response 148 of 323:

Oct 14 17:01 UTC 2000

I've got a couple of movies on the way from Netflix.... The Andromeda Strain,
and War of the Worlds... I've never seen either.

Planet of the Apes is "out of stock".  Damn!

response 150 of 323:

Oct 16 15:53 UTC 2000

Uhhhh...no.

response 152 of 323:

Oct 16 22:00 UTC 2000

  I hope it's a musical, like the Simpsons' "Stop the Planet of the Apes, 
  Want to Get Off"  (..except that in light of the potential "Boogie Nights"
  connection maybe they should re-think the "I Want to Get Off" part..)

response 154 of 323:

Oct 17 18:10 UTC 2000

"Hey Hey we're the Monkeeeeees..."

response 156 of 323:

Oct 18 08:24 UTC 2000

I saw men in black on tv yesterday, and I remebered how much of an excellent
film it is. I also saw midnight run, with rober deniro in it, that is a
classic :)

response 158 of 323:

Oct 18 15:38 UTC 2000

Hm.  I liked Men in Black, but I like Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith.  I liked
Something about Mary, but only the first few times through.  It wears thin
the more you watch it  But I was laughing HARD when I first saw it.

response 160 of 323:

Oct 20 22:47 UTC 2000

I finally got to the movies today for the first time in maybe
2 months.  Partly I've been busy but mostly there hasn't been
much out there that looked worthwhile.

"Contender" : Imagine "Advise and Consent", written to highlight
the plight of women in politics, and directed by Frank Capra.
Or at least Frank steps in at the end to tidy things up.
What was that whole bit about the President ordering food
to prove he could do it?

But Joan Allen did a nice job and I liked her character.
And it was nice to be back in a theater.  I hadn't 
realized how much I'd missed it.

response 162 of 323:

Oct 21 00:12 UTC 2000

  I also went to the movies last night for the first time in months.
  The film I saw was "Meet the Parents" and I found it to be much lamer
  than I was expecting it to be.  It wasn't *bad* but it was so utterly
  unoriginal and mostly unfunny that I very nearly walked out about 2/3
  of the way through because I really couldn't see any point in staying,
  as I could predict everything that was going to happen.

  If you're looking for a picture that combines obvious humor, overused
  wedding jokes, and Robert de Niro making kissy faces at a large cat,
  well, you're in for a treat.  Otherwise take my recommendation and leave
  after the previews for coming attractions are over -- it's not going to
  get any better.

  C-

response 164 of 323:

Oct 21 05:59 UTC 2000

"REQUIEM FOR A DREAM"-- you'll be hearing about this one around
the time oscar nominations come out.  Based on the novel of same name by
Hubert Selby (author of "Last Exit to Brooklyn), its a dark tale of lonely
people pursuing their dreams past the point of reality and paying the
consequences.  Ellen Burstyn plays a brooklyn widow who lives alone and
dreams of being a contestant on her favorite game show.  As if being on tv
will make her friends and bring her husband and son back.  But she's
overweight, and wants to be skinny for tv, so she starts taking
prescription dietpills (amphetamines).  Meanwhile, we see her son,
whose dreams of living the good life with his girlfriend are so strong,
that the only way he can live that dream is to be a drug dealer.  So he
and his friend,and his girlfriend all start spiraling down the path of
drug addiction.  And so does his mother.

The descent of these four normal people, whose worst crime is they dreamed
too many dreams and tried too hard to live them out, is both devastating
and terrifying.  Ellen Burstyn's performance as the mother, who makes
transformation from fat, kind old lady into anorexic, parnoid, amphetamine
addict is incredible.  and jared leto and jennifer connely, who play her
son and his girlfriend, whose love for each other causes them to dream too
much and go too far,are terrifictoo.  Marlon Wayans plays the son'sbest
friend, who starts dealing drugs with him, not for the money, but because
he's an outcast in his neighborhood and his dream is to fit in, to be
accepted (even if it is with the 'hood)

"Requiem for a Dream", a story of a world where dreams die, is a
harrowing, haunting, really great movie.  Warning though, it is dark and
disturbing and intense (just like "Last Exit to Brooklyn"), so its not for
everyone.  Its a movie you will think about for a long time.  ***** (five
stars-- best film of the year)

response 166 of 323:

Oct 23 16:04 UTC 2000

Saw a couple videos this weekend- "But I'm a Cheerleader!" "Modern 
Vampires" and "Down To You"

"Cheerleader" stares Natasha Lyonne as a young cheerleader whose 
parents and friends think she's showing signs of being a lesbian.  So 
she gets packed off to a 'reorientation' camp to learn how to be 
straight.  At the camp are two directors played by- Cathy Moriarty and 
RuPaul.  It was really rather funny, and silly- it is NOT meant to be 
taken seriously.  But was cute.

'Modern Vampires' stars Casper Van Diem, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Kim 
Catrall, Rod Steiger, Robert Pastorelli and Natasha Lyonne (Okay, so 
it's a really minor role but I was amused to see her in this because 
before this weekend I had no idea who she was and then she was in two 
movies in a row- and now from a webpage I find out she was in Detroit 
Rock City and American Pie)...  For a vampire movie- it was, well, 
pretty bad.  I was amused by it, and kinda liked some of the scenes and 
characterizations.  Van Diem (Dallas) did well- given the script, as 
did the woman playing Nico.  It was still pretty bad though, the 'good' 
Vampires take out the 'bad' ones and have a huge surprise for Dr. Van 
Helsing... <snickers> The soundtrack was decent, and overall I wouldn't 
object too strongly to seeing this silly movie again- with the right 
people.

"Down To You" staring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Julia Stiles. Romantic 
Comedy about two people who fall in love in college, the trials and 
tribulations they go through before breaking up- and their eventual 
reunion after they've both graduated from college and have grown up a 
bit.  Cute, funny, written by someone with *some* wit, Stiles is rather 
fun to watch, and Prinze does clueless well.  Overall, I rather liked 
the movie.

response 168 of 323:

Nov 4 21:32 UTC 2000

We went to see _Charlie's Angels_ last night.  The reviews I've read have
been accurate.  Outstanding special effects, outlandish plot, and pretty
women.  Who could ask for anything more of a movie with *that* title?

(BTW, my wife and daughter choice it to celebrate the latter's 14th birthday.)

response 170 of 323:

Nov 6 18:29 UTC 2000

(My favorite part of "Toy Story 2" was the "outtakes" during the
final credits.)

"Dancer in the Dark" -- it's a musical, of sorts, but don't go
expecting to leave the the theater in a feel-good state of mind.
A brilliant but depressing film by Danish director Lars von Trier
("Breaking the Waves") that builds to an incredibly intense and
affecting climax, which I won't reveal.  I don't regret having seen
it, but it put me in an out-of-sorts mood for most of a day; movies
don't usually have that intense an effect on me.  Icelandic pop
star Bjork (o-umlaut, but I can't input that easily right now)
is great in the lead role, and Catherine DeNeuve is superb as her
best friend.  The hand-held camera work will not be to everyone's
taste, although I thought it worked well.

response 172 of 323:

Nov 6 21:34 UTC 2000

"Dancer in the Dark" is almost a "Breaking the Waves II".  Same
basic concept - a woman turns to fantasy as a way of working 
through a life that is disintegrating around her.  She is 
written off as kooky and simple but in the end her dreams
are seen as heroic..  

"Dancer in the Dark" was more manipulative in how it got there
but still a fine film.  I really don't like hand-held camera
work and I wish that trend would die a merciful death.

We saw "Dancer" at the Michigan and if you've seen the film
imagine this - the fire alarms go off about 7 minutes before
the end of the movie.  You couldn't have picked a worse point
to take a break.  Which is what about half the audience did.
After mulling around in the alley for a few minutes they let
us back in for the end and credits but by then many folks
had simply left.  I guess they get to decide the ending of
their choice.