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From: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com (movies-digest) To: movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: movies-digest V2 #160 Reply-To: movies-digest Sender: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk movies-digest Thursday, February 11 1999 Volume 02 : Number 160 [MV] To: movies@xmission.com [MV] The Movie Report: 1998 Academy Award Nominations & Analysis [MV] Who'da thunk? [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 02/09/99 [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99 RE: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99 Re: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99 Re: [MV] Who'da thunk? Re: [MV] Full List of Oscar Nominations [MV] CC: abahmer@ewc1.ewc.whecn.edu Re: [MV] CC: abahmer@ewc1.ewc.whecn.edu [MV] REVIEW: BLAST FROM THE PAST [MV] Movie News - 02/10/99 [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 02/10/99 Re: [MV] CC: abahmer@ewc1.ewc.whecn.edu [MV] Movie News - 02/11/99 [MV] More information on THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT [MV] The Movie Report#177, 2/11/99 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 13:36:36 -0600 (CST) From: Virginia Roberts Rolland <vrolland@post.cis.smu.edu> Subject: [MV] To: movies@xmission.com I have just subscribed to this list so keep me informed on everything that's going on! [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 11:22:53 -0800 From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com> Subject: [MV] The Movie Report: 1998 Academy Award Nominations & Analysis T H E M O V I E R E P O R T 1998 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS Could it be that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences actually got a lot of it _right_ this year? That was my immediate reaction upon hearing the announcement of their nominees for the 71st Academy Awards this morning in Beverly Hills. While there were the usual number of aggravating omissions, never in recent memory has the Academy's picks jibed with this critics' personal tastes. Here is the big list, along with my not-so-expert analysis. PICTURE _Elizabeth_ _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ _Saving_Private_Ryan_ _Shakespeare_in_Love_ _The_Thin_Red_Line_ Bravo#1 to the Academy: for embracing Terrence Malick's extremely difficult, extremely brilliant _The_Thin_Red_Line_, a film that been pegged as an also-ran in the Oscar race by industry pundits; in the end, the film ended up one of the leading contenders, with seven total nominations. The inclusion of Shekar Kapur's sumptuous "historical thriller" _Elizabeth_ comes as somewhat of a surprise, especially since its inclusion comes at the expense of what many believed to be a shoo-in for this category--Peter Weir's _The_Truman_Show_, which shockingly turned out to be the big also-ran in the race, garnering only three total nominations (fewer than--gasp--_Armageddon_). Other omissions: the highly overrated critics' darling _Waking_Ned_Devine_, which proved to be no _Full_Monty_ by not snagging a single nod; another overrated but more deserving critics' favorite _Gods_and_Monsters_; the deservedly celebrated critics' darling _Out_of_Sight_, which came away with only two nominations elsewhere; and a few of my personal favorites--Sam Raimi's terrific _A_Simple_Plan_; the spectactular animated epic _The_Prince_of_Egypt_; and Todd Solondz's splendidly subversive _Happiness_. ACTOR Roberto Benigni, _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_=20 Tom Hanks, _Saving_Private_Ryan_=20 Ian McKellen, _Gods_and_Monsters_=20 Nick Nolte, _Affliction_=20 Edward Norton, _American_History_X_ Bravo#2 to the Academy: for recognizing Norton, whose fierce and frightening work was, in my opinion, the best by a lead actor last year. The rest of the field holds no surprises, except perhaps the omission of _The_Truman_Show_'s Jim Carrey. However, did anyone really think that the Academy would throw a bone to the infamous butt-talker, Golden Globe win or no Golden Globe win, even if he did deliver a breakthrough dramatic performance? Performances I would have liked to have seen recognized: Bill Paxton in _A_Simple_Plan_ and John Hurt in _Love_and_Death_in_Long_Island_. ACTRESS Cate Blanchett, _Elizabeth_=20 Fernanda Montenegro, _Central_Station_=20 Gwyneth Paltrow, _Shakespeare_in_Love_=20 Meryl Streep, _One_True_Thing_=20 Emily Watson, _Hilary_and_Jackie_ Bravo#3 to the Academy: for awarding Watson a nod for another tour-de-force performance. The Academy's love affair with Streep continues, and while her _One_True_Thing_ work was indeed strong, was it really more impressive than the astonishing acts of mimickry Jane Horrocks pulled off in _Little_Voice_? Or Oprah Winfrey's anguished turn in the much-maligned _Beloved_? Other notable omissions: surprise New York Film Critics Circle winner Cameron Diaz, for _There's_Something_About_Mary_; Ally Sheedy's much-talked-about comeback in _High_Art_; and two of my favorites--Christina Ricci in _The_Opposite_of_Sex_ (which was _completely_ snubbed) and Meg Ryan in _You've_Got_Mail_. SUPPORTING ACTOR James Coburn, _Affliction_=20 Robert Duvall, _A_Civil_Action_=20 Ed Harris, _The_Truman_Show_=20 Geoffrey Rush, _Shakespeare_in_Love_=20 Billy Bob Thornton, _A_Simple_Plan_ The Academy didn't quite get the supporting categories right, however. Where the hell is Bill Murray's nod for _Rushmore_ (which was completely shut out)? Jason Patric for _Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_? Steve Martin for _The_Spanish_Prisoner_? Jeremy Davies for _Saving_Private_Ryan_? Elias Koteas, Nick Nolte, or Ben Chaplin for _The_Thin_Red_Line_? Or the actor who gave hands-down the best supporting performance of last year--Dylan Baker in _Happiness_? Surely any two of these would be wiser choices than Duvall and Rush. On the plus side, however, Coburn's nod is a nice surprise--though not as nice if any of the aforementioned were given their due. SUPPORTING ACTRESS Kathy Bates, _Primary_Colors_=20 Brenda Blethyn, _Little_Voice_=20 Judi Dench, _Shakespeare_in_Love_=20 Rachel Griffiths, _Hilary_and_Jackie_=20 Lynn Redgrave, _Gods_and_Monsters_ Her _Friends_ may be there for her, but the Academy wasn't--call it snobbery, an unfortunate lack of visibility, or just plain _wrong_: the snub of Lisa Kudrow's movie-stealing turn in _The_Opposite_of_Sex_. Also robbed was my personal supporting actress fave of last year, Kimberly Elise's understated work in _Beloved_. Other omissions: Joan Allen for _Pleasantville_; Thandie Newton for _Beloved_; Bridget Fonda for _A_Simple_Plan_. On the upside, the Academy earns Bravo#4 for recognizing Griffiths, who more than held her own against the formidable Emily Watson. =20 DIRECTOR Roberto Benigni, _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_=20 John Madden, _Shakespeare_in_Love_=20 Terrence Malick, _The_Thin_Red_Line_=20 Steven Spielberg, _Saving_Private_Ryan_=20 Peter Weir, _The_Truman_Show_ Bravo#5 to the Academy: for giving Malick a warm welcome back to filmmaking. No real surprises here though I would have liked to have seen _A_Simple_Plan_'s Sam Raimi here instead of Madden. ADAPTED SCREENPLAY _Gods_and_Monsters_ - Bill Condon=20 _Out_of_Sight_ - Scott Frank=20 _Primary_Colors_ - Elaine May=20 _A_Simple_Plan_ - Scott B. Smith=20 _The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Terrence Malick=20 Bravo#6 to the Academy: for continuing to recognize Malick. Ignored: Frank Cottrell Boyce's ingeniously structured _Hilary_and_Jackie_. ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY _Bulworth_ - Warren Beatty & Jeremy Pikser=20 _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ - Roberto Benigni=20 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Robert Rodat=20 _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard=20 _The_Truman_Show_ - Andrew Niccol=20 Fresh, wild, and unpredictable--I guess it's no shock that the conservative Academy passed over more adventurous works like Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson's _Rushmore_, Don Roos's _The_Opposite_of_Sex_, and Todd Solondz's _Happiness_. (It doesn't make their omissions any less aggravating, though.) Also ignored: David Mamet's _The_Spanish_Prisoner_; Gary Ross's _Pleasantville_; and the sly sociopolitical satire_Antz_, by Todd Alcott, Chris Weitz, and Paul Weitz. FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM _Central_Station_ (Brazil)=20 _Children_of_Heaven_ (Iran)=20 _The_Grandfather_ (Spain)=20 _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ (Italy)=20 _Tango_ (Argentina)=20 Maybe it was the overall dark tone or the pretentiousness of the "Dogme 95" manifesto under which it was made, but the omission of Denmark's _The_Celebration_(Festen)_ comes as quite a surprise. ART DIRECTION _Elizabeth_ - Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Peter Howitt=20 _Pleasantville_ - Art Direction: Jeannine Oppewall; Set Decoration: Jay Hart= =20 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Art Direction: Tom Sanders; Set Decoration: Lisa Dean Kavanaugh=20 _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Art Direction: Martin Childs; Set Decoration: Jill Quertier=20 _What_Dreams_May_Come_ - Art Direction: Eugenio Zanetti; Set Decoration: Cindy Carr=20 I'd hate to join Siskel and Ebert in their baffling support of _Babe:_Pig_in_the_City_, but I think that film's production design merited recognition. Even more deserving, though, is one of the more stunning visual achievements of last year--_Dark_City_, which came up completely empty-handed in these technical categories. CINEMATOGRAPHY _A_Civil_Action_ - Conrad L. Hall=20 _Elizabeth_ - Remi Adefarasin=20 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Janusz Kaminski=20 _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Richard Greatrex=20 _The_Thin_Red_Line_ - John Toll=20 _A_Civil_Action_? Why? COSTUME DESIGN _Beloved_ - Colleen Atwood=20 _Elizabeth_ - Alexandra Byrne=20 _Pleasantville_ - Judianna Makovsky=20 _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Sandy Powell=20 _Velvet_Goldmine_ - Sandy Powell=20 Bravo#7: for recognizing _Velvet_Goldmine_'s vivid recreation of the gaudy glory of glitter rock. FILM EDITING _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ - Simona Paggi=20 _Out_of_Sight_ - Anne V. Coates=20 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Michael Kahn=20 _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - David Gamble=20 _The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Billy Weber, Leslie Jones and Saar Klein=20 I loved _La_Vita_=C8_Bella_ as much as the next guy, but was there really anything that special about its editing? MAKEUP _Elizabeth_ - Jenny Shircore=20 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Lois Burwell, Conor O'Sullivan, and Daniel C. Striepeke=20 _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Lisa Westcott and Veronica Brebner=20 ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE _Elizabeth_ - David Hirschfelder=20 _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ - Nicola Piovani=20 _Pleasantville_ - Randy Newman=20 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - John Williams=20 _The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Hans Zimmer=20 _The_Truman_Show_, anyone? ORIGINAL MUSICAL/COMEDY SCORE _A_Bug's_Life_ - Randy Newman=20 _Mulan_ - Jerry Goldsmith, Matthew Wilder, and David Zippel=20 _Patch_Adams_ - Marc Shaiman=20 _The_Prince_of_Egypt_ - Hans Zimmer and Stephen Schwartz=20 _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Stephen Warbeck=20 All due respect to Mr. Shaiman, but why the Academy would want to recognize anything associated witn _Patch_Adams_ is beyond me. ORIGINAL SONG "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", _Armageddon_ - Diane Warren=20 "The Prayer," _Quest_for_Camelot_ - Music by Carole Bayer Sager and David Foster; Lyric by Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster, Tony Renis and Alberto Testa=20 "A Soft Place to Fall," _The_Horse_Whisperer_ - Allison Moorer and Gwil Owen= =20 "That'll Do," _Babe:_Pig_in _the_City_ - Randy Newman=20 "When You Believe," _The_Prince_of_Egypt_ - Stephen Schwartz=20 Warner Bros. better thank its lucky stars for the gold-plated pipes of movie theme diva Celine Dion; without them, it's highly doubtful that fluke Golden Globe winner "The Prayer" would have received this, the studio's _only_ nod for the year--and for a grade-A hunk of Saturday morning-level cheese, no less. But that's just one curious development in a _very_ curious category. _The_Horse_Whisperer_? _Babe:_Pig_in_the_City_? I, for one, would have rather liked to seen songs that actually mattered in the film in which they appeared: _Mulan_'s "Reflection," _Living_Out_Loud_'s "Give Me Something Real," or even "Uninvited" from _City_of_Angels_ and _Still_Crazy_'s "The Flame Still Burns." Hell, "Take Me There" from _The_Rugrats_Movie_ would have at least been a _fun_ choice. SOUND _Armageddon_ - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Keith A. Wester=20 _The_Mask_of_Zorro_ - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Pud Cusack=20 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Ronald Judkins=20 _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Robin O'Donoghue, Dominic Lester and Peter Glossop= =20 _The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer and Paul Brincat=20 SOUND EFFECTS EDITING _Armageddon_ - George Watters, II=20 _The_Mask_of_Zorro_ - David McMoyler=20 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Gary Rydstrom and Richard Hymns=20 VISUAL EFFECTS _Armageddon_ - Richard R. Hoover, Pat McClung and John Frazier=20 _Mighty_Joe_Young_ - Rick Baker, Hoyt Yeatman, Alan Hall and Jim Mitchell=20 _What_Dreams_May_Come_ - Joel Hynek, Nicholas Brooks, Stuart Robertson and Kevin Mack=20 Now, for the year's _worst_ nomination. How could _Mighty_Joe_Young_'s absolutely phony-looking effects be nominated over the subtle yet superlative work in _Pleasantville_? DOCUMENTARY FEATURE _Dancemaker_ - Matthew Diamond and Jerry Kupfer=20 _The_Farm:_Angola,_U.S.A._ - Jonathan Stack and Liz Garbus=20 _The_Last_Days_ - James Moll and Ken Lipper=20 _Lenny_Bruce:_Swear_to_Tell_the_Truth_ - Robert B. Weide=20 _Regret_to_Inform_ - Barbara Sonneborn and Janet Cole=20 LIVE ACTION SHORT _Culture_ - Will Speck & Josh Gordon=20 _Election_Night_ - Kim Magnusson and Anders Thomas Jensen=20 _Holiday_Romance_ - Alexander Jovy=20 _La_Carte_Postale_(The_Postcard)_ - Vivian Goffette=20 _Victor_ - Simon Sandquist and Joel Bergvall=20 ANIMATED SHORT _Bunny_ - Chris Wedge=20 _The_Canterbury_Tales_ - Christopher Grace and Jonathan Myerson=20 _Jolly_Roger_ - Mark Baker=20 _More_ - Mark Osborne and Steve Kalafer=20 _When_Life_Departs_ - Karsten Kiilerich and Sefan Fjeldmark=20 DOCUMENTARY SHORT _The_Personals:_Improvisations_on_Romance_in_the_Golden_Years_ - Keiko Ibi= =20 _A_Place_in_the_Land_ - Charles Guggenheim=20 _Sunrise_over_Tiananmen_Square_ - Shui-Bo Wang and Donald McWilliams=20 MULTIPLE NOMINEES _Shakespeare_in_Love_ - 13 _Saving_Private_Ryan_ - 11 _Elizabeth_ - 7 _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ - 7 _The_Thin_Red_Line_ - 7 _Armageddon_ - 4 _Gods_and_Monsters_ - 3 _Pleasantville_ - 3 _The_Truman_Show_ - 3 _Affliction_ - 2 _Central_Station_ - 2 _A_Civil_Action_ - 2 _Hilary_and_Jackie_ - 2 _The_Mask_of_Zorro_ - 2 _Out_of_Sight_ - 2 _Primary_Colors_ - 2 _The_Prince_of_Egypt_ - 2 _A_Simple_Plan_ - 2 _What_Dreams_May_Come_ - 2 The Academy Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 21 at 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific on ABC, beginning with the first official Oscar pre-show, hosted by (of all people) Geena Davis... [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 15:18:20 -0600 From: cHriS <csothman@nwchiro.edu> Subject: [MV] Who'da thunk? THE MOVIE REPORT's 1998 Academy Award Nominations & Analysis noted: "DIRECTOR Roberto Benigni, _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ John Madden, _Shakespeare_in_Love_ Terrence Malick, _The_Thin_Red_Line_ Steven Spielberg, _Saving_Private_Ryan_ Peter Weir, _The_Truman_Show_ Bravo#5 to the Academy: for giving Malick a warm welcome back to filmmaking. No real surprises here though I would have liked to have seen _A_Simple_Plan_'s Sam Raimi here instead of Madden." John Madden? Nominated for an Oscar? I didn't even realize he was into making films, considering his other busy careers as an NFL analyst and endorsing football video games. Wonder if he picks an All-Madden team for Hollywood... - - cHriS :) [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 14:34:11 -0700 (MST) From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 02/09/99 Twentieth Century Fox and filmmakers Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin are in talks to produce a sequel to the 1996 box-office hit Independence Day, according to Variety's Michael Flemming. Flemming reports that Emmerich and Devlin have hit upon an idea for a second film that will likely reunite ID4 stars Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. More importantly, Fox, Emmerich and Devlin may have found a way to put aside the bad blood that arose when the two filmmakers left Fox and signed a long-term deal with Sony Pictures. Independence Day, the third highest-grossing film of all time, took in a whopping $814 million at the box office. -=> * <=- Wesley Snipes has agreed to reprise his role as the half-human, half-vampire superhero that he made famous in the 1998 New Line flick Blade. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Snipes will star in an upcoming Blade sequel as well as produce the movie through his company Amen Ra Films. Blade screenwriter David Goyer will oversee the script for the new film, though there is no word yet on who will direct. The first Blade movie, based on the Marvel comic of the same name, brought in $70 million in domestic ticket sales. -=> * <=- Warner Bros. is looking for a director to take the helm of its on-again, off-again film Superman Lives, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Since Tim Burton's highly publicized departure from the project, Warner has reportedly been looking at Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth), Simon West (Con Air) and Steve Norrington (Blade) as possible replacements. By all accounts Nicolas Cage is still attached to star as the Man of Steel, though the oft-rewritten screenplay for the flick is supposedly undergoing more lengthy revisions. Even if Warner does settle on a new director, it's unclear when the film would begin shooting. -=> * <=- Director Harold Ramis is giving up plans to work on the DreamWorks SF comedy film Galaxy Quest, according to Variety. The entertainment trade publication speculated that Ramis simply wants to take a break after working on the Robert De Niro/Billy Crystal film Analyze This, which hits theaters on March 5. Galaxy Quest tells the story of a former TV actor who has to play his role as a space captain for real when he and his cast mates are recruited by aliens to save their endangered race. Although no new director has been lined up for the flick, shooting is expected to begin as scheduled this summer. -=> * <=- Marvel Comics has managed to cut through some of the legal webs that are entangling the rights to a live-action feature film version of the popular superhero Spider-Man, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The comic book company recently won a summary judgment dismissing claims that MGM has proprietary rights to such a film. However, Marvel is not in the clear yet. MGM has vowed to appeal the decision and also said that it has other claims of ownership that it intends to put forward. In the meantime, Sony is still pressing claims that it owns the Spidey rights. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 15:28:03 -0700 (MST) From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99 WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department's antitrust division has begun a preliminary inquiry into some practices in the distribution of movies. "We are looking into certain possibly anti-competitive practices in the distribution of motion pictures," said Justice spokeswoman Jennifer Rose. She declined to name any companies whose practices are under review. The probe, at a very preliminary stage, focuses on possible violations of a 1948 consent decree, known as the Paramount decree, that forced movie studios to sell their movie theaters and put other restrictions on their relationships, according to a source, who requested anonymity. -=> * <=- BEIJING (AP) - After holding the film "Mulan" hostage for political reasons, Beijing's censors said Monday they will allow the screening of the Disney animated blockbuster in Chinese cinemas later this month. Officials at China Film, the state-run monopoly for importing and distributing foreign films, said "Mulan" would be shown nationwide beginning Feb. 23, just after the Feb. 16-22 lunar new year holiday ends. The decision marks a sharp change from two years ago, when China threatened to rein in Disney's business dealings out of anger over "Kundun," a film about the Chinese occupation of Tibet. -=> * <=- LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Justice Department inquiry into the way movies are distributed to theaters caught Hollywood off guard, as executives and analysts wondered Monday what suddenly triggered the most aggressive government review in 50 years. The government's wide-ranging request for materials dating back to Jan. 1996 was spelled out in a 10-page document distributed Thursday and Friday to the major studios and two large theater chains. The document focuses on the issue of whether all theaters get a fair chance to show the films they want. It appears to be the Justice Department's closest inspection of movie distribution practices since a crackdown in the late 1940s, when studios - accused of monopolistic practices - were forced to sell their theater chains. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 14:56:54 -0800 From: "Romero, Leticia" <lromero@saonet.ucla.edu> Subject: RE: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99 hmmm.... can you say DISNEY? > -----Original Message----- > From: The Reporter [SMTP:gregorys@xmission.com] > Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 1999 2:28 PM > To: Movies Mailing List > Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99 > > WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department's antitrust division has > begun a preliminary inquiry into some practices in the distribution > of movies. "We are looking into certain possibly anti-competitive > practices in the distribution of motion pictures," said Justice > spokeswoman Jennifer Rose. She declined to name any companies whose > practices are under review. The probe, at a very preliminary stage, > focuses on possible violations of a 1948 consent decree, known as the > Paramount decree, that forced movie studios to sell their movie > theaters and put other restrictions on their relationships, according > to a source, who requested anonymity. > > -=> * <=- > > BEIJING (AP) - After holding the film "Mulan" hostage for political > reasons, Beijing's censors said Monday they will allow the screening > of the Disney animated blockbuster in Chinese cinemas later this > month. Officials at China Film, the state-run monopoly for importing > and distributing foreign films, said "Mulan" would be shown > nationwide beginning Feb. 23, just after the Feb. 16-22 lunar new > year holiday ends. The decision marks a sharp change from two years > ago, when China threatened to rein in Disney's business dealings out > of anger over "Kundun," a film about the Chinese occupation of Tibet. > > -=> * <=- > > LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Justice Department inquiry into the way movies > are distributed to theaters caught Hollywood off guard, as executives > and analysts wondered Monday what suddenly triggered the most > aggressive government review in 50 years. The government's > wide-ranging request for materials dating back to Jan. 1996 was > spelled out in a 10-page document distributed Thursday and Friday to > the major studios and two large theater chains. The document focuses > on the issue of whether all theaters get a fair chance to show the > films they want. It appears to be the Justice Department's closest > inspection of movie distribution practices since a crackdown in the > late 1940s, when studios - accused of monopolistic practices - were > forced to sell their theater chains. > > [ 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, 10 Feb 1999 10:08:31 -0800 From: Oz <oz@hollywoodbitchslap.com> Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99 "Romero, Leticia" wrote: > > hmmm.... can you say DISNEY? Can;t get the words out... but I can say "Sony". > > -----Original Message----- > > From: The Reporter [SMTP:gregorys@xmission.com] > > Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 1999 2:28 PM > > To: Movies Mailing List > > Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99 > > > > WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department's antitrust division has > > begun a preliminary inquiry into some practices in the distribution > > of movies. "We are looking into certain possibly anti-competitive > > practices in the distribution of motion pictures," said Justice > > spokeswoman Jennifer Rose. She declined to name any companies whose > > practices are under review. The probe, at a very preliminary stage, > > focuses on possible violations of a 1948 consent decree, known as the > > Paramount decree, that forced movie studios to sell their movie > > theaters and put other restrictions on their relationships, according > > to a source, who requested anonymity. > > > > -=> * <=- > > > > BEIJING (AP) - After holding the film "Mulan" hostage for political > > reasons, Beijing's censors said Monday they will allow the screening > > of the Disney animated blockbuster in Chinese cinemas later this > > month. Officials at China Film, the state-run monopoly for importing > > and distributing foreign films, said "Mulan" would be shown > > nationwide beginning Feb. 23, just after the Feb. 16-22 lunar new > > year holiday ends. The decision marks a sharp change from two years > > ago, when China threatened to rein in Disney's business dealings out > > of anger over "Kundun," a film about the Chinese occupation of Tibet. > > > > -=> * <=- > > > > LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Justice Department inquiry into the way movies > > are distributed to theaters caught Hollywood off guard, as executives > > and analysts wondered Monday what suddenly triggered the most > > aggressive government review in 50 years. The government's > > wide-ranging request for materials dating back to Jan. 1996 was > > spelled out in a 10-page document distributed Thursday and Friday to > > the major studios and two large theater chains. The document focuses > > on the issue of whether all theaters get a fair chance to show the > > films they want. It appears to be the Justice Department's closest > > inspection of movie distribution practices since a crackdown in the > > late 1940s, when studios - accused of monopolistic practices - were > > forced to sell their theater chains. > > > > [ 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 ] - -- - ------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------ "Damn the man, Joe!" -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =- - ----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 19:30:35 -0500 From: Mel Eperthener <bcassidy@usaor.net> Subject: Re: [MV] Who'da thunk? At 03.18 PM 09/02/99 -0600, cHriS wrote: > >John Madden? Nominated for an Oscar? I didn't even realize he was into >making films, considering his other busy careers as an NFL analyst and >endorsing football video games. Wonder if he picks an All-Madden team for >Hollywood... Well, I was really looking forward to this film, but after cHriS' comments, all I can imagine is Romeo and Juliet (nee Ethel) with a telestrator. BOOM. Look at that move!!!:-) Regards, - --Mel - --Mel Eperthener president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty Please support the endeavour of a friend and fellow Australian. Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings ____________________________________________ Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas. - -Former Australian cabinet minister Keppel Enderbery __________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 11:48:26 MST From: "Melysa Burns" <BURNSM@student.ewc.whecn.edu> Subject: Re: [MV] Full List of Oscar Nominations Thank you soooo much for sending me this list... this way i at least know who was nominated if by chance I don't get to watch the oscars. So thanks again! Melysa [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 11:55:18 MST From: "Melysa Burns" <BURNSM@student.ewc.whecn.edu> Subject: [MV] CC: abahmer@ewc1.ewc.whecn.edu This stuff is all new to me, meaning that this is the first time I have ever subscribed to a list. Getting messages that apply to something that i am interested in, like movies, is really cool. Me, subscribing to this list was part of my internet class assignment... but for now i will continue to stay on it, until i get tired of getting all the messages. Thanks. Melysa [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 14:37:13 -0500 From: ryana@asg.com (Ryan Allen) Subject: Re: [MV] CC: abahmer@ewc1.ewc.whecn.edu At 13:55 2/10/99 , you wrote: >but for now i will continue to stay on it, until i get tired of >getting all the messages. Thanks. > >Melysa Welcome to the list. There are thousands out there, so congratulations on finding one you enjoy. Cheers, Ryan Allen Intranet Specialist Intranet Development Team (IDTeam) Allen Systems Group http://www.asg.com ## Please visit my Personal Page ## ## http://www.gate.net/~airwolf ## [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 12:36:35 -0700 (MST) From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] REVIEW: BLAST FROM THE PAST BLAST FROM THE PAST (New Line) Starring: Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Christopher Walken, Sissy Spacek, Dave Foley. Screenplay: Bill Kelly and Hugh Wilson. Producers: Renny Harlin and Hugh Wilson. Director: Hugh Wilson. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (profanity, adult themes) Running Time: 106 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. The conventional three-act film storytelling structure may not be sacrosanct, but if you're telling a conventional story, it's a really good idea to use it. Marketing sets up the audience to expect a specific conflict for the second act, and to expect that certain characters and relationships will be the focal points; familiarity with other films tells them those elements will appear before they've finished their bags of popcorn. If you give the people what they expect when they're expecting it, you're going to satisfy them nine times out of ten. BLAST FROM THE PAST is set up as a romance and a fish-out-of-water comedy, and eventually it is both. It simply takes foooorrreeeeevvveerr to get there. The prologue begins in October 1962 in Los Angeles, where brilliant, highly paranoid scientist/inventor Calvin Webber (Christopher Walken) and his nine-months-pregnant wife Helen (Sissy Spacek) are well-prepared for the Cold War to turn hot. The Cuban Missile Crisis and a nearby plane crash conspire to convince the Webbers that nuclear war has begun, so they lock themselves into their plush multi-room fallout shelter to wait out the radiation. Thirty-five years later the door opens, and the Webbers' son Adam (Brendan Fraser) -- who has spent his whole life sealed away with Mom and Dad in 1962 -- emerges for supplies and, perhaps, to find a wife. A sensible film-maker would have realized that the Webbers' life in the shelter was the set-up for the story, not the story itself. Director Hugh Wilson, working from his own re-write of Bill Kelly's original story, decides that those thirty-five years will take up the first thirty-five minutes of the film. He juxtaposes details of their day-to-day lives with developments in the world above -- the latter centered around an employee (Joey Slotnik) in a malt shop-turned-singles' bar-turned-punk dive -- betraying his sitcom roots by spending infinitely too much time on wacky peripheral characters. Helen becomes an alcoholic while slowly going stir crazy, Calvin revels in his role as teacher-lord of his domain, the malt shop/bar employee becomes a burnout, and who really cares? Get Adam into the real world let him cope with it. At long last he does get into the real world, and befriends a cynical young woman named Eve (Alicia Silverstone). Naturally he reacts strangely to new-to-him phenomena like riding on a bus and looking at the sky, and naturally other people react strangely to his anachronistic politeness and friendliness. The whole business is handled clumsily, though; like Adam himself, the film waits so long to begin doing the things it should have been doing much earlier, it appears unsure how to do them. The relationship with Eve develops with inevitability, but without making sense of her softening towards Adam. How much better spent that first half hour might have been if the real world juxtaposition had been Eve's childhood rather than the pointless Slotnik character, both for comedic social commentary potential and for plot development purposes. But no such luck -- BLAST FROM THE PAST often feels like an assembly-line product made by people who've never seen an assembly line. BLAST FROM THE PAST does have its charms, enough not to make the experience completely frustrating. Brendan Fraser does have the naif in a strange land thing nailed -- he should, after ENCINO MAN and GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE -- with his big lug build and goofy kid grin; Dave Foley gets the already tired role of the gay best friend, but delivers his lines with zest. Wilson brings a silly energy to the second half of the film, giving it enough cute moments to make it watchable, but he never pulls it all together in a way that's completely satisfying. BLAST FROM THE PAST is a pretty lousy execution of a fairly simple idea, a textbook case of a by-the-numbers plot that just doesn't add up. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 half-lives: 5. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the Screening Room for details, or reply to this message with subject "Subscribe". - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 15:56:07 -0700 (MST) From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/10/99 If you can't beat 'em, join 'em: Madonna plans to play a cynical tabloid TV reporter in her next movie, a romantic comedy tentatively titled "Ton 80." It is her first film since 1996's "Evita." Variety says the flick is to be made by Warner Bros. under Madonna's Madguy production banner. (The trade publication also notes that her movies have "yielded mixed results at best.") In the script, by Andrew Fishman, Madonna's character is assigned to find and expose a reclusive, female, self-help author. It turns out the author is a gruff, handsome, dysfunctional man who hardly takes his life lessons to heart. Trouble is, the reporter falls in love with him and must decide whether or not to jeopardize their relationship by selling him out. The term "Ton 80" comes from the game of darts and refers to the highest possible score of a triple 20. "Don't be surprised if the film gets a title makeover by the time it's ready to be made into a film," says Variety. -=> * <=- BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - The romantic comedy "Shakespeare in Love" collected a near-record 13 Oscar nominations Tuesday to top the early favorite, Steven Spielberg's war epic "Saving Private Ryan." The Italian "Life Is Beautiful" became the first in three decades to be nominated for best picture and best foreign language movie. Among the nominations for "Shakespeare in Love" were best picture, director, actress for Gwyneth Paltrow, supporting actor for Geoffrey Rush, supporting actress for Judi Dench and original screenplay for Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard. "Saving Private Ryan" had 11 nominations, including best picture, director Steven Spielberg, leading actor Tom Hanks and original screenplay by Robert Rodat. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 17:51:08 -0700 (MST) From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 02/10/99 According to a recent poll conducted by Sci-Fi Entertainment Magazine, fans think Star Wars is the No. 1 SF film of all time. That was the verdict reached after Sci-Fi Entertainment--the official magazine of the Sci-Fi Channel--tallied more than 20,000 votes in an attempt to determine the "Top 100 Sci-Fi Films." Rounding out the top 10 after Star Wars came Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Empire Strikes Back, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Aliens, Return of the Jedi, Alien and Forbidden Planet. The complete list of 100 films will be available on the Sci-Fi Channel's Dominion Web site on Feb. 1 and will also be published in the April issue of Sci-Fi Entertainment. -=> * <=- Schindler's List actress Embeth Davidtz has joined the cast of the upcoming Robin Williams SF flick Bicentennial Man, according to Variety. Davidtz, whose credits also include Fallen, The Gingerbread Man and Army of Darkness, will play two roles in the film, which is based on the Isaac Asimov story of the same name. The movie is about an android (Williams) who takes on human qualities during the two hundred years he spends as the servant of a human family. Davidtz will play both a young woman that Williams takes care of as well as that woman's granddaughter. -=> * <=- Mission Impossible Director Brian De Palma may take the helm of Disney's upcoming SF thriller Mission to Mars, according to The Hollywood Reporter. If the deal goes through, De Palma would replace Gore Verbinski, who recently left the project due to creative and budgetary differences. Mars tells the story of two missions sent to the Red Planet, the first a research craft that disappears mysteriously and the second a rescue party. If De Palma agrees to take on the project, filming could reportedly start as soon as June. -=> * <=- Artisan Entertainment picked up the worldwide rights to the independent horror film The Blair Witch Project after a screening at the Sundance Film Festival, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is about three students who mysteriously disappear while shooting a documentary in Blair, Md., about a local witch myth, leaving behind only their self-made movie as a testament to what occurred. Artisan reportedly paid between $1 million and $2.5 million for the flick, which starred Heather Donahue, Michael Williams and Joshua Leonard. Gregg Hale and Robin Cowie produced the film, while Kevin Foxe and Bob Eick served as executive producers. At last year's Sundance Festival Artisan bought the rights to the independent SF film Pi, which was shot for $60,000 and went on to gross $3.5 million domestically. -=> * <=- Tommy Lee Jones has signed on to star alongside Clint Eastwood in the outer-space action flick Space Cowboys, according to Variety. The film is about four aging astronauts who are recruited by NASA to fix a malfunctioning satellite that was launched back in the 1960s. Although the former space jocks are well beyond their prime, NASA desperately needs one of them for his expertise, but he won't go unless he can bring his buddies along for the ride. Eastwood will also direct the Warner Bros. film, which begins shooting in June. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 05:51:14 PST From: "elisabeth shepard" <elisabethshepard@hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [MV] CC: abahmer@ewc1.ewc.whecn.edu I also subscribed to this movies list because I am taking an internet class. I really enjoy reading all of the movie reviews that are sent to me. Thanks, Elisabeth >From: "Melysa Burns" <BURNSM@student.ewc.whecn.edu> >To: movies@xmission.com >Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 11:55:18 MST >Subject: [MV] CC: abahmer@ewc1.ewc.whecn.edu >Reply-To: movies@lists.xmission.com > >This stuff is all new to me, meaning that this is the first time I >have ever subscribed to a list. Getting messages that apply to >something that i am interested in, like movies, is really cool. Me, >subscribing to this list was part of my internet class assignment... >but for now i will continue to stay on it, until i get tired of >getting all the messages. Thanks. > >Melysa > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 14:57:20 -0700 (MST) From: The Reporter <gregorys@xmission.com> Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/11/99 LOS ANGELES (AP) - America's tight grip on the golden statuette is slipping, with Academy Award voters looking abroad for many of this year's Oscar nominees. All five best picture nominees were set abroad: the Holocaust tale "Life Is Beautiful" from Italy; the Renaissance England duo "Shakespeare in Love" and "Elizabeth;" and the World War II films "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Thin Red Line." Foreign-born actresses got the most Tuesday's nominations: Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth"; Fernanda Montenegro, "Central Station"; Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths, "Hilary and Jackie"; Brenda Blethyn, "Little Voice"; Judi Dench, "Shakespeare in Love"; and Lynn Redgrave, "Gods and Monsters." Just three of the 10 actress nominees are American: Gwyneth Paltrow of "Shakespeare in Love," Meryl Streep of "One True Thing" and Kathy Bates from "Primary Colors." -=> * <=- BERLIN (AP) - While steering clear of Germany's debate over its national Holocaust memorial, director Steven Spielberg suggested Wednesday that his archive of interviews with survivors was still available if Germany wants to include it. Spielberg, in town for the screening of his Holocaust documentary "The Last Days" at the Berlin International Film Festival, declined to comment on competing concepts for the memorial, to be built in Berlin. "That is a decision that the German people have to make," he said. But he indicated that he was still interested in having the archives collected by his Shoah Visual History Foundation as part of the project. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 15:20:26 -0700 (MST) From: Scott Renshaw <renshaw@inconnect.com> Subject: [MV] More information on THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT Subscribers, If my Sundance review of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT managed to whet your whistle, you may be interested in visiting the filmmakers official site http://www.haxan.com/homeframe.htm. You can find comments by the filmmakers, QuickTime clips from the film, a wonderfully creepy mock-up of Heather's journal, and a link to a glowing review by yours truly. Regards, Scott - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the Screening Room for details, or reply to this message with subject "Subscribe". - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999 16:19:40 -0800 From: Michael Dequina <michael_jordan@geocities.com> Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#177, 2/11/99 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #177 FEBRUARY 11, 1999 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 purchasing videos and DVDs from Reel.com! Please visit: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html Thank you very much. =>T H I S W E E K<= M O V I E S - -_Message_in_a_Bottle_ - -_Simply_Irresistible_ - -_Blast_from_the_Past_ - -_My_Favorite_Martian_ V I D E O - -_Antz_ - -_Clay_Pigeons_ - -_John_Carpenter's_Vampires_ - -_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ - -_Rounders_ For my analysis of the recently announced Academy Award nominations, the best and worst of 1998, links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie MIDI music, movie discussion board, a comprehensive link section, and more, visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown or http://welcome.to/mrbrown or http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown or http://mrbrown.webjump.com Sorry for the inconvenience... Please don't forget to sign the guestbook... If you are reading this on Usenet, you can subscribe to the MR at: http://mysp.com/p/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 I am always up for a good live chat. Feel free to message me on ICQ at #25289934 or on AOL Instant Messenger under the handle "MrBrown23." 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 _Message_in_a_Bottle_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 I am a sucker for a shamelessly romantic confection, and the swoony trailer for Luis Mandoki's adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's bestseller _Message_in_a_Bottle_ promised the tear-stained goods. A woman finds the titular item and is so touched by the letter that she seeks out the letter writer--and finds him. Along the way, we hear such wonderfully saccharine lines as, "Don't you think it's brave--to love like that in this world?", "Choose between yesterday and tomorrow," and, most memorably, "You were my true north." But as _Message_ dashed headlong into its tear-wringing final frames, the audience at the screening I attended was noticeably dry-eyed and -nosed, with very few audible sniffles. And it's understandable why, for I certainly was not one of those few. I don't mind a formulaic film if the film goes about the formula in an interesting way, or the story is strong enough to sweep me away, formula be damned. _Message_ does neither. It is a rather conventional and conventionally told tale where a lonely woman (here, Chicago newspaper researcher/divorced single mom Theresa Osborne, played by Robin Wright Penn) finds a kindred spirit in another lonely soul (North Carolina widower Garret Blake, played by Kevin Costner, the author of the message), but his devotion to a lost love (dead wife Catherine) keeps him from committing. There is nothing wrong with that story in and of itself, and Costner and the radiant Wright Penn are a natural screen pair. But director Luis Mandoki and scripter Gerald DiPego wrap it in _too_much_ formula. Theresa and Garret fall for each other, but there's a Big Secret that threatens the future of their relationship, the revelation of which naturally comes at the pinnacle of their happiness (read: after they first make love). (The Big Secret in question, of course, is that Theresa found Garret's bottle and sought him out.) But even way before the story gets to that point, there are other irksome cliches, in particular Theresa getting an early wrong impression Garret after spying him in a brawl with his former brother-in-law. Speaking of in-laws, too much time is spent on a pointless subplot involving Garret's strained relationship with them. As if that weren't damaging enough as it is, the thread is resolved in an overblown, wordless, melodramatically-scored scene that borders on the laughable. Perhaps the most disappointing thing about _Message_in_a_Bottle_ is that it really could have turned out to be something. The story has a proven hook, and the casting is dead-on. Wright Penn is captivating and likable; Costner's typical stiffness is compensated by his rapport with his female lead; and they are well-supported by Illeana Douglas (as Theresa's best friend/co-worker), Robbie Coltrane (as Theresa's boss), and, in a scene-stealing turn, Paul Newman (as Garret's father). But these individual elements are just that, elements, floating in a large, overly familiar sea. Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _Simply_Irresistible_ (PG-13) ** They say that the way to a person's heart is through his or her stomach, so one would think that before _Simply_Irresistible_, a food-centered romance would have hit the big screen... ...oh, I forgot--_Like_Water_for_Chocolate_ got there first. Then allow me to rephrase: one would think that one would come up with a romance that was not only food-centered, but a fantasy where the besotted chef's emotions magically manifest themselves in her cooking... ...oh, I forgot--_Like_Water_for_Chocolate_ covered that, too. That leaves writer Judith Roberts and director Mark Tarlov with nary a fresh idea between them, and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Sean Patrick Flanery with nothing fresh to work with. The latter fact is especially a shame, for Flanery and the luminous Gellar are wonderfully matched as, respectively, wealthy department store manager Tom Bartlett and the young woman he eventually falls for, a mediocre chef at a struggling New York restaurant named Amanda Shelton. The two Meet Cute at a street food market, where a mysterious stranger sells Amanda a basket of crabs, one of which is magical (!) and pinches Tom's leg. Forcing a meeting between Amanda and Tom is just the first trick up the crab's sleeve, for he turns Amanda into a master chef, winning the hearts of many, not least of all being the commitment-phobic Tom's, with her divine culinary masterpieces. This setup plays about as dreadful as it sounds, with only the appeal and chemistry of Gellar and Flanery keeping it watchable. But around the midpoint, with the appearance of the object of its original title--_Vanilla_Fog_--_Simply_Irresistible_ starts to develop some low-key charm. At this juncture, Tarlov and Roberts appear to realize that the mere presence of magic does not a magical film make. As exhibited in Alfonso Arau's absolutely enchanting 1993 film _Like_Water_for_Chocolate_, fantasy elements must be firmly rooted in the characters and story in order to really work, and once the fog appears and lifts, the emphasis is placed less on the magic than the characters, and as such that element feels more like a necessary part of the story and not an arbitrary gimmick. Even so, it's too little too late--the damage caused by the unpromising opening and the annoying plot device of the crab (which, like the stranger who sells it to Amanda, is never explained) is done, and the effectiveness of _Simply_Irresistible_'s latter half merely serves as a glimpse of what might have been had the filmmakers been more focused. As such, this murky and ultimately bland effort lives up to that former title--_Vanilla_Fog_, indeed. IN BRIEF _Blast_from_the_Past_ (PG-13) ** It's a terrible premise: believing that America would be bombed by the Russians in 1962, an eccentric but brilliant scientist (Christopher Walken) and his pregnant wife (Sissy Spacek) lock themselves in a homey underground fallout shelter. After the timed locks open after 35 years, their son, Adam (Brendan Fraser) is ready to go up to the surface to get more supplies. There he meets the oh-so-conveniently named Eve (Alicia Silverstone), who schools the '60s-era-bred Adam in the ways of the '90s L.A....and, of course, in love. Surprisingly, however, _Blast_from_the_Past_ does have its charms, chief among them being some good comic character work from Walken and Dave Foley, who plays Eve's gay brother. Fraser and Silverstone also have a sweet, unforced romantic rapport. But it's not enough to overcome the thudding weight of the premise, which serves as the springboard for too many lame gags, the lamest of all being a bar owner (Joey Slotnick) who thinks Adam is God (don't ask). In the end, the charm of _Blast_from_the_Past_ cannot overpower the cheese. _My_Favorite_Martian_ (PG) no stars Grab a thesaurus. Look up the word "bad." See those words listed? There you have my review of the absolutely atrocious screen version of the 1960s TV sitcom. The Martian in question (Christopher Lloyd) becomes the "favorite" of TV news producer Tim O'Hara, who reluctantly allows the alien (who passes himself off as Tim's "Uncle Martin") and his living, talking space suit to live with him as they repair their damaged spaceship. Certainly some suspension of disbelief is in order, but there was one thing that kept on bugging me while watching this film: just where exactly was the Martian heading if he didn't want to land on earth? It makes no sense. Not that sense should be the priority of director Donald Petrie and writers Sherri Stoner and Deanna Oliver--their main concern should be laughs. But there are none to be had in this tedious turkey, which uses a lot of admittedly diverting (but not diverting _enough_) effects work in a futile attempt to hide the clunkiness of the script and, worst of all, the performances. Lloyd is insufferably obnoxious and smug; Daniels is a complete blank; Daryl Hannah (as Daniels's devoted camera operator) is even worse. But as bad as they are, they don't come close to the abysmal, forced work of Elizabeth Hurley. She's a born straightwoman, yet she's called on to actually _be_ funny as bitchy reporter Brace Channing--and she has no clue _how_, showing no sense of comic timing whatsoever. It's not a pretty sight---a statement that can be applied to the entire waste of celluloid that is _My_Favorite_Martian_. 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) - -_Affliction_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#affliction - -_Another_Day_in_Paradise_ (R) ** <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#paradise - -_At_First_Sight_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#174, 1/21/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#sight - -_A_Bug's_Life_ (G) *** 1/2 <MR#167, 11/20/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#bugs - -_The_Celebration_(Festen)_ (R) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#festen - -_Central_Station_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#central - -_A_Civil_Action_ (PG-13) ** <MR#172, 12/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#civil - -_Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#elizabeth - -_Enemy_of_the_State_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#168, 11/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#enemy - -_The_Faculty_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#172, 12/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#faculty - -_The_General_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#general - -_Gods_and_Monsters_ *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#gods - -_The_Hi-Lo_Country_ (R) * 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#hilo - -_Hilary_and_Jackie_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#h&j - -_Hurlyburly_ (R) ** <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#hurlyburly - -_In_Dreams_ (R) *1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#dreams - -_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** <MR#162, 10/16/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#vitabella - -_Little_Voice_ (R) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#lv - -_Mighty_Joe_Young_ (PG) ** <MR#172, 12/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#mightyjoe - -_My_Name_Is_Joe_ (R) *** <MR#172, 12/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#joe - -_Patch_Adams_ (PG-13) * <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#patch - -_Payback_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#176, 2/4/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#payback - -_Playing_by_Heart_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#architecture - -_The_Prince_of_Egypt_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#prince - -_Rushmore_ (R) **** <MR#170, 12/11/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#rushmore - -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan - -_Shakespeare_in_Love_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#shakespeare - -_She's_All_That_ (PG-13) * 1/2 <MR#1/28/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#allthat - -_A_Simple_Plan_ (R) **** <MR#167, 11/20/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#plan - -_Stepmom_ (PG-13) ***<MR#170, 12/11/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#stepmom - -_Still_Crazy_ (R) ** <MR#169, 12/3/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#crazy - -_The_Theory_of_Flight_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#flight - -_The_Thin_Red_Line_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#red - -_Varsity_Blues_ (R) * <MR#173, 1/15/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#varsity - -_Virus_ (R) no stars <MR#174, 1/21/99> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#virus - -_Waking_Ned_Devine_ (PG) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#ned - -_You've_Got_Mail_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#mail F U T U R E F I L M S - -_Jawbreaker_ (R) *** <MR#174, 12/24/98> http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#jawbreaker (February 19) O N T H E H O R I Z O N FRIDAY _Blast_from_the_Past_ (PG-13) ** <see above review> A man (Brendan Fraser) who has lived the first 35 years of his life in a fallout shelter falls in love with a woman (Alicia Silverstone) who brings him up to speed in the '90s. As cheesy as it sounds, but not without some charm. Christopher Walken, Sissy Spacek, and Dave Foley also star. _God_Said,_'Ha!'_ (PG-13) Film version of Julia Sweeney's acclaimed one-woman stage show about a tumultuous year in her life. _Message_in_a_Bottle_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <see above review> Well-acted but overly formulaic and maudlin adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel about a newspaper researcher (Robin Wright Penn) who discovers a bottled letter written by a lonely widower (Kevin Costner). _My_Favorite_Martian_ (PG) no stars <see above review> Unwatchable screen version of the '60s TV show in which a Martian (Christopher Lloyd) moves in with an Earthling (Jeff Daniels). _Tango_ (PG-13) Returning to screens after receiving a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nod is this Argentinean drama about a film director's relationship with a fiery dancer. _Unconditional_Love_ (R) Thriller in which a reporter trails a murderer. John Kennedy Horne and Tracey Ross star. ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#159, 9/25/98; and at: http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#antz Buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=43245 The far wittier of the two computer animated insect movies of last fall was DreamWorks's tale of a sadsack worker ant (voiced to perfection by Woody Allen) who falls for the colony princess (Sharon Stone). What deceptively appears to be a kid-friendly animated feature is actually more rewarding for adults, who will appreciate the sly sociopolitical satire of the script by by Todd Alcott, Chris Weitz, and Paul Weitz. (DreamWorks Home Entertainment) _Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2 Full review in MR#159, 9/25/98; and at: http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#clay Buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=43500 Quirky, would-be "hip" black comedy-thriller about a young Montana mechanic (Joaquin Phoenix) who is suspected of being a serial killer. Vince Vaughn and Janeane Garofalo turn in entertaining performances in this sporadically amusing mess. (PolyGram Video) _John_Carpenter's_Vampires_ (R) * 1/2 Full review in MR#163, 10/22/98; and at: http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#vampires Buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=43723 Groan-worthy camp horror flick in which a slayer (James Woods at his most unlikable) hunts down a powerful bloodsucker (Thomas Ian Griffith). Not scary in the slightest, but very bloody--and unintentionally (?) hilarious. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) _Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2 Full review in MR#157, 9/6/98; and at: http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#wonderland Buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=42889 Middling romantic comedy in which a "perfectly" matched woman (Hope Davis) and man (Alan Gelfant) constantly miss each other. Cute concept and likable cast, but I wasn't so sure that the two were so ideally matched. (Miramax Home Entertainment) _Rounders_ (R) *** Full review in MR#157, 9/6/98; and at: http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rounders Buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID= John Dahl's entertaining drama about a law student and expert card player (Matt Damon) who is dragged back into the poker underground by his ex-con friend (Edward Norton). (Miramax Home Entertainment) A L S O N E W T H I S W E E K _Underground_ Buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=10239 Emir Kustirica's 1995 Palme d'Or-winning, decades-spanning sociopolitical comedy about the exploits of two underground fighters (Miki Manojlovic and Lazar Ristovski) in the former Yugoslavia. (New Yorker Home Video) ~~~ =>N E X T W E E K<= More reviews, including: - -_Office_Space_ 'til then... [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ End of movies-digest V2 #160 **************************** [ To quit the movies-digest mailing list (big mistake), send the message ] [ "unsubscribe movies-digest" (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]