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Grex > Cinema > #23: ---<<<< AT THE MOVIES >>>>--- |  |
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| 25 new of 146 responses total. |
senna
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response 28 of 146:
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Oct 12 15:27 UTC 1998 |
My understanding is that the difference is sometimes difficult to discern in
this movie.
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jep
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response 29 of 146:
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Oct 12 15:53 UTC 1998 |
We borrowed a copy of "Titanic" on videotape and watched it on Saturday.
It was still a good movie; a good story, but the special effects much,
much less impressive on TV than on a big screen. It was a lot more
obvious to both of us that the graphics were computer generated -- the
water looks flatter and more fake. Some of the background images of the
ship looked like the mountains in old Westerns, where there was just a
painting of a mountain in the background.
Also, it was much more obvious on the 2nd showing that almost the entire
last hour of the movie, when the stars are dashing from place to place
around the ship, is just a demo of how impressive the ship was. The
story wouldn't suffer at all from that part being clipped.
It's still a great movie, in my opinion. I'm glad I didn't buy the
videotape, though.
Does anyone know if it's possible to get "The Poseidon Adventure" on
videotape? I've asked for it at our local Video Connection, and at
another video store in Tecumseh, but neither had it. I'd like to see it
again.
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other
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response 30 of 146:
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Oct 12 17:49 UTC 1998 |
***The Apostle***
We suffered through the whole thing waiting for the good parts, and finished
it convinced that the academy awards were a purely political nod to the right
wing, and perhaps even to the moderate forces who are tired of the industry's
glorification of sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, smoking, violence, car chases and
all the other good stuff. If you're an evangelical sort, or an anthropolgist
studying evangelical movements, you might have a more interesting time with
this one. as for me, even the human drama was buried under an unpleasant crud
pile of saccharin religiosity. i give it a resounding "bleah" (with
appropriate nods to charles schultz)
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agro
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response 31 of 146:
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Oct 12 18:03 UTC 1998 |
fdfd
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remmers
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response 32 of 146:
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Oct 12 18:23 UTC 1998 |
Re #30: Hm, I came away from "The Apostle" with a very different
impression. Although I didn't think it was all that great a film,
it didn't seem to me that it was endorsing the evangelism and
religiousity that it depicted, and more than "The Godfather"
endorsed organized crime. The main character, played by Robert
Duvall, was a pretty un-virtuous guy..
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maeve
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response 33 of 146:
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Oct 12 18:37 UTC 1998 |
Oh that was such a painful movie. It was awful. I don't mind movies
about scum as long as they have good reasons for being scum, this was
just bad. He was stupid and arrogant and preying on that woman who was
being just as stupid in falling for him. Nasty nasty man. At any rate,
it sparked a discussion about kissing with a hat on, and it was decided
that it might be quite a talent to have, and that discussion in turn
gave me a good idea for a library poster. So it wasn't a complete waste
of a movie, but very very close.
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scg
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response 34 of 146:
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Oct 12 18:59 UTC 1998 |
re 27:
Yes, I can call it cinematography even though it was animated. With
most animated films I couldn't, but with this one, I can.
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remmers
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response 35 of 146:
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Oct 12 19:09 UTC 1998 |
"Touch of Evil" - FOUR STARS
When Orson Welles' noir thriller about crime and corruption in a
US/Mexico border town was released in the 1950's, alterations
were made that were contrary to Welles' wishes as expressed in a
long memo that he wrote to the studio. Despite this, the film has
achieved classic status over the years.
Now, forty years later, "Touch of Evil" has been re-edited -- with
Universal Studios' cooperation -- to conform to what Welles wanted.
The incredible three-minute-long single-take tracking shot that opens
the film no longer has the credits and Henry Mancini's music super-
imposed on it. Key scenes that explain characters' motivations have
been added back in. Overall, the film seems more unified and
consistent.
It's not a perfect film. Welles and Charleton Heston are too limited
as actors to quite bring off the monumental clash of wills that I
think was intended. Welles' character is supposed to be tragic, but
as written and played he's a pretty one-dimensional villain.
But things move along so fast that you hardly have time to notice
the flaws. For atmosphere and camera pyrotechnics, "Touch of Evil"
has few rivals. With its rapid editing and pacing, its gallery of
bizarre characters and situations, it's a continually engrossing
wild ride that shouldn't be missed. Highly recommended.
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remmers
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response 36 of 146:
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Oct 12 19:12 UTC 1998 |
Re #33: Hm... I'm curious what the good reasons are for being scum.
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omni
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response 37 of 146:
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Oct 12 19:39 UTC 1998 |
I really want to see Touch of Evil now that it's been restored.
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other
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response 38 of 146:
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Oct 13 00:17 UTC 1998 |
i don't mean to imply that i thought the film endorsed the evangelical idea,
but merely that its portayal of it was overbearing in relation to the story...
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md
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response 39 of 146:
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Oct 13 11:29 UTC 1998 |
A web reviewer (Salon, I think) recently referred to "What Dreams
May Come" as a "hideous explosion in the cosmic kitsch factory."
That's what the TV commercials for it make it look like, but I'd
still like to see it and make up my own mind. If only Robin
Williams weren't in it . . .
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mary
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response 40 of 146:
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Oct 13 12:53 UTC 1998 |
Williams is very subdued in "What Dreams...". The computer
animation and special effects *are* the movie.
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maeve
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response 41 of 146:
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Oct 13 19:33 UTC 1998 |
Dangerous Liasions was a good example of justified scummy-ness. He was a
horrible person, and he did horrible things, but he did them so well,
and with such grace, that you can't help but admire him for it. Basicaly
it's the idea of admirable villains.
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richard
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response 42 of 146:
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Oct 13 23:02 UTC 1998 |
"Buffalo 66"-- catch this if you can while its still in theaters or rent
it when its out on Video. This is a terrific little indie film starring
and directed by Vincent Gallo, about a young man who comes back to his
hometown of Buffalo, NY after having been in jail for gambling. He has
not told his parents he's been in jail, instead lying and saying he was
married and living in another town. So once out of jail, he kidnaps a
girl (Christina Ricci) and gets her to pretend to be his wife, and they
visit his neurotic, dysfunctional parents (his football obsessed mom is
wonderfully played by Anjelica Huston) and other hometown friends.
Everyone they encounter is portrayed as being warped, dysfunctional and
living in their own private universes. Eventually Ricci, who has been
pretending to be Gallo's wife, realizes she's really fallen for him, and
Gallo has to consider whether he wants to live in *his* own private
universe, or whether there is a place in it for someone else.
The movie points out a decision we all make in our lives at some point
on whether we should live through our fantasies and neuroses, or to live
and accept life as it really is. The movie brilliantly portrays the
extents to which so many people live in denial, refusing to accept
life as it is and people as they are-- instead insisting on believing in
fantasies and pre-conceived notions. And how, the difference between a
loveless relationship (Gallo's parents) and a loving relationship (Gallo
and Ricci) is in having complete acceptance in who the other person
really is and not distorting reality or living in denial.
"Buffalo 66" is one of the best movies I've seen this year. Very funny
and higly recommended. **** (four stars)
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other
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response 43 of 146:
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Oct 14 01:54 UTC 1998 |
*** By the Sword ***
F. Murray Abraham and Eric Roberts star in this 1991 dramatic sleeper.
Abraham is drifter Max Suba, who arrives at the fencing studio of Maestro
Villard (Roberts) in New York City looking to teach fencing.
The artistic sport of fencing plays a lead role in this well written, but
sometimes unsubtlely directed morality play. The opening sequence reminds
one of a cross between a low-budget martial arts film and a low-budget crime
drama, but don't be misled -- this *is* a low-budget film, but ultimately,
it doesn't matter. The unfolding of the story is as engaging and as
fascinating as the romantic artistry of fencing itself. The strangely
animated flashback/dream sequences, at first enigmatic and obscure, begin
later to reveal the hidden truth behind the present lives of the characters
of Suba and Villard.
Mia Sara plays a supporting role as a fast-learning new student who arrives
on the scene presumably only moments prior to Suba's arrival at the beginning
of the film.
Admittedly biased, having been a collegiate varsity fencer, I have to say I
really enjoyed this film, not only for the way the story was told, but for
the most realistic sport fencing sequences I have ever seen on film. Even
if you're not and never have been a fencer, the story still has a rich
romantic appeal, and the telling of it grows better and better from the
slovenly beginnings at the opening credits.
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maeve
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response 44 of 146:
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Oct 15 12:01 UTC 1998 |
intreguing..I should fence again..not enough time..
oh, does anyone know where I might be able to find out some information
about 'The Governess'? I've already seen it, but I want some historical
information and I couldn't find any on the web and I was wondering if
people had some other bright ideas as to how to find out things like
design work etc..
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richard
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response 45 of 146:
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Oct 31 16:01 UTC 1998 |
AMERICAN HISTORY X-- Powerful drama about a man's learning how
*not* to hate. Edward Norton, in a great performance (IMO he's
one of the best young actors in the business) as a teenager who
becomes a nazi skinhead after blacks kill his policeman father.
Hate and racism consume his life, to the point where he gets a
nazi swastika tattooed on his chest, and alienates everyone who
doesnt share his hate. He ends up shooting to death two blacks
trying to steal his car and goes to jail.
In jail, he learns he hasnt been hating blacks, but himself, and
actually befriends a black man, causing his former skinhead jail
buddies to beat him up. He is guided and helped by his old high
school principal (Avery Brooks of Deep Space Nine in a terrific
performance)
Once out of jail, he is a changed man, and sets out to save his
little brother, who has become a skinhead himself and joined the
same nazi gang. He has to teach his little brother what he has
finally learned, how wrong it is to hate.
This is a powerful and disturbing movie, with brilliant
cinematography, shifting between black and white flashbacks of
Norton's skinhead past and color in the present when he has
gotten out of jail. Well worth seeing. **** (four stars)
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krj
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response 46 of 146:
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Nov 8 05:49 UTC 1998 |
Tonight I finally got around to seeing (on video) "Paulie," a very
sweet movie about a talking parrot. A children's movie with a good
bit of appeal to adults, and a "name" cast
including Gena Rowlands, Tony Shaloub and Cheech Marin.
Sentimental idiot that I am, I sniffled through the whole thing.
I'd wanted to see this ever since I saw the child actress in it
appear on Jay Leno's show, and since I read Janet Maslin's rave review.
-----
Leslie is looking to find a movie which was released in the mid-1990s.
It's about three eccentric English women, possibly set in Italy,
and all the lead roles are played by grand dames of the British stage.
Does this ring any bells?
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aruba
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response 47 of 146:
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Nov 8 17:36 UTC 1998 |
That sounds like "Enchanted April".
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aruba
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response 48 of 146:
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Nov 8 18:18 UTC 1998 |
We went to see Pleasantville last night. This was the first movie in a
long, long time that I didn't feel bad about paying $7.50 for. (Well, I
felt bad when I paid it, but not after I'd seen the movie.)
It's a story about the choices we make personally and as a society. Would
we rather have things be pleasant all the time, or have soaring highs and
deep lows? Would we rather live in a small world where we understand
everything, or a big one which is scary but much more varied? Is there a
way life "should" be, which consequently makes it easier to know what to
do, or is it up to everyone to make what they can out of their lives -
making life harder but boundless.
People who are nostalgic for the 1950s often talk about how life was
"simpler" then. I am such a person sometimes (even though I was born in
1967) when I am frustrated about not knowing what to do with my life, or
how to interact with people, or how to judge if what I've done is a
success. Sometimes I wish that the world were small and the rules clearly
defined, so that I wouldn't have to make so many choices.
But I subscribe to the notion that you can't really be alive in such a
world. In other words, no one is a whole person who depends on everyone
else to make all the rules and judge all the accomplishments. The essence
of what makes us "intelligent life", and other animals less so, is that we
can confront new situations, solve new problems, and find our way in the
world unguided by evolutionarily built-in instincts. The very reason we
are able to do the things we do is that humanity didn't get locked into a
pattern of behavior and an evolutionary niche that would eventually
dissappear.
Societally built-in patterns and instincts, while making it a lot easier
to live, are no less deadly than evolutionary ones, in the end. If we
allow ourselves to think that there is one way that things "should be", we
are condemning ourselves to stagnation and, eventually, extinction.
The movie has a wonderful way of showing people coming alive. I give it
an A+.
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remmers
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response 49 of 146:
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Nov 8 21:43 UTC 1998 |
Nice analysis. I liked "Pleasantville" a lot.
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void
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response 50 of 146:
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Nov 9 00:41 UTC 1998 |
"apt pupil" is yet another example of someone screwing up a stephen
king story when attempting to translate it to film. don't bother seeing
this movie. the plot has been mostly removed, much of the rest of the
movie including the ending has been disneyed, and several of the
performances are lame.
otoh, the story "apt pupil," which is in stephen king's anthology
_different seasons_, may well be the best thing king has ever written.
i'm no big stephen king fan, but that story is one of the best i've ever
read, as well as being one of the most disturbing.
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mwg
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response 51 of 146:
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Nov 9 02:27 UTC 1998 |
_The Wizard of Oz_, on a screen bigger than will fit in your living room,
see it. (And try to cope with a narrow-frame movie and credits that end
before the theater vacates. {Including the extra restoration credits.})
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omni
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response 52 of 146:
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Nov 9 06:45 UTC 1998 |
I don't think I want to see the new Wizard.
I saw it years ago at the Michigan, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. For one
thing, this movie is made for the big screen, not TV, so even seeing the old
version in a theatre is yards better than on TV. I think the sequences where
the WWW is flying on the broomstick doing the pollution thing is neat when
you're watching it from a balcony, and the sequence where the trio meets the
Wizard for the first time is really scary when the sound is loud and it's 30
feet tall and in your face. You sort of lose than on TV.
Hey Hollywood- If it aint broke, don't fix it.
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