality it
only reaches a fraction of the country.
The initial signs point toward something along the lines of a Volcano or
Dante's Peak, but there's one thing about Deep Impact I underestimated: the
skills of director Mimi Leder. She won an Emmy for her helming work on
NBC's smash ER, which is essentially a weekly disaster movie, each episode
featuring a new set of guest stars with their own personal and medical
crises. The challenge presented by this format to the director is twofold:
(1) to make the audience care for these guest characters, regardless of how
briefly seen or thinly written they are, and (2) powerfully tug at the
emotions without being heavy-handed or overly melodramatic. Having passed
the "ER challenge" in numerous episodes and showed a flair for creating
suspense in The Peacemaker, Leder could not be a better fit to bring
Michael Tolkin and Bruce Joel Rubin's rather formulaic disaster screenplay
to screen.
As the countdown to impact progresses, the ominous feeling of doom is
palpable, leading the final act to take on a surprisingly convincing and
affecting emotional dimension. There's nothing here that will profoundly
move anyone, but the fact that anything manages to touch the heart is high
achievement in a genre generally more concerned with effects. Situations
that initially feel contrived, such as Jenny's familial crisis and the
teenage romance between Sarah Hotchner (Leelee Sobieski) and comet
discoverer Leo Biederman (Elijah Wood), achieve some poignance; and even
the more vaguely drawn characters, including U.S. President Tom Beck
(Morgan Freeman), astronaut Spurgeon "Fish" Tanner (Robert Duvall), and his
rather faceless crew (Ron Eldard, Jon Favreau, Mary McCormack, Blair
Underwood, and Alexander Baluyev) aboard the comet-bombing spacecraft
Messiah, have their share of touching moments. The latter fact owes a debt
to the actors, who all do a solid job and are well-cast, with the possible
exception of Leoni; she delivers a decent performance, but her trademark
unconventional speech rhythms and line delivery make her somewhat hard to
buy as a star news broadcaster.
Although its catastrophic theme and impressive special effects work (the
giant ocean waves are particularly spectacular) place Deep Impact in the
same category as the likes of Twister, it is the first of the '90s disaster
films to successfully marry the advanced film technology with emotions that
ring true--a film that makes a genuine impact, even if it isn't as deep as
hoped.
Hollywood Hotline Featured Review
Woo (R) **
The title of the comedy Woo is a lie. Taking its name from its party girl
protagonist, this sporadically amusing lark seems less concerned with Woo
than the more oddball characters and situations circling her.
Woo roughly fits the bill of a romantic comedy, and this angle of the film
holds some promise. Woo (Jada Pinkett Smith), a fiery, independent young
woman who is fixed up on a blind date with square paralegal Tim (Tommy
Davidson) by her cousin Claudette's (Paula Jai Parker) boyfriend Lenny
(Dave Chappelle). The conflict between Woo's free-spirited, partying ways
and the conservatism of the "stuffy" Tim leads to one long, disaster- and
embarrassment-filled night for the both of them--but mostly for Tim, of
course. In general, the comic complications moderately amuse, but some,
like a restaurant fire that Woo inadvertently causes, crash and burn (no
pun intended). However, all of this remains watchable, thanks to the two
appealing leads. They have a terrific rapport, and Davidson's hilariously
high-strung, put-upon straight man manages to upstage the sexy spunk of
Pinkett Smith, who never looks less than gorgeous throughout the entire film.
If writer David C. Johnson and Daisy v.S. Mayer had stuck with Woo and Tim
exclusively, the film wouldn't have been great, but it would have been
better than the often meandering movie the complete Woo is. Too often the
film becomes sidetracked by the more eccentric peripheral players, such as
Claudette, Lenny, and Tim's trio of obnoxious buddies, Frankie (Duane
Martin), Romaine (Michael Ralph), and Hop (Darrel Heath). Claudette and
Lenny are given a raucous, raunchy showcase scene that is worth a few
laughs, but they disappear completely after that, making its necessity
questionable. Frankie, Romaine, and Hop are funny at first, but their
broadly boorish antics grow old long before they are shown on a side trip
at a drag club. Completely out of place is an earnest, barely developed
subplot involving Woo's strained relationship with her brother (Dartanyan
Edmonds). It's quite telling that the two most memorable supporting
characters only appear in one scene each: Darryl (LL Cool J), Tim's slick
ladies' man neighbor; and Crayola (Nicci Gilbert), a gossipy police
department desk clerk with an attitude problem.
Adding to Woo's problems is its jarringly abrupt ending. Although I did
not particularly care for the film as a whole, I would not have minded the
additional 20 minutes or so dealing that the ending point suggests; it
would have given Woo and Tim's relationship a more satisfying and
well-rounded closure. But perhaps that would not have been a problem if
the entire film had focused entirely on the central couple, which would
have made Woo a more satisfying and well-rounded movie.
Hollywood Hotline Featured Review
Black Dog (PG-13) *
In 1990, the surprise success an unheralded little movie called Ghost
instantly rescued the moribund careers of its trio of above-the-title
stars, Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. Eight years later,
Moore and Goldberg's careers aren't exactly thriving, but they have had
their share of screen successes since; the same can't be said of Swayze,
who has just added yet another turkey to his resume with the aptly named
Black Dog.
Forget the Mortal Kombat movies--this trucksploitation flick is the
closest the movies has come to video games. Good truck driver Jack Crews
(Swayze) must drive a cargo of illegal firearms from Atlanta to New Jersey.
Along the way, Jack and his crew of three run into a number of
obstacles--such as a highway weigh station, evil truckers, and deadly
Uzi-firing motorcyclists. Every so often, like at the end of a video game
"level" or "stage," the main baddie pops up: Red (Meat Loaf, fresh from the
triumph of Spice World), who wants to steal the cache of guns. Just in case
you forget his name or have trouble keeping track of who's driving what,
all of Red's vehicles, be it a pickup or a big rig, are painted--you
guessed it--red.
I could go into more of the plot specifics (such as Jack's dream of having
a nice home with his family, the past trauma that sent him to prison and
cost him his trucking license, the FBI/ATF crew tracking the cargo), but
they are of little importance. All that matters to director Kevin Hooks
and writers William Mickelberry and Dan Vining are the obstacles Jack
confronts in his drive from point A to point B. But they fail at even this
modest goal, for none of the highway chaos, as credibly staged as it is, is
terribly interesting, let alone exciting. Once you've seen a couple of
trucks bang against each other or a big rig explode the first time, you've
seen it every time.
As dreary as Black Dog is as an entertainment, the saddest part about the
film has nothing to do with what shows up onscreen; it's that Swayze has to
reduce himself to such work. While far from the best of actors, he is
certainly not horrible, and he is a charismatic presence. I don't know if
it's his judgment or the dearth of quality job offers that leads him to
involve himself with bombs such as Black Dog. Regardless, if he continues
on this career track, could a TV series be far behind?
IN BRIEF
Go Now ***
In this 1995 BBC production just now receiving a release in the states, a
Scottish soccer player/construction worker Nick Cameron's (Robert Carlyle)
development of multiple sclerosis turns his life and his relationship with
live-in love Karen Walker (Juliet Aubrey) upside down. What keeps this
effort from director Michael Winterbottom (known for 1996's Jude and last
year's Welcome to Sarajevo) from becoming one of those disease-of-the week
TV movies is his and screenwriters Paul Henry Powell and Jimmy McGovern's
sense of humor, which gives the often dour proceedings some refreshing
levity. While there are quite a few funny moments (most courtesy of James
Nesbitt, playing a boorish friend of Nick's), Go Now is, in the end, a
story of the heart brought beautifully to life by the poignant, perfect
performances by Carlyle and Aubrey. (opens May 15 in Los Angeles)
IN CURRENT RELEASE
(full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs)
- -Barney's Great Adventure--The Movie (G) ** <MR#137, 4/10/98>
