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1998-12-10
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From: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com (movies-digest)
To: movies-digest@lists.xmission.com
Subject: movies-digest V2 #141
Reply-To: movies-digest
Sender: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com
Errors-To: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com
Precedence: bulk
movies-digest Friday, December 11 1998 Volume 02 : Number 141
[MV] Shakespeare in Love
[MV] Meet Joe Black
Re: [MV] Meet Joe Black
Re: [MV] Meet Joe Black -oops
[MV] Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch
[MV] Screen It Newsletter (December 10, 1998)
[MV] REVIEW: STAR TREK: INSURRECTION
[MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
Re: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
[MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 12/11/98
RE: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
RE: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
[MV] The Movie Report#170, 12/11/98
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 14:38:22 +1000
From: lepinatl@topaz.cqu.edu.au
Subject: [MV] Shakespeare in Love
Just saw this on the web - stars Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes...
wondering if anyone has seen the film or knows anything about it...
Apologies if there have been prior posts...
Thanx - Teck
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------------------------------
Date: 09 Dec 98 09:45:32 +0000
From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" <ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com>
Subject: [MV] Meet Joe Black
can someine please send me some reviews for this film.
Much Appreciated!
Thanks & Regards,
****************************************************************************=
**
****************************************************************************=
**
Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com
Oracle E.M.E.A. Quality Rep.
Unit 14 Phone:8031461
Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541
Cloghran email:abyrne
Dublin 17.
Ireland
****************************************************************************=
**
"In Order to find his equal, an Irish Man is forced to talk to God"
****************************************************************************=
**
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 09 Dec 1998 21:26:13 -0800
From: Oz <oz@hollywoodbitchslap.com>
Subject: Re: [MV] Meet Joe Black
"ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" wrote:
>
> can someine please send me some reviews for this film.
> Much Appreciated!
You can find two reviews at the site below.. Hollywood Bitchslap.
- ------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------
"Damn the man, Joe!" -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =-
- ----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 09 Dec 1998 21:35:10 -0800
From: Oz <oz@hollywoodbitchslap.com>
Subject: Re: [MV] Meet Joe Black -oops
Oz wrote:
>
> You can find two reviews at the site below.. Hollywood Bitchslap.
Before the hbounds are released, sorry about that. That was intended
to be a private email, not a list-wide plug. Netscape 4.5 mail does
tend to have a mind of it's own sometimes.
- ------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------
"Damn the man, Joe!" -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =-
- ----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------
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------------------------------
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 03:18:24 -0800 (PST)
From: dispatch@listserv.hollywood.com (Hollywood Online)
Subject: [MV] Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch
Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch
Hello movie fans!
Welcome yet again to the Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch, delivered
FREE OF CHARGE to your e-mail box every week. Instructions for
unsubscribing appear at the bottom.
The Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch is THE source for detailed news
about the latest movie and video releases, Hollywood events, special
movie site features, exclusive interviews and audio clips. The web's
number one information source for movie soundtrack news, premiere
coverage, and much more.
Last week we found out that not even a "Psycho" can stand up to "Bug's."
This week, Michael Keaton's "Jack Frost" and "Star Trek: Insurrection"
attempt a coup. Can they do it? We'll know when the weekend's over...
****************************************
NEW MOVIES RELEASED THIS WEEK
****************************************
(in alphabetical order)
Movies Opening
December 11, 1998
"Jack Frost"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?jackfrost
Comedy: Deceased musician Michael Keaton returns in the form of a
snowman built by his son. Among the participating rock artists are
Henry Rollins, Dweezil and Ahmet Zappa and Trevor Rabin.
December 11, 1998 - national release
"Rushmore"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?rushmore
Comedy: A 15-year-old student at elite Rushmore Academy falls
for a teacher in this Bill Murray comedy-drama.
December 11, 1998 - LA/NY release
"Shakespeare in Love"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?shakespearelove
Comedy: Joseph Fiennes as the struggling young playwright, and
Gwyneth Paltrow as the woman who unlocks his writer's block.
John Madden ("Mrs. Brown") directs the period comedy.
December 11, 1998 - LA/NY release
"A Simple Plan"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?simpleplan
Drama: Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton star in screenwriter
Scott Smith's adaptation of his own novel about two men who
steal $4.4 million from a downed airplane.
December 11, 1998 - LA/NY release
"Star Trek: Insurrection"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?stinsurrection
Sci-fi: In the ninth entry in the enduring franchise, a disillusioned
Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) leads a potentially treasonous campaign
against the Federation.
December 11, 1998 - national release
"Still Crazy"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?stillcrazy
Comedy: Twenty years after rock band Strange Fruit blew itself apart
during a thunder storm at an outdoor music festival, the surviving members
decide to regroup for one last hurrah. Besides replacing their lead
songwriter who disappeared after the '70s gig, the group must overcome
old frictions as well as years of bad jobs and over-inflated egos.
December 11, 1998 - LA release
"Waking Ned Devine"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?neddevine
Comedy: Ian Bannen and David Kelly co-star as senior citizens in a
small town called Tully More. From a bit mention in the Irish Times,
they learn that someone in their populace of 52 has won the lottery.
Their scheme: work themselves into the winner's good graces before they
know they've won, thus becoming best friends before the money is collected.
December 11, 1998 - expanded release
****************************************
SHOWTIMES MOVIE LISTINGS
****************************************
http://showtimes.hollywood.com/
Now that you've seen what's coming out this week, here's the best way
to find out where it's playing in your neighborhood, and when! Plus,
get maps, theater information, and much more -- everything about movies
at Hollywood Online!
****************************************
NEW VIDEOS RELEASED THIS WEEK
****************************************
(in alphabetical order)
Videos Released
December 8, 1998
"The Parent Trap"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?parenttrap
Family: Lindsay Lohan, Natasha Richardson, and Dennis Quaid recreate
the outrageously warmhearted "Parent Trap." Lohan plays twin daughters
separated at birth when Richardson and Quaid divorce. Years later, the
twins meet coincidentally at summer camp. The fun really begins when
they plot to switch places and reunite their estranged parents.
"Six Days, Seven Nights"
http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?sixdays
Comedy: Harrison Ford's a gruff cargo pilot. Anne Heche's a glossy
magazine editor. After flying the not so friendly skies, the duo
crash-land on a tropical island for six days and seven nights. A
few adventures later, the sparks fly high between these two attractive
opposites. Ivan Reitman directs their chemistry in this sunny romantic comedy.
****************************************
HOLLYWOOD NEWS
****************************************
OSCAR WATCH: Oscar Campaigns Hit the Beach
http://www.hollywood.com/news/topstories/12-08-98/html/1-3.html
HOLLYWOOD ROUNDTABLE
http://www.hollywood.com/news/roundtable/
Weekly columns on a variety of subjects, from underground
film to foreign film to film zeitgeist.
Surveillance on 'Enemy of the State's' Outsiders
http://www.hollywood.com/news/roundtable/Monday/12-07-98/index.html
THE PRESSROOM
http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom
The best premiere coverage, celebrity photos and interviews on the web!
New this week:
"Ringmaster" Premiere
http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/premieres/ringmaster/ringmaster.html
Heart of a Child Benefit
http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/events/heart/award_heart.html
"Joan of Arc" Benefit
http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/events/joan/award_joan.html
Meg Ryan Interview ("You've Got Mail")
http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/interviews/mryan/mryan.html
Michael Keaton Interview ("Jack Frost")
http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/interviews/mkeaton/mkeaton.html
****************************************
HOLLYWOOD ONLINE: FEATURES
****************************************
"YOU'VE GOT MAIL" TICKET GIVEAWAY
http://www.hollywood.com/contests/youvegotmail/index.html
Win two FREE movie tickets to see "You've Got Mail."
"YOU'VE GOT MAIL" SPECIAL FEATURE
Videos, Photos, Fun Stuff
http://hollywood.com/sites/youvegotmail/index.html
DIGITAL REVOLUTION
http://digital.hollywood.com/digital/
Everything you could want to know about DVDs, laser
discs, industry developments, and all the latest titles.
Pick of the Week:
"Tomorrow Never Dies"
http://digital.hollywood.com/digital/movies/moviepage/0,1133,124,00.html
*****************************************************************
ADVERTISEMENT
*****************************************************************
NetFlix.com (http://www.netflix.com/default.asp?promoid=15785950)
Looking for that hard-to-find DVD? With over 2,000 titles, NetFlix.com
has what you want. Simply select your rental, receive it within 2-3
business days - watch it as often as you like for a full 7 days! Return
it using the prepaid, pre-addressed return-mailer. No hassles, no long
lines, just pure entertainment.
*****************************************************************
MOVIE CRITIC
http://www.hollywood.com/critic/index.html
The critics are bright-eyed for "Waking Ned Devine," but less enthusiastic
over "Little Voice." Check out what they're saying about the movies opening
this week!
MOVIETALK
http://www.hollywood.com/movietalk/
Hear your favorite celebs in their own words, behind the scenes,
unrehearsed, and in glorious RealAudio! This week:
Phyllis Diller, Andrew Stanton ("A Bug's Life"); Dennis Quaid
("Playing by Heart"); Michael Caine, Brenda Blethyn, Jane Horrocks,
Mark Herman ("Little Voice"); Peter Berg ("Very Bad Things").
MOVIETUNES
http://www.movietunes.com
MovieTunes at Hollywood Online is the best source for movie music
news and coverage -- audio clips, interviews, art, forums, and more.
Soundtrack of the week:
"Star Trek: First Contact"
http://www.movietunes.com/soundtracks/1996/firstcontact/
Also:
"A Bug's Life"
http://www.movietunes.com/soundtracks/1998/bugslife/
"Antz"
http://www.movietunes.com/soundtracks/1998/antz/
"Meet Joe Black"
http://www.movietunes.com/soundtracks/1998/joeblack/
UNSUBSCRIBE? CHANGE OF ADDRESS?
If you wish to be removed from this email list, or to change the email
address we have for you, go to:
http://www.hollywood.com/email
where you will be asked to enter the exact email address you wish
unsubscribed. For any other information about this e-mail, contact:
information@listserv.hollywood.com
Thanks for being a part of Hollywood Online -- where we're all about
movies!(r)
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 10:19:07 -0500 (EST)
From: reviews@screenit.com
Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (December 10, 1998)
Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (December 10, 1998).
This week at the movies, a big screen variation of Frosty the snowman
and yet another Star Trek film open wide, while a thriller opens in
limited release, and one of our favorite films of the year opens wider.
On home video, the sequels strike back with a sports playing dog, a knife
wielding maniac, and a duo of mismatched cops vying for your rental
dollars against a children's favorite and a small independent film.
PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until
LATE Thursday night (EST) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands.
Next week, reviews of "The Prince of Egypt" (the serious, animated film
from Dreamworks), "You've Got Mail" (Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan) and other new
releases.
_________________________________________________
NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11TH:
"JACK FROST" (1998) (Michael Keaton, Joseph Cross) (PG)
Children's/Drama: A boy's dead father (Keaton) returns as a snowman and
tries to make amends with the son (Cross) he often neglected in favor of
his burgeoning career. A big screen update and variation of the classic,
"Frosty the Snowman" story/song, this film is cute and pleasant enough,
but lacks anything resembling a substantial plot. The PG rating comes
from language.
(National Release)
http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/jack_frost.html
__________________________________________________
"A SIMPLE PLAN" (1998) (Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton) (R)
Drama/Suspense: Upon finding and agreeing to split more than $4 million
discovered in a wrecked plane, three men (including Paxton & Thornton)
soon learn that they can't trust each other as greed, paranoia and guilt
catapult them ever deeper into trouble. Although occasional character
motivations and plot developments spur the need for a dose of the old
"suspension of disbelief" to fully accept and appreciate what happens,
for the most part this engaging, dramatic thriller efficiently delivers
the goods in an entertaining way. The R rating comes from violence and
profanity.
(Limited Release)
http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/a_simple_plan.html
__________________________________________________
"STAR TREK: INSURRECTION" (1998) (Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner) (PG)
Sci-fi: A starship captain (Stewart) must decide whether to disobey
orders to save a civilization from being removed from their planet. A
listless and decidedly unimaginative installment in the venerable series,
this might not be the worst "Trek" film ever made, but it's not far from
the bottom of the list. The PG rating comes from sci-fi related action
and violence, limited profanity and mild sensuality.
(National Release)
http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/star_trek_insurrection.html
__________________________________________________
"WAKING NED DEVINE" (1998) (Ian Bannen, David Kelly) (PG)
Comedy: A small Irish town (including Bannen & Kelly) hopes to pass off
one of its citizens as the winner of a huge lottery, despite the original
winner dying of a heart attack, so that they may claim the multimillion
pound prize. This small, but charming and highly entertaining film is
simply one of the best, and easily one of the most enjoyable films of
the year. Its PG rating comes from older male nudity (played for
laughs), language and "thematic elements."
(Expanding Wider)
http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/waking_ned_devine.html
__________________________________________________
NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15TH:
"AIR BUD: GOLDEN RECEIVER" (1998) (Kevin Zegers, Cynthia Stevenson) (G)
Children's Drama: A basketball playing dog takes up football and propels
a losing middle school team to the championship while helping his owner
(Zegers) cope with the changes in his life. About as predictable as
they come -- much like its predecessor -- the film does manage to easily
and efficiently accomplish its goal of entertaining kids with decent
family material. Although the picture suffers from a lack of originality,
it still manages to come off as a harmless, lightweight diversion that
should please most kids and some of their parents. Domestic Gross:
Just over $10 million. Rated G.
(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/air_bud_golden_receiver.html)
__________________________________________________
"HALLOWEEN: H20" (1998) (Jamie Lee Curtis, Josh Hartnett) (R)
Horror: Twenty years to the day after surviving the murder spree of a
homicidal maniac, a woman (Curtis) must deal with the killer once again.
Not particularly frightening -- unless you're very young or have a low
threshold for horror -- and certainly not very imaginative -- unless you
consider some bizarre and unexplained character motivation at the end --
the only thing scary about this film is that it ever got released in the
theaters. Rated R for profanity and typical "slasher" film violence and
gore. Domestic Gross: Around $55 million.
(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/halloween_h20.html)
__________________________________________________
"HAV PLENTY" (1998) (Christopher Cherot, Chenoa Maxwell) (R)
Romantic Comedy: A man (Cherot) and woman (Maxwell) who couldn't be more
different from one another flirt with romance. Newcomer and Orson
Welles wannabe Christopher Cherot (as director, writer, producer, editor
and star -- whew!) shows potential in his multifaceted role, but this
film is ultimately a little less than satisfying and definitely has the
look of a low budget, freshman attempt. Rated R for profanity. Domestic
Gross: Just over $2 million.
(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/hav_plenty.html)
__________________________________________________
"LETHAL WEAPON 4" (1998) (Mel Gibson, Danny Glover) (R)
Action/Adventure: A pair of detectives (Gibson & Glover) tries to stop
the illegal activities of some Asian mafia types who've brought their
criminal business to L.A. Simply put, if you've enjoyed any or all of
the previous entries in this long running series that began in 1987,
you'll have a blast getting to see these characters again in this dumb
and predictable, but highly entertaining film. Rated R for violence and
profanity. Global Gross: Around $270 million (with $130 million
domestically).
(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/lethal_weapon_4.html)
__________________________________________________
"MADELINE" (1998) (Hatty Jones, Frances McDormand) (PG)
Children's: A young girl (Jones) sets out to prevent a wealthy baron
from closing down her school. While it's doubtful many boys or teens of
either gender will want to see this film, and I can't comment on how
fans of the series will react, I can't imagine it will be anything but
good. As a "newcomer" to the series featuring the spunky little heroine,
I was pleasantly surprised by this charming little film. Rated PG for
brief language. Domestic Gross: Around $30 million.
(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/madeline.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:
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__________________________________________________
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
__________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 14:23:32 -0700 (MST)
From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: STAR TREK: INSURRECTION
STAR TREK: INSURRECTION
(Paramount)
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton,
Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, F. Murray Abraham.
Screenplay: Michael Piller.
Producer: Rick Berman.
Director: Jonathan Frakes.
MPAA Rating: PG (profanity, violence)
Running Time: 101 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
By now, every "Star Trek" fan deserving of the name is familiar with
the "odd-even" rule for the feature films. The second, fourth, sixth and
eighth films in the series have been the most entertaining; the first,
third, fifth and seventh, not so much. STAR TREK: INSURRECTION, the
latest biannual return of the "Next Generation" cast, marks the ninth
big-screen journey into the Trek universe, inspiring a combination of
trepidation and hope. Could this finally be the adventure which would
break the odd-number jinx?
Well, not exactly. STAR TREK: INSURRECTION is an average story,
competently told, energized primarily by the chance to mingle once again
with the characters from the "Next Generation" television series. The
premise finds the Enterprise called to assist when Data (Brent Spiner),
participating in a mission on another planet, apparently malfunctions.
Once in the system, Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and company discover
the voluntarily agrarian Ba'ku society about to be removed from the planet
by an alliance between a Federation admiral (Anthony Zerbe) and a race
called the Son'a, led by Ru'afo (F. Murray Abraham). It seems that
radiation on the Ba'ku planet possesses a "fountain of youth" quality
which makes it incredibly valuable, particularly to the genetically
deteriorating Son'a. Picard is outraged by the plan to forcefully
relocate the Ba'ku, however, and leads his crew to help defend the planet
against the Son'a's sinister plans.
STAR TREK: INSURRECTION, like most of the films in the series, is
clearly designed to appeal to the Trek faithful first, and to a broader
audience second. That's one of the qualities which makes INSURRECTION
feel as fragmented as it does. Every cast member gets to bow to the crowd
in a showcase sub-plot -- Data bonds with a Ba'ku boy over the mysteries
of childhood; Worf (Michael Dorn) re-experiences Klingon puberty as a
side-effect of the planet's radiation; Riker (Jonathan Frakes, who also
directed) gets frisky with Troi (Marina Sirtis) and shaves off his beard;
LaForge (LeVar Burton) has his natural eyesight regenerated and weeps at
the sight of a sunset. During the run of the series, each cast member
could get a couple of episodes per season to anchor the main story line.
Over the course of a 100 minute film, trying to give seven characters
enough to do to keep them happy leads to plenty of punch lines but not
enough focus.
It's particularly unfortunate that all the business for the other
crew members draws attention away from Patrick Stewart. Here he gets a
romantic relationship with a Ba'ku woman (Donna Murphy), as well as a
chance to lecture on the historical tragedies of "ethnic cleansing."
Stewart has the presence to make virtually anything he does feel
commanding, but there's always a sense that he should have _more_ to do.
Just as he was always the best thing about the "Next Generation" series,
he's the bext thing about the "Next Generation" films, whether playing the
fool in a ceremonial headdress or radiating moral courage. Stewart as
Picard is almost always going to be a good enough reason to watch a Trek
film, while watching him step back for the good of the ensemble will
always be a bit disappointing.
There are other good reasons to see this particular film, including
some sharply-staged action sequences (Frakes showed a similar facility in
1996's FIRST CONTACT) and plenty of belly laughs. There are also other
reasons to be disappointed, including a wasted villain in F. Murray
Abraham and a resolution which you may miss if you blink. Altogether it
feels a bit small for the big screen, more like a solid episode of the
series (complete with obvious allegory) than a film. Perhaps there
aren't that many great ideas for Trek features to go around, and maybe
that's why the heirs to Gene Roddenberry's vision manage to come up with a
really good one only once every four years. If they decided not to make a
movie every two years, and waited until that really good idea was ready,
they could eliminate that "odd-even" problem once and for all.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 Trek meets: 6.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
***
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See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 12:00:26 -0700 (MST)
From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <gregorys@xmission.com>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
Garry Shandling is set to play an alien on the big screen.
Variety reports the star of HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show"
will appear in "What Planet Are You From?," described as a
sophisticated adult comedy to be directed by Mike Nichols
(who last directed "Primary Colors," starring John Travolta
and Emma Thompson). In the film, Shandling's alien character
is sent to Earth to procreate, but he has no penis; he is
equipped, instead, with a mechanical apparatus whose
propensity to vibrate makes him the hit of the singles'
circuit. Part of the plot line involves the alien meeting a
woman and falling in love.
-=> * <=-
* CAST: Munchkin Margaret Pelligrini, 75, one of the
original small people in "The Wizard of Oz," to recreate her
role for a stage production of the classic film at the
Lancaster (PA) Opera House. Pelligrini is being joined by
two of her movie co-stars, Karl Slover, a munchkin
trumpeter, and Jerry Maren, a Lollipop Kid.
[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 98 13:08:56 PST
From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com>
Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
This has got to be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard.
- --- On Fri, 11 Dec 1998 12:00:26 -0700 (MST) "Gregory A. Swarthout"
<gregorys@xmission.com> wrote:
Garry Shandling is set to play an alien on the big screen.
Variety reports the star of HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show"
will appear in "What Planet Are You From?," described as a
sophisticated adult comedy to be directed by Mike Nichols
(who last directed "Primary Colors," starring John Travolta
and Emma Thompson). In the film, Shandling's alien character
is sent to Earth to procreate, but he has no penis; he is
equipped, instead, with a mechanical apparatus whose
propensity to vibrate makes him the hit of the singles'
circuit. Part of the plot line involves the alien meeting a
woman and falling in love.
-=> * <=-
- --------------------------------------------------------
W. Snider
"Give me ambiguity or give me something else."
- --------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 12:11:10 -0700 (MST)
From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com>
Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 12/11/98
The big-budget screen adaptation of the Isaac Asimov
story "Bicentennial Man" is back on track, according
to a report by Variety columnist Michael Fleming. The
Disney film had recently come under fire from studio
executives who were concerned about its hefty price tag,
which reportedly had soared to more than $100 million.
However, Fleming reports that Bicentennial's budget has
been scaled back considerably, and the film is now set to
begin shooting in February 1999. Bicentennial Man tells
the story of a robot who spends 200 years trying to
become human. The movie was scripted by Nicholas Kazan
and will star Robin Williams under the direction of Chris
Columbus.
-=> * <=-
The Last Action Hero writer Zak Penn sold an SF movie
pitch titled Escher's Code to Fox 2000, according to
The Hollywood Reporter. The film is about an
artificially intelligent computer anti-virus program that
takes over the world.
Penn developed the idea with freshman writer Martin
Signore, who is also a computer buff. Some of Penn's
previous credits include PCU and Suspect Zero, and he
also did rewrite work on Men in Black.
-=> * <=-
Director Jan De Bont has begun principal photography
on The Haunting of Hill House, an upcoming
DreamWorks movie based on Shirley Jackson's novel
of the same name. The film stars Liam Neeson, Lili Taylor,
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Owen Wilson in a story about
four people who are drawn to a forbidding old mansion in
New England for a mysterious psychological experiment.
The mansion's dark history has evolved into ominous tales
of death that trigger the imaginations of Professor Jeffrey
Marrow (Neeson) and his three subjects. Nell (Taylor), the
most vulnerable of the group, quickly becomes the target
of ghosts from the past who manifest themselves in
terrifying visitations.
This will be the second film based on Jackson's novel,
which was first adapted for the big screen as the 1963
movie The Haunting.
-=> * <=-
Air Bud star Kevin Zegers has agreed to headline the
independent SF film Komodo, according to The
Hollywood Reporter. The movie is being helmed by
first-time director Michael Lantieri, who previously won an
Oscar for his special effects work on Jurassic Park.
Komodo tells the story of a young boy who comes face to
face with Komodo dragons after the tragic death of his
parents. The film will also feature Law & Order's Jill
Hennessy, as well as Billy Burke.
-=> * <=-
The Disney/Pixar animated ant flick A Bug's Life set the
box office buzzing during its Thanksgiving debut,
earning an estimated $46.5 million in its first five days
of release, according to Variety. If that estimate holds
up, it means Bug's will have become the highest-grossing
Thanksgiving movie of all time, beating out Disney's own
101 Dalmatians, which earned $45.1 million in 1996.
The success of Bug's is somewhat surprising given that
it's the second animated insect film to hit theaters in the
past two months. The first ant drama, DreamWorks' aptly
titled Antz, earned $17.2 million during its opening week
back in October.
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[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 11:01:04 -0800
From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu>
Subject: RE: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
It's Garry Shandling... you think he's got depth?
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wade Snider [SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com]
> Sent: Friday, December 11, 1998 1:09 PM
> To: movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
>
>
> This has got to be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard.
>
>
>
> --- On Fri, 11 Dec 1998 12:00:26 -0700 (MST) "Gregory A. Swarthout"
> <gregorys@xmission.com> wrote:
> Garry Shandling is set to play an alien on the big screen.
> Variety reports the star of HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show"
> will appear in "What Planet Are You From?," described as a
> sophisticated adult comedy to be directed by Mike Nichols
> (who last directed "Primary Colors," starring John Travolta
> and Emma Thompson). In the film, Shandling's alien character
> is sent to Earth to procreate, but he has no penis; he is
> equipped, instead, with a mechanical apparatus whose
> propensity to vibrate makes him the hit of the singles'
> circuit. Part of the plot line involves the alien meeting a
> woman and falling in love.
>
> -=> * <=-
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> W. Snider
> "Give me ambiguity or give me something else."
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
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[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 98 13:21:45 PST
From: Wade Snider <wsnider@brazoselectric.com>
Subject: RE: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
Hahaha... well no, of course not depth
but i guess not common sense or intelligence or good taste either...
Frankly, it's the fact this would star Garry Shandling is what takes the cake
- --- On Fri, 11 Dec 1998 11:01:04 -0800 "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu>
wrote:
It's Garry Shandling... you think he's got depth?
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wade Snider [SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com]
> Sent: Friday, December 11, 1998 1:09 PM
> To: movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News - 12/11/98
>
>
> This has got to be one of the stupidest things I have ever heard.
>
>
>
> --- On Fri, 11 Dec 1998 12:00:26 -0700 (MST) "Gregory A. Swarthout"
> <gregorys@xmission.com> wrote:
> Garry Shandling is set to play an alien on the big screen.
> Variety reports the star of HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show"
> will appear in "What Planet Are You From?," described as a
> sophisticated adult comedy to be directed by Mike Nichols
> (who last directed "Primary Colors," starring John Travolta
> and Emma Thompson). In the film, Shandling's alien character
> is sent to Earth to procreate, but he has no penis; he is
> equipped, instead, with a mechanical apparatus whose
> propensity to vibrate makes him the hit of the singles'
> circuit. Part of the plot line involves the alien meeting a
> woman and falling in love.
>
> -=> * <=-
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> W. Snider
> "Give me ambiguity or give me something else."
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> [ 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
"Give me ambiguity or give me something else."
- --------------------------------------------------------
[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 09:56:06 -0800
From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com>
Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#170, 12/11/98
T H E
M O V I E
R E P O R T
#170
DECEMBER 11, 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 and DVDs from Reel.com!
Get a jumpstart on your holiday gift shopping by visiting:
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
- -_Psycho_
- -_Rushmore_
- -_Stepmom_
- -_Jack_Frost_
- -_Star_Trek:_Insurrection_
V I D E O
- -_Six_Days,_Seven_Nights_
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 Mr. Brown's Movie Site
at:
http://welcome.to/mrbrown or
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown
Please don't forget to sign the guestbook...
If you are reading this on Usenet, you can subscribe to the MR at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/moviereport.html
Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline:
http://www.HollywoodHotline.com
...and the Eyepiece Network at:
http://www.eyepiece.com
...and Albany Online at:
http://www.AlbanyOnline.com
...and Film Frenzy at:
http://www.filmfrenzy.com
all movies graded out of four stars (****)
~~~
=>M O V I E S<=
N E W R E L E A S E S
_Psycho_ (R) **
Of all the talk leading up to the release of Gus Van Sant's update of
Alfred Hitchcock's _Psycho_, none was quite so intriguing as a rumor that
began circulating a few months ago. This bit of gossip stated that instead
of being a complete shot-by-shot "recreation" as announced, the new film
would only be a duplicate until an hour in, at which point it would veer
into a completely original direction. At about the one-hour point, there
arose a split-second moment where it looked like the rumor could be true:
motel keeper Norman Bates (Vince Vaughn) nearly opens a folded-up
newspaper. (Anyone who has seen the original would know the significance.)
Alas, he only _nearly_ opens it, and this _Psycho_ is exactly what Van
Sant promised (threatened?), a virtually shot-by-shot, line-for-line copy
of the seminal 1960 chiller. And, as everyone knows, copies never come out
nearly as sharp as the original.
Ironically enough, the copy-then-diverge strategy probably would have been
more in line with Hitchcock's original sensibility; after all, his film was
a big bait-and-switch (or, rather, "Bates-and-switch"). What begins as a
yarn about a larcenous lady on the lam (Marion Crane, here played by Anne
Heche) suddenly switches gears midway through, shifting its focus to the
mysterious Bates, a hermit whose entire life centers around his invalid
mother. When Marion and the money she stole from her employer disappears
without a trace, her lover Sam Loomis (here played by Viggo Mortensen) and
sister Lila's (here played by Julianne Moore) search leads them to the
nearly-deserted Bates Motel.
Everything in the new film plays exactly as it did in the film from nearly
40 years ago, with a few contemporary wrinkles thrown in by Van Sant and
Joseph Stephano, scripter of the original. The $40,000 that Janet Leigh's
Marion stole has been upped to $400,000. Vera Miles's prissy Lila has
become Moore's Walkman-wearing, ball-busting tough chick. John Gavin's
pompously stuffy Sam has become Mortensen's roughneck cowboy. Norman now
masturbates while spying on Marion in the bathroom. And in a truly bizarre
move, Van Sant delves into Oliver Stone's bag of tricks, arbitrarily
slipping in subliminal shots of storm clouds and deer (among other things)
during the murder scenes. (Also worth mentioning is a brief shot of a bus
stop Marion drives by--featuring a poster for _Six_Days,_Seven_Nights_,
Heche's romantic comedy from this past summer. Given Van Sant's otherwise
obsessive determination in re-creating the feel of the original, hopefully
that distracting in-joke was unintentional.)
With the original updated yet completely intact, from the story to the
music (Bernard Herrmann's famously chilling score has been adapted by Danny
Elfman) to the opening titles (adapted by Pablo Ferro from the legendary
Saul Bass's original design), it's easy to see how Universal and Van Sant
thought this experiment could work. But a crucial fact about the original
film is lost on them: while rightfully regarded as a classic, when seen in
this day and age, _Psycho_ works best only when its original historical
context is in mind--that is, as a film emerging from the year 1960. There
are more than a few things in the original that comes off as dated when
seen through contemporary eyes: the deliberate pacing, the low body count,
and, most infamously, the horrible "this is why it all happened" closing
expository speech delivered by a psychiatrist (here played by Robert
Forster). Having all of this distinctly '60s material played out by '90s
performers in living color makes for a film that feels jarringly
anachronistic; those modern wrinkles just accentuate the time era conflicts.
What isn't so confused, however, is the troupe of actors--for the most
part, that is. Heche and William H. Macy (as private investigator
Arbogast) are especially effective. (However, it must be noted that
perhaps Heche's most memorable contribution to the role, as good as she is
actingwise, is wearing a truly hideous straight-from-the-thrift-shop
wardrobe that the original's Janet Leigh wouldn't be caught dead in.) The
big shortcoming is the cast, though, is Vaughn. He is a terrific actor,
and, technically speaking, he delivers a decent performance. But there is
something inherently wrong about his casting as Norman; a lot of his appeal
and effectiveness on-screen comes from the natural, almost subconscious
self-confidence he exudes, which does not fit the awkward, socially inept
Norman at all. Granted, this is Vaughn's most muted performance to date,
but the creepy ambiguity of Anthony Perkins is nowhere in sight;
consequently, there is no suspense leading to, nor any surprise coming
with, the climactic twist, even if one has not seen the original.
All comparisons to any other films aside, the measure of a thriller is its
suspense and scariness factor, and, on its own terms, Van Sant's _Psycho_
is a suspiciously average undertaking--watchable, competent on technical
terms, yet strangely safe. _Psycho_ '98 doesn't ruin anyone's memory of
the original; in fact, it only makes one appreciate that film more--which,
ironically, appears to have been the point that Van Sant has been accused
of not having.
_Rushmore_ (R) ****
Of all the surprises to be had in the 93 wild minutes of _Rushmore_, the
biggest comes right at the beginning: the appearance of the Touchstone
Pictures logo. It's amazing that a Disney subsidiary would produce a film
so decidedly off-center. It's also amazing that a major Hollywood studio
could produce something so refreshingly original that it almost defies
description.
The quirkiness of _Rushmore_ should come as no shock to anyone who has
seen director/co-writer (with Owen Wilson) Wes Anderson's first film,
1996's quirky and enjoyable trifle _Bottle_Rocket_ (which he also
co-scripted with Wilson). Like that film, _Rushmore_ has a loose narrative
structure that feels like it finds its way as it goes along. The film
traces five months in the life of one Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), an
eccentric 15-year-old attending posh Rushmore Academy courtesy an academic
scholarship. However, ever since coming to Rushmore, academics have taken
a backseat to extracurricular activities, and one hilarious montage gives
the rundown of his numerous club affiliations, from the presidency of the
fencing club to beekeeping club. Closest to his heart, though, is "the Max
Fischer Players"--a theatrical troupe that regularly performs his own
original plays. (In another memorable scene, the players put on a
production of _Serpico_.)
If there is a central plot thread to _Rushmore_, it is Max's hopeless love
for Rushmore first grade teacher Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), which
leads him to pull off elaborate schemes to win her favor, but instead he
ends up getting expelled from his beloved school. While this story, which
is complicated by Max's friend/romantic rival Herman Blume (Bill Murray),
is involving and achieves unexpected moments of poignancy, it is almost
moot--individual moments like the ones touched upon earlier are what matter
here: Max giving a speech to his couldn't-care-less classmates at the
public school; Max and Miss Cross talking for the first time on the
bleachers; Mr. Blume drunkenly taking a dip in his pool during his twin
sons' birthday party.
Of course, the key to the film's memorable moments are the engaging
characters. Mr. Blume could have been either a stock villain or a pathetic
loser, but Anderson and Wilson give him a nicely human balance, which is
brought to multidimensional life by Murray, who delivers a performance at
turns funny, sad, and strangely likable. Williams, freed from the junkpile
that was _The_Postman_ displays immense charm and, crucially, strength as
Miss Cross, who still has a torch burning for her dead husband; it's easy
to see why Mr. Blume and Max would fight over her. But the film's most
fascinating character is Max, flawlessly played by newcomer Schwartzman.
Max may be a loser, but Schwartzman exudes the right mix of intelligence,
youthful naivete, self-deprecating humor, and everyguy likability that
prevents the character from ever coming off as pathetic. He's the
perfectly unconventional lead for such an unconventional film.
As good as Schwartzman is, the clear star of _Rushmore_ is Anderson, a
young filmmaker with a uniquely warped vision--one that, not so
surprisingly, plays well with film festival audiences, which embraced this
film. I doubt general audiences will be so receptive to something so far
off the mainstream radar, and it's more than likely that this film's
one-week Oscar-qualifying run will not result in any nods from the
staunchly conservative Academy. But _Rushmore_ is certain to find its just
rewards in passionate, if somewhat limited, fan base that can appreciate
its singular brand of bizarre brilliance.
_Stepmom_ (PG-13) ***
The breezy trailers for _Stepmom_ would lead one to believe that it is one
of those light films one would expect from director Chris Columbus. The
reality of the film, so cleverly hidden in the rushes, is much more sober
and serious. Some would go so far as to call it sad. But it doesn't go
quite _that_ far, in my opinion. _Stepmom_ is a well-made and undeniably
involving film, but its artistic compromises are not completely effective.
The character being referred to by the title actually is not a stepmother,
at least not yet. She's Isabel Kelly (Julia Roberts) the much younger
live-in girlfriend of Luke Harrison (Ed Harris). Luke's two children,
7-year-old Ben (Liam Aiken) and especially 12-year-old Anna (Jena Malone)
are resentful of Isabel, and somewhat rightfully so--they have been blessed
(spoiled?) with a perfect mother, Luke's ex-wife Jackie (Susan Sarandon).
Although busy professional photographer Isabel scarcely has the time or
interest for parenting, the kids are occasionally left in her questionable
care, creating even more points of conflict between the two women.
About the first hour of _Stepmom_ has a nice hard edge, albeit somewhat
overwritten by the five credited scripters, Gigi Levangie, Jessie Nelson,
Steven Rogers, Karen Leigh Hopkins, and Ron Bass. (I'm not so sure a girl
Anna's can come up with such pithy zingers so quickly; it's one thing to be
a smartass, and quite another to be a smart ass.) Even during the
seemingly happier moments, there's a palpable undercurrent of tension,
especially between Isabel and Jackie. Their conflicts over parenting
philosophies and authority is something not often seen in film, and it's
solidly played by Roberts and Sarandon.
Columbus is not known for displaying a hard edge, if even one at all, and
so the air of anger cannot last--or, at the very least, must tone down
somewhat. And that it does, in a less than convincing fashion. The most
contrived development has Anna, who has heretofore been Isabel's most vocal
detractor, make a complete 180 after Isabel shows her a nifty painting
technique; before long, the two are best friends singing along to "Ain't No
Mountain High Enough" in the car. But the big complication--and the film's
big secret--is also a big misstep. Jackie, it is revealed, has secretly
been receiving treatment for cancer, and her condition is steadily
worsening toward the inevitable.
Now, I have no problem with films featuring people suffering from a
terminal disease. But throughout _Stepmom_ I wondered if the illness
wrinkle was really necessary. The Jackie/Isabel conflict was already
involving, with each side showing its share of right and wrong; making
Jackie sick unfairly stacks the sympathy deck in her favor. But I suppose
the illness was a necessary compromising device for Columbus, enabling him
to try something more edgy at first and then settle into familiar, safe,
and blatantly calculated schmaltz, which hits full-throttle with the de
rigueur mawkish mother-child "goodbye" scenes. And though this is an
adult-aimed film, Columbus also couldn't completely shake his _Home_Alone_
kiddie tendencies by casting Aiken, a Macaulay-esque moppet who is as short
on talent as he is long on cuteness.
Before her comeback with _My_Best_Friend's_Birthday_, Roberts was in a bit
of a career bind. She wanted to prove her serious acting chops, but
audiences wanted to see her megawatt smile and hear her whooping laugh, and
drab, smile-less efforts such as _Mary_Reilly_ flopped. Here, Roberts
attempts to have the best of both worlds, flashing those pearly whites ever
so often within a meaty dramatic context. Unlike Columbus's compromise,
hers works, and she delivers one of her most impassioned performances,
holding her own against the formidable Sarandon, who is true to strong
form. Stealing some of their thunder is the impressive Malone, who plays
such a convincing brat in the earlygoing you may find yourself wanting to
slap her.
While I was not among the people who cried at various points during
_Stepmom_, it did strike some emotional chords. But the film's
effectiveness had less to do with the story than it did the strong work of
the actors--an all too appropriate compromise in a film characterized by
them. (opens December 25)
IN BRIEF
_Jack_Frost_ (PG) ** 1/2
This family fantasy can best be described as a cross between
_Frosty_the_Snowman_ and _Ghost_, with a bit of _Wide_Awake_ thrown in.
The young star of _Wide_Awake_, Joseph Cross, appears to have the "family
film about death" market cornered with this film, in which he plays
Charlie, a young boy learning to cope with the year-ago death of his loving
but neglectful blues musician father (Michael Keaton, who does his own
singing) named Jack Frost. That name is a bit too apropos, for when
Charlie wishes for his father to come back, he does--in the form of a snowman.
Thus sets the stage for kid-snowman bonding antics that will certainly
delight the kids. Adults will be delighted by the snowman effects, which
seamlessly mixes computer animation and puppetry. (Some clumsy compositing
on certain matte shots are easy to forgive.) However, the novelty of the
snowman effects wears thin after a while, and the older ones in the
audience may find their attention wavering; mine was. Nonetheless, the
able cast (which also includes Mark Addy and Kelly Preston) keeps the
affair interesting, and the requisite emotional conclusion plucks the
heartstrings with an admirable--and most welcome--dose of restraint.
_Star_Trek:_Insurrection_ (PG) **
I am not a "Trekker," so I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed the
last big-screen installment of the long-running film and television
franchise, 1996's _Star_Trek:_First_Contact_. Delivering thrills and a
terrific adversary (the menacing Borg race) for general audiences to chew
on, and enough of the trademark techno-talk to appease the geekiest of
Trekkers, director/co-star Jonathan Frakes had his cake and ate it too.
After _First_Contact_'s critical and popular success, it comes as no
surprise that Paramount and _Trek_ producer Rick Berman tapped Frakes to
helm _Trek_ movie#9, but not even he can break this series from its curious
"even/odd" curse--that is, even-numbered installments = good, odd = bad (or
at least not good). To be fair, Frakes's direction is not the problem with
_Insurrection_--it's the weak script by Michael Piller, from a story Piller
co-devised with Berman. This time out, Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick
Stewart), Commander Will Riker (Frakes), android Lt. Cmdr. Data (Brent
Spiner), Lt. Cmdr. Geordi LaForge (LeVar Burton), Dr. Beverly Crusher
(Gates McFadden), Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), and Michael Dorn's
Lt. Cmdr. Worf (again on loan from his current TV home on
_Star_Trek:_Deep_Space_Nine_) commit the titular act of insurrection
against their higher-ups at the Federation when they set out to protect the
population of a peaceful planet from a maniacal, Federation-allied alien
(F. Murray Abraham) determined to harness the planet's power of granting
perpetual youth.
_Insurrection_ is a far cry from the violent, "Resistance is futile" Borg
antics of _First_Contact_ in terms of action, excitement, and,
unfortunately, interest--to non-Trekkers, that is. A lot of the time is
spent on light character moments, such as Data bonding with a
technology-fearing young boy, Riker and Troi rekindling their romance, and
Worf re-experiencing Klingon puberty, thanks to the perpetual youth bug.
Trekkers will eat that stuff up; others will be looking elsewhere for
something engaging, which cannot be found in the by-the-numbers story or
the incredibly boring villain. What they will ultimately fix their
attention on is the always-commanding presence of Stewart and the typically
polished effects and makeup work. Aside from that, this subpar outing has
nothing to offer anyone outside of the _Trek_ faithful.
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)
- -_American_History_X_ (R) *** <MR#162, 10/16/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#historyx
- -_Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2 <MR#159, 9/25/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#antz
- -_Babe:_Pig_in_the_City_ (G) ** 1/2 <MR#169, 12/3/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#babe
- -_Belly_ (R) ** <MR#165, 11/6/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#belly
- -_Beloved_ (R) *** <MR#162, 10/16/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#beloved
- -_A_Bug's_Life_ (G) *** 1/2 <MR#167, 11/20/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#bugs
- -_Bulworth_ (R) *** <MR#144, 5/29/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt34.html#bulworth
- -_Celebrity_ (R) ** <MR#169, 12/3/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#celebrity
- -_The_Cruise_ (PG-13) *** <MR#163, 10/22/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#cruise
- -_Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#elizabeth
- -_Enemy_of_the_State_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#168, 11/24/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#enemy
- -_Happiness_ **** <MR#162, 10/16/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#happiness
- -_Home_Fries_ (PG-13) ** <MR#168, 11/24/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#home
- -_I_Still_Know_What_You_Did_Last_Summer_ (R) * <MR#165, 11/6/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#istillknow
- -_The_Last_Emperor_ Director's Cut ****
- -_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** <MR#162, 10/16/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#vitabella
- -_Little_Voice_ (R) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#lv
- -_Living_Out_Loud_ (R) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#living
- -_Meet_Joe_Black_ (PG-13) *** <MR#167, 11/20/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#joe
- -_Pleasantville_ (PG-13) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#pleasantville
- -_Ringmaster_ (R) no stars <MR#169, 12/3/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#ringmaster
- -_The_Rugrats_Movie_ (G) *** <MR#166, 11/12/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#rugrats
- -_The_Siege_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#164, 10/29/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#siege
- -_Velvet_Goldmine_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#165, 11/6/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#velvet
- -_Very_Bad_Things_ (R) **** <MR#167, 11/20/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#bad
- -_Waking_Ned_Devine_ (PG) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#ned
- -_The_Waterboy_ (PG-13) ** <MR#165, 11/6/98>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#waterboy
- -_The_Wizard_of_Oz_ (G) ****
O N T H E H O R I Z O N
FRIDAY
_Jack_Frost_ (PG) ** 1/2 <see above review>
Kids will enjoy this harmless effects-laden fantasy about a young boy
(Joseph Cross) whose dead father's (Michael Keaton) spirit returns to him
in the form of a snowman. Adults, on the other hand, will get bored once
the novelty value wears off. Kelly Preston and Mark Addy also star.
_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#151, 7/24/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita
Returning to theatres for a five-day Academy "reminder" engagement after a
one-week Oscar-qualifying run in July and a few airdates on Showtime (got
that?) is Adrian Lyne's well-acted but ice cold adaptation of Vladimir
Nabokov's novel about a professor (Jeremy Irons) and his underage object of
desire (Dominique Swain).
_Rushmore_ (R) **** <see above review>
Wes Anderson's funny, wildly original comedy about a 15-year-old (Jason
Schwartzman) who falls for a teacher (Olivia Williams) at his private
school opens in New York in Los Angeles for a one-week Oscar-qualifying
engagement. Bill Murray and Luke Wilson also star.
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ (R)
Romantic comedy about the Bard (Joseph Fiennes) and the lady (Gwyneth
Paltrow) who inspired _Romeo_and_Juliet_. Ben Affleck and Judi Dench also
star for director John Madden, a veteran of British period pieces
(_Mrs._Brown_).
_A_Simple_Plan_ (R) ****
Full review in MR#167, 11/20/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#plan
Excellent psychological thriller in which two brothers (Bill Paxton and
Billy Bob Thornton) and their friend (Brent Briscoe) scheme to keep $4
million they find in a downed plane. Also starring Bridget Fonda and
expertly directed by Sam Raimi, this is one of the very best films of the
year.
_Star_Trek:_Insurrection_ (PG) ** <see above review>
Only the most devout Trekkers will enjoy this tepid, vapid ninth
installment of the long-running sci-fi franchise, in which Capt. Picard
(Patrick Stewart) and the rest of the Enterprise crew protect a peaceful
planet from an evil alien (F. Murray Abraham).
_Still_Crazy_ (R) **
Full review in MR#169, 12/3/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#crazy
Opening for a one-week Oscar-qualifying run is this decidedly
award-unworthy British comedy about a (fictional) '70s rock band staging a
comeback. Stephen Rea, Jimmy Nail, Bill Nighy, Timothy Spall, Juliet
Aubrey, and Hans Matheson star in the film, which is ultimately more silly
than funny.
_Two_Girls_and_a_Guy_ (R) **
Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#2girls
Also returning to the big screen for a brief (two weeks) Oscar "reminder"
run is James Toback's stagy talkfest in which two angry young women
(Heather Graham and Natasha Gregson Wagner) confront the man (Robert Downey
Jr.) who has been simultaneously romancing them. Fox Searchlight is
gunning for a Best Actor nod for Downey; don't bet on it.
~~~
=>V I D E O<=
N E W T H I S W E E K
_Six_Days,_Seven_Nights_ (PG-13) no stars
Full review in MR#146, 6/11/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#67
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=41559
Slight but fun romantic adventure about a pilot (Harrison Ford) and a
magazine editor (Anne Heche) stranded on an uninhabited Hawaiian island.
(Touchstone Home Video)
A L S O N E W T H I S W E E K
_The_Parent_Trap_ (PG)
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=42134
Hit remake of the 1961 family comedy, in which a pair of twins (Lindsay
Lohan) conspire to get their estranged parents (Dennis Quaid and Natasha
Richardson) back together. (Walt Disney Home Video)
~~~
=>N E X T W E E K<=
Holiday movie madness continues with more reviews, including:
- -_The_Prince_of_Egypt_
- -_Shakespeare_in_Love_
- -_You've_Got_Mail_
'til then...
__________________________________________________________
Michael Dequina
mrbrown@ucla.edu | michael_jordan@geocities.com | mj23@the18thhole.com
mrbrown@michaeljordanfan.com | mj23@michaeljordanfan.com
mrbrown@iname.com | mst3k@digicron.com
Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown
Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md
CinemaReview Magazine: http://www.CinemaReview.com
Michael Jordan Beyond the Court:
http://fly.to/michaeljordan
A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak:
http://fly.to/mj23
"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept
not trying.
It doesn't matter if you win as long as you give everything in your heart."
- --Michael Jordan
__________________________________________________________
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