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From: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com (movies-digest) To: movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: movies-digest V2 #63 Reply-To: movies-digest Sender: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk movies-digest Thursday, August 13 1998 Volume 02 : Number 063 Re: [MV] soundtracks ?? [MV] Movie News - 08/13/98 Re: [MV] soundtracks ?? [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 08/13/98 [MV] Mafia [MV] What was his last word? [MV] 54 RE: [MV] What was his last word? [MV] Halloween H20 review Re: [MV] What was his last word? Re: [MV] What was his last word? Re: [MV] Who said it? [MV] The Movie Report#154, 8/13/98 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 18:52:21 +0100 From: "Toni Slovacek" <tonis@dircon.co.uk> Subject: Re: [MV] soundtracks ?? This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0031_01BDC6EB.808A3F80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Try looking up (Internet search) music stores that specialise in film = and stage soundtrack recordings - there's one in Sydney, Australia and = I'm sure the US will have hundreds. -----Original Message----- From: manuel morrens <mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be> To: movies@lists.xmission.com <movies@lists.xmission.com> Date: 13 August 1998 11:41 Subject: [MV] soundtracks ?? =20 =20 1)Is the soundtrack from Armageddon by Trevor Rabin going to be = released????=20 2) When will de soundtracks from The Thin red line, The prince of = Egypt and Enemy of the state (all=20 from Hans Zimmer) be released ??(if you don't know this...when will = the movies be released in the=20 US??)=20 3)And a last question..I've been looking for quite some time know for = the soundtrack from the movie "Hearts and Armour" with Tanya Roberts and Ron Moss...The = movie is from 1983 if I'm not mistaken and is an American-Italian = production.... it's possible this soundtrack never existed but if there is a way to get = this soundtrack please let me know how!! - --------------------------------------------------------------------- Manuel Morrens mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be =20 Department of Medicine http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties Brussels Free University (lyrics of the eighties) - --------------------------------------------------------------------- =20 - ------=_NextPart_000_0031_01BDC6EB.808A3F80 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 4.72.3026.0"' name=3DGENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>Try looking up = (Internet search)=20 music stores that specialise in film and stage soundtrack recordings - = there's=20 one in Sydney, Australia and I'm sure the US will have = hundreds.</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE=20 style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: = 5px"> <DIV>-----Original = Message----- From:=20 manuel morrens <<A=20 = href=3D"mailto:mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be">mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be</A>><B= R>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">movies@lists.xmission.com</A>&g= t; Date:=20 13 August 1998 11:41 Subject: [MV] soundtracks=20 ?? </DIV>1)Is the soundtrack from Armageddon by Trevor = Rabin=20 going to be released????=20 2) When will de soundtracks from The Thin red line, The prince of = Egypt=20 and Enemy of the state (all=20 from Hans Zimmer) be released ??(if you don't know this...when = will the=20 movies be released in the=20 US??) <PRE>3)And a last question..I've been looking for quite = some time know for the soundtrack</PRE><PRE>from the movie "Hearts = and Armour" with Tanya Roberts and Ron Moss...The = movie</PRE><PRE>is from 1983 if I'm not mistaken and is an = American-Italian production....</PRE><PRE>it's possible this soundtrack = never existed but if there is a way to get this</PRE><PRE>soundtrack = please let me know how!! - --------------------------------------------------------------------- Manuel = Morrens = = mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be &n= bsp; Department of = Medicine <A = href=3D"http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties">http://minf.vub.ac.be/~= mmorrens/eighties</A> Brussels Free University = (lyrics of the eighties) - ---------------------------------------------------------------------</PR= E> =20 </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_0031_01BDC6EB.808A3F80-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 12:24:49 -0600 (MDT) From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 08/13/98 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has invited filmmakers from 73 countries to submit entries for next year's foreign-language Oscar. Entry forms must be received at the Academy's Beverly Hills headquarters by Nov. 2, and film prints must be received by Nov. 16. Academy Award nominations will be announced Feb. 9. To be eligible for consideration, a film must have had its first public showing for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial theater in its home country between Nov. 1, 1997, and Oct. 31 this year, and must have been produced with a predominantly non-English dialogue track in a language of the submitting country. -=> * <=- Michael Douglas and Meryl Streep are set to star in "Still Life," a family drama that will be directed by Mimi Leder ("Deep Impact"). The Universal project is about an estranged couple who, after the death of their daughter, are forced to confront their past and their relationship with one another - while trying to raise their grandchildren. The studio wants "Still Life" on a fast track, but because of schedules for Douglas, Streep and Leder, the picture probably will not get into production until the fall of 1999. -=> * <=- He won't talk about Monica Lewinsky, but President Clinton doesn't mind discussing movies. The Washington Post says Clinton wandered back into the media cabin of Air Force One this week and noticed that the reporters were watching the asteroid flick "Deep Impact." Clinton told them he liked another summer space-threat movie, "Armageddon," better and that his favorite summer movie was "The Mask of Zorro." -=> * <=- Speaking of "Zorro," that movie's Anthony Hopkins has pledged about $1.6 million to help preserve 4,000 acres of Mount Snowdon, Wales' highest peak. "Snowdonia is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and Snowdon is the jewel that lies at its heart," the Welsh-born actor said Wednesday. "It must be cherished and protected." A farmer last month put his estate near the 3,560-foot peak up for sale. The National Trust, a charity that protects much of Britain's natural and historic heritage, has three more months to find the rest of the $4.9 million price tag before the land is put on the market. [ My cat's breath smells like cat food ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 14:44:00 EDT From: <MrMovie008@aol.com> Subject: Re: [MV] soundtracks ?? 2) Release Dates in the US: The Thin Red Line - December 98 The Prince of Egypt - December 11, 1998 Enemy of the State - November 25, 1998 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 12:54:45 -0600 (MDT) From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 08/13/98 "Star Wars Episode I," the first of George Lucas' three prequels to the original film trilogy, has officially received its release date. Look for the Force on May 21, 1999. -=> * <=- Paramount Studios paid $1.25 million for the rights to Trekkies, a documentary about Star Trek fans written and directed by Roger Nygard, according to Variety. The film is hosted by former Star Trek: The Next Generation actress Denise Crosby and includes interviews with Trek luminaries such as Leonard Nimoy and Brent Spiner. But the heart of Trekkies is its focus on the offbeat fans of Star Trek, such as the man who changed his name to James T. Kirk and the woman who showed up for jury duty wearing a Starfleet uniform. Nygard told Variety that Star Trek fans will love the film because "it's not condescending, it's a celebration." Nygard is currently at work on Six Days in Roswell, a documentary about UFO fans who gathered for the Woodstock-like 50th anniversary of the alleged UFO crash of an alien ship in Roswell, N.M. -=> * <=- Fantastic Planet, Rene Laloux's 1973 animated science fiction feature film, is being rereleased in theaters this October by CQN Releasing. The film tells the story of a group of oppressed humanoids who rebel against a race of gigantic androids on a distant planet. Fantastic Planet became something of a landmark film when it earned the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, marking the first time an animated feature had earned a Cannes award. -=> * <=- SF movies claimed seven of the eight nominations for the 1998 Hollywood Digital Award, which is given annually to the best film that features "truly outstanding work in the area of digital visual effects." This year's nominees include Contact, Starship Troopers, Men in Black, Batman and Robin, The Fifth Element, Jurassic Park: The Lost World, Alien Resurrection and Titanic. The Digital Award winner will be selected by a committee of 70 visual effects professionals and announced on Aug. 10 during a gala ceremony. The award was created by the Hollywood Film Festival and is sponsored by Caliban Filmworks. -=> * <=- Production has begun on Castle Rock Entertainment's film The Green Mile, which is based on the best-selling serialized 1996 novel of the same name by famed horror writer Stephen King. The Green Mile is set on death row in a Southern prison in 1935, when cell-block guard Paul Edgecomb is assigned to oversee four convicted killers awaiting the electric chair, including a seven-foot-tall inmate named John Coffey who has a mysterious magical gift. Frank Darabont--who wrote and directed The Shawshank Redemption, another prison film based on a King novel--will direct. Two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks is set to star as Edgecomb, while Michael Clarke Duncan (Armageddon, Saving Private Ryan) will play the role of Coffey. The Green Mile is tentatively scheduled for release in 1999. -=> * <=- Warner Bros., in conjuction with George Clooney's company Maysville Productions, picked up a film pitch based on the Caliber Comics title Dead World, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is about a group of teenagers traveling by bus in a near-future world infested with zombies. Antz scribe Todd Alcott will script the film, Mark Pavia (Stephen King's Night Fliers) is attached to direct, and Clooney and his partner Robert Lawrence will serve as producers. -=> * <=- Hank Azaria is in talks to play the part of "Blue Raja" in Universal Pictures' offbeat superhero movie Mystery Men, according to Variety. Azaria, who was most recently seen in Godzilla, would join Fargo co-star William H. Macy and Oscar-winning Shine star Geoffrey Rush in the picture. Paul Reubens and Claire Forlani are also reportedly in talks to appear in the film, which is being directed by Kinka Usher. Earlier this week it was announced that Azaria would receive an Emmy award for his voiceover role as the convenience store operator in The Simpsons. -=> * <=- Mimic director Guillermo del Toro has agreed to helm the big screen adaptation of the Dark Horse comic book Hellboy, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is about a supernatural detective who's brought back from hell by Nazis during World War II, only to turn on them in order to prevent the destruction of the world. Del Toro is also working on a theatrical version of The Count of Monte Cristo for American Zoetrope and Intermedia Films, which he may tackle before starting production on Hellboy. [ My cat's breath smells like cat food ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 14:58:45 EDT From: <ATLibra930@aol.com> Subject: [MV] Mafia Did anyone else see mafia?? wasn't it the worst??? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 16:32:08 -0700 From: Ken MacLean <ac991@issc.debbs.ndhq.dnd.ca> Subject: [MV] What was his last word? Saving Private Ryan - what was the word that Capt Miller said to Pte Ryan just before he died? I missed it due to noise in the theater. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 15:59:28 -0600 From: Jer <jer@usinternet.com> Subject: [MV] 54 Anyone heard the buzz on 54? Is it going to be good or not? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 14:15:25 -0700 From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] What was his last word? I can't believe you just ruined the end of the movie for me!!!!! > -----Original Message----- > From: Ken MacLean [SMTP:ac991@issc.debbs.ndhq.dnd.ca] > Sent: Thursday, August 13, 1998 4:32 PM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: [MV] What was his last word? > > Saving Private Ryan - what was the word that Capt Miller said to Pte > Ryan just before he died? I missed it due to noise in the theater. > > [ 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 ] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 17:27:42 -0700 From: Jason Cormier <movieman@netcom.ca> Subject: [MV] Halloween H20 review To establish what I'm about to say I must tell you that when I was a kid the horror section was always my favourite section. I saw all the Halloweens, Friday the 13ths, Nightmare on Elm Sts and the rest so I always have a nostalgic anxiety to see any new sequels to those movies. To the point - I did enjoy H20 although it brought nothing new to the genre. Actually it copied from other movies in the genre - like the whole teen heart throb Scream-like cast. The scream queen (Jamie Lee Curtis) is back for the first time since part 2 and this version (part 7 for those of you counting) pretends that parts 3-6 never existed! Basically it is the same slasher stuff - more fake scares than real ones with one or two really good sequences and not enough gore for this old time horror fan! I give it 70% for Halloween fans only. Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 19:32:14 -0700 From: Jason Cormier <movieman@netcom.ca> Subject: Re: [MV] What was his last word? He said "earn it" At 04:32 PM 8/13/1998 -0700, you wrote: >Saving Private Ryan - what was the word that Capt Miller said to Pte >Ryan just before he died? I missed it due to noise in the theater. > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 20:34:49 -0500 From: Allison Rushton <aer003@vm.cc.latech.edu> Subject: Re: [MV] What was his last word? how do i unsubscribe? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 10:01:52 +0800 (HKT) From: Jayson <ja970600@balut.admu.edu.ph> Subject: Re: [MV] Who said it? On Thu, 13 Aug 1998, Meyers, Megan wrote: > I heard this line somewhere, maybe my sister said it. But it is from a > movie and for the life of me I can't recall which one. > > > The line is " I want the truth" Reply " YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH" > > is this from a few good men??? > > Megan > Yes. Jayson - ----------------- I've been down this road walkin' the line That's painted by pride And I have made mistakes in my life That I just can't hide Oh I believe I am ready for what love has to bring Got myself together, now I'm ready to sing. I've been searching my soul tonight I know there's so much more to life Now I know I can shine a light To find my way back home [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 18:54:03 -0700 From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com> Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#154, 8/13/98 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #154 AUGUST 13, 1998 =>T H I S W E E K<= M O V I E S - -_Dance_with_Me_ - -_Return_to_Paradise_ - -_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ V I D E O - -_The_Big_Lebowski_ - -_The_Man_in_the_Iron_Mask_ - -_Mr._Nice_Guy_ - -_Niagara_Niagara_ - -_Senseless_ PLEASE HELP... ...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive (_I_don't_even_own_a_computer_) by renting or purchasing videos from Reel.com! Visit: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nhp-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html You can now pre-order _Titanic_ for only $9.99! Order at: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nhp-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=/sale/sale.html 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 _Dance_with_Me_ (PG) ** _Dance_with_Me_'s original title was _Shut_Up_and_Dance_, and that confrontational moniker would have been a more apt name for this dance musical. But it's not because the film in question is in-your-face exuberant; rather, "Shut up and dance!" is likely what audience will be saying to the characters of this draggy romantic drama that is too heavy on talk and too light on fancy footwork. Granted, the dancing that _is_ featured is quite impressive. The central location of _Dance_with_Me_ is a Houston dance studio, and one of its featured instructors is Ruby (Vanessa L. Williams), a former professional Latin dance champion determined to recapture her former glory. Also working at the studio, but as a handyman, is fresh-from-Cuba Rafael Infante (Chayanne), an untrained but equally skilled dancer himself. The slightly cool Ruby and the fiery Rafael (and, for that matter, Williams and Chayanne) strike immediate sparks, but these two opposites truly ignite when they dance together, generating a palpable sexual tension and electricity with their sizzling salsa steps, nimbly choreographed by Daryl Matthews and Liz Curtis. Matthews also wrote the screenplay, and, frankly, he is overextended. While the pas de deux between Ruby and Rafael is an engaging enough core, the pro forma plot elements surrounding it are tedious filler. Rafael comes to America to meet the father he never knew, John Burnett (Kris Kristofferson), who owns the dance studio, which, in turn, is struggling to stay afloat. Ruby, who has never stayed in one place long enough to have a "home," is not eager to put down roots, geographically or emotionally. Meanwhile, a big dance competition in Vegas looms in the immediate future. Ironically, Matthews, a former professional dancer himself, piles on these familiar, trite subplots so heavily that they far outweigh the dancing in terms of screen time. Fortunately for Matthews and director Randa Haines, in Williams they have a star who capably handles both the dance and dramatic chores. Though her character's baggage is strictly by the book, Williams is able to breathe some depth into Ruby, especially in one climactic dance where her eyes speak volumes of feeling. As it is widely known, Williams also has vocal chops to match, and her wide-ranging talents would make her an ideal star for a lavish Hollywood screen musical (that is, should a studio ever be game enough to mount one). The jury, however, is still out on her co-star, Chayanne, who is a major music star in Latin America. He certainly can move well on the dance floor, but he is rather stiff everywhere else, likely due to unease with the English language. Haines tries to hide Chayanne's unease by making him flash his megawatt smile every other second, but no amount of smiling can bail you out of a film as surprisingly talk-heavy as this. In the press notes, producer Lauren C. Weissman says, "What initially attracted me to this script was the human drama." Ironically, the attraction for Weissman is exactly what will keep most audiences _away_ from _Dance_with_Me_, a film that falls short as a dance extravaganza, and, for that matter, as a "human drama." (opens August 21) Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _Return_to_Paradise_ (R) *** Give up three years of your life or let a friend hang. That is the moral dilemma facing two young men in _Return_to_Paradise_, a largely intriguing drama whose by-the-numbers paces are elevated to a higher level by the strong acting ensemble. Sheriff (Vince Vaughn), Lewis (Joaquin Phoenix), and Tony (David Conrad) meet and bond during a month-long vacation in Malaysia, where they engage in all the pleasures "paradise" offers them: women, booze, and especially cheap hashish. When the month expires, Sheriff and Tony return home, leaving Lewis, who stays--in a not completely convincing plot point--to study endangered orangutans. Two years later, Sheriff and Tony, both in New York, learn from attorney Beth Eastern (Anne Heche) that Lewis has spent the ensuing years in a Malaysian prison, awaiting hanging for drug possession. According to Beth, if both Sheriff and Tony return to Malaysia and share responsibility for the hash, Lewis's life would be spared. In turn, however, they would also have to serve, along with Lewis, three years of hard time. It's an intriguing moral dilemma, but with the unfortunate title _Return_to_Paradise_ (the film's original, comparatively less snappy title was _Force_Majeure_, the name of the 1990 French film on which it is loosely based), the decision that Sheriff and Tony arrive at appears to be a foregone conclusion, and director Joseph Ruben's slack pacing of Wesley Strick and Bruce Robinson's competent script does not add much in terms of suspense. Thus the effectiveness of the piece is reliant on the actors, and it is their effort that elevates _Return_to_Paradise_ into something special. The slick, selfish Sheriff follows a predictable character arc, but his evolution is made natural and involving by the charismatic Vaughn. He shares a nice rapport with Heche, who, after displaying her flair for light comedy earlier this summer in _Six_Days,_Seven_Nights_, shows she has strong dramatic abilities to match. As touching as she is, the emotional linchpin of the film is Phoenix, who creates a highly sympathetic and tragic figure with a minimum of screen time. Of the cast, Jada Pinkett Smith comes off the least impressively, but that's mostly due to her shallowly written and developed character, M.J. Major, an ambitious reporter bent on creating an sensational international incident with Lewis's case. _Return_to_Paradise_ is not a great film, but its weighty concerns and the care and craft with which they are addressed make it a diverting dramatic oasis in the substance-parched late summer movie season. Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2 _Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_, writer-director Neil LaBute's follow-up to his incendiary debut, _In_the_Company_of_Men_, does not have the sensational "men are monsters" hook of the previous film, but it is every bit as caustic--and the effect is nearly as fascinating. This "modern immorality tale," as the ads state, is a scathing, brutally funny, and ultimately disturbing satire of sexual and social mores. The six central characters' names rhyme: Mary, Barry, Terri, Cheri, Cary, and Jerry. But any point to this bit of cutesy preciousness is moot, for the characters' names (or, for that matter, the city name) are never spoken throughout the entire film, adding a discomforting intimacy--it's as if we, the audience, are witnessing our "friends" and "neighbors." Why the quotes? Because while these six interact within the same overlapping households and social circles under the guise of friendship, what they do is distinctly unneighborly. Amy Brenneman and Aaron Eckhart's characters are unhappily married; he isn't getting the job done in bed, and he'd much rather pleasure himself, anyway. Brenneman (since the character names assigned in the end credits are never used, neither will I) seeks something "different" in the arms of one of Eckhart's best "friends", Ben Stiller, who himself is having trouble with his live-in girlfriend, the "unfeminine" Catherine Keener. So it is not terribly surprising when Keener, who hates Stiller's habit of talking during the act, seeks--and finds--silent sex with another woman, Nastassja Kinski. Kinski is an "artist's assistant" at a gallery that is visited at various points by nearly each individual member of the group, which is rounded out by the brash, egotistical, misogynistic Jason Patric. It sounds like a mess, and it is; there's no rhythm or recognizable structure to the entire film, jumping between characters and situations in seemingly random fashion. Ironically, though, LaBute's fractured style heightens the reality of the events, which roughly assemble with the imperfect coherence of strung-together memories. Nonetheless, the jumble is jarring, but the rough mosaic is made consistently engrossing by LaBute's acidly comic dialogue, the intriguingly amoral (and well-rounded) characters, and the crack acting ensemble. The clear standout in the cast is Patric. While his character is an even more extreme version of Eckhart's notorious Chad in _Men_, Patric's earnestness prevents him from becoming a complete cartoon--which makes him more all the more frightening. Speaking of Eckhart, he is barely recognizable here--and completely convincing--as slick, confident Chad's complete opposite: fat, unkempt, and completely emasculated. Brenneman may betray her husband, but she makes the audience never lose sight of the purehearted loneliness that drives her character to act in such a way; the same, but to a lesser degree, goes for Keener, whose character is much harder around the edges; and Stiller. If one character remains a cipher, it is Kinski's, who is mainly seen as an aloof object of desire (she is, however, given some emotional gumption in her final scene). As funny as _Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ often is, I wouldn't exactly call it an _entertaining_ film. As surreally exaggerated as some of the characters and situations appear to be, the emotional fallout is painfully genuine. Long after the film is over, you may find yourself in deep discussion about _Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ with your friends and neighbors--at least, those whom you _believe_ to be your friends and neighbors. (opens August 19) IN CURRENT RELEASE (full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs) - -_Armageddon_ (PG-13) *** <MR#149, 7/1/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#armageddon - -_BASEketball_ (R) no stars <MR#153, 8/7/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#baseketball - -_Billy's_Hollywood_Screen_Kiss_ (R) *** <MR#148, 6/26/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#billy - -_Disturbing_Behavior_ (R) no stars <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#disturbing - -_Doctor_Dolittle_ (PG-13) ** <MR#148, 6/16/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#dolittle - -_Ever_After_ (PG-13) *** <MR#152, 7/30/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#everafter - -_Gone_with_the_Wind_ (G) **** <MR#147, 6/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#gwtw - -_Halloween:_H20--20_Years_Later_ (R) *** <MR#152, 7/30/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#h20 - -_Jane_Austen's_Mafia!_ (PG-13) ** <MR#153, 8/7/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#mafia - -_Lethal_Weapon_4_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#lethal4 - -_The_Mask_of_Zorro_ (PG-13) *** <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#zorro - -_Mulan_ (G) **** <MR#147, 6/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#mulan - -_The_Negotiator_ (R) *** <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#negotiator> - -_The_Opposite_of_Sex_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#144, 5/29/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt34.html#sex - -_Out_of_Sight_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#149, 7/1/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#outofsight - -_Polish_Wedding_ (PG-13) * 1/2 <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#polish - -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan - -_Six_Days,_Seven_Nights_ (PG-13) *** <MR#146, 6/11/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#67 - -_Small_Soldiers_ (PG) ** 1/2 <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#soldiers - -_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#150, 7/10/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary - -_The_Truman_Show_ (PG) *** 1/2 <MR#145, 6/4/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#truman - -_The_X-Files_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#147, 6/17/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#x FUTURE FILMS - -_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita (September 25) - -_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#153, 8/7/98> http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker (September 25) O N T H E H O R I Z O N FRIDAY Air Bud: Golden Receiver (G) Sequel to last year's kiddie animal flick, with the hoops-playing golden retriever now aiming for gridiron glory. So why does he still have the "Air" nickname? The Avengers (PG-13) It seemed like the start of a bonafide blockbuster franchise--Academy Award nominees Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman starring as secret agents Jon Steed and Emma Peel in this lavish big-screen revival of the 1960s British TV adventure series. An Academy Award winner, Sean Connery, plays the diabolical villain. Alas, Warner Bros. is now delivering Jeremiah Chechik's film into theatres with only moderate hype... and no advance screenings for critics. Hmm... Gadjo Dilo (The Crazy Stranger) Import in which a Parisian man travels to Romania to find a gypsy singer with whom he has fallen in love. How Stella Got Her Groove Back (R) Adaptation of Terry McMillan's novel in which a 40-year-old woman's affair with a 20-year-old Jamaican man (Taye Diggs, one of the original cast members of Broadway's amazing _Rent_) raises eyebrows. When the 40-year-old in question is the fiery and phenomenally fit Angela Bassett, what exactly is the issue here? Regeneration (R) Jonathan Pryce, James Wilby, and Jonny Lee Miller star in this adaptation of Pat Barker's novel about a psychiatrist and the emotionally distressed soldiers he deals with during World War I. Return to Paradise (R) *** <see above review> Well-acted, if sluggishly paced, drama in which two friends (Vince Vaughn and David Conrad) must decide whether to return to Malaysia to serve prison time or not return and thus let a third friend (Joaquin Phoenix) hang. Anne Heche and Jada Pinkett Smith also star. Slums of Beverly Hills (R) Coming-of-age drama centering on a young woman (Natasha Lyonne) growing up in the "bad" part of Beverly Hills in 1976. Marisa Tomei and Alan Arkin also star for writer-director Tamara Jenkins. ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _The_Big_Lebowski_ (R) *** 1/2 <full review in MR#129, 2/5/98; and at http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt28.html#lebowski> Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40957 Joel and Ethan Coen's wild, wildly funny comedy of mistaken identity, with slacker bowler Jeffrey Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) caught up in a ransom scheme involving the wife of a millionaire who shares his name. Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, and a hilarious John Goodman also star. (PolyGram Video) _The_Man_in_the_Iron_Mask_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <full review in MR#136, 3/27/98; and at http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt30.html#ironmask> Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40966 Moderately diverting adaptation of Alexandre Dumas's Three Musketeers adventure, with the swashbucklers (Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu, and Gabriel Byrne) dealing with evil King Louis XIV (Leonardo DiCaprio #1) and his imprisoned, masked twin (Leo #2). (MGM/UA Home Video) _Mr._Nice_Guy_ (PG-13) *** <full review in MR#135, 3/19/98; and at http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt30.html#niceguy> Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40975 The latest amusing time killer from the Jackie Chan assembly line casts the legendary martial arts star as a TV cooking show host who does battle with drug dealers. (New Line Home Video) _Niagara_Niagara_ (R) *** <full review in MR#134, 3/13/98; and at http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt30.html#niagara> Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40981 Robin Tunney's terrific performance as a young woman with Tourette's Syndrome is the highlight of Bob Gosse's touching, if formulaic, road romance, which co-stars Henry Thomas. (Artisan Entertainment) _Senseless_ (R) * 1/2 <full review in MR#131, 2/19/98; and at http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt29.html#senseless> Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40937 Marlon Wayans's gift for physical comedy isn't nearly enough to save Penelope Spheeris's lame comedy about a college student (Wayans) who takes an experimental drug that heightens his senses. (Dimension Home Video) A L S O N E W T H I S W E E K The Black Cauldron (PG) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=4464 After years of trying to deny its very existence, Disney is now trying to squeeze a few bucks out of its 25th full-length animated feature, a non-musical, PG-rated sword and sorcery adventure that nearly killed the animation division after its disastrous box office performance in 1985. See for yourself what all the fuss--or lack thereof--was about. (Walt Disney Home Video) I Love You, I Love You Not (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40710 Claire Danes and Jude Law star in this barely released romantic comedy set in a ritzy Manhattan high school. (Miramax Home Entertainment) ~~~ =>N E X T W E E K<= More reviews, including: - -_The_Avengers_ 'til then... __________________________________________________________ Michael Dequina Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site http://jordan.sportsline.com mj23@michaeljordanfan.com michael_jordan@geocities.com | mrbrown@ucla.edu >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 "Oliver Stone doesn't know shit about basketball." - --Michael Jordan, on why he refused to work with the director on a hoops-themed Nike commercial __________________________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ End of movies-digest V2 #63 *************************** [ To quit the movies-digest mailing list (big mistake), send the message ] [ "unsubscribe movies-digest" (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]