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| Author |
Message |
| 25 new of 241 responses total. |
mcnally
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response 84 of 241:
| 
Oct 16 02:39 UTC 1999 |
re #81: Their seats are still pretty awful and the theaters still
have that vertigo-inducing "the geometry of this room is just not right"
thing going on, but hopefully they'll at least fix the seating sometime.
They seem to be improving things for the long haul, and since they never
fill the place (at least not when I'm there) it seems like they could
get away with a few fewer seats and more room per customer..
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shf
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response 85 of 241:
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Oct 16 22:48 UTC 1999 |
The state is basically the balcony with the lower floor partioned off into
some other business. I think the vertigo comes from one's knowing you are
in the balcony and yet the floor is right in fron tof you:)
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knocker
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response 86 of 241:
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Oct 17 04:38 UTC 1999 |
The Thomas Crown Affair
Chick flick. Rich selfish guy drives amoral woman insurance investigator to
distraction by leaving her unsure about his feelings for her while weaving an
intricate museum theft. Some pretty hot scenes with Rene Russo and Pierce
Brosnan, including a public dance in a dress that leaves nothing to the
imagination.
Otherwise, the plot was only marginally interesting and very implausible.
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richard
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response 87 of 241:
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Oct 18 15:09 UTC 1999 |
"AMERICAN BEAUTY"-- Really good movie about a seemingly ordinary suburban
couple Kevin Spacey and Annette Benning, going through mid-life crises and
coming to terms with their own functionality and dysfunctionality. Very
smiliar to another really good movie from two years ago, "The Ice Storm",
although more of a comedy. Salesman Spacey starts lusting after his
teenage daughter's new best friend and lapses into a midlife crisis trying
to relive his teen years. Wife Annette Benning also lapses into her own
crisis and starts finding her own ways to relieve her frustrations. At
the same time, we see their neighbors-- who, unlike them, really *are*
dysfunctional, and you can see the difference (the neighbors' relationship
is hopeless and beyond saving, whereas Spacey/Benning are not) Their
daughter takes up with the neighbor's son, a drug dealer who is
essentially the hero of the movie, as he is the only character who is
capable of seeing the beauty in life, and in fact is so awestruck by
life's beauty that he tries to film everything. This in spite of that he
has a horrid homelife and is regularly beaten by his neo-nazi father.
This is intended as a slice of suburban life, and shows how much we live
our lives in denial of what is really out there. At first I had a problem
with the ending of the film, which I wont give away except to say its
quite unsettling, but upon reflection I think it made sense. A really
well made film that deserves Best Picture nomination consideration.
AMERICAN BEAUTY-- **** (four stars)
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jazz
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response 88 of 241:
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Oct 18 15:52 UTC 1999 |
No, his father wasn't a Neo-Nazi.
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richard
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response 89 of 241:
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Oct 18 16:05 UTC 1999 |
#88..yeah he just had a display case full of weapons and a plate with a
swastika on the back of it. IMO he was a neo-nazi, but you dont know
for sure
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flem
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response 90 of 241:
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Oct 18 17:15 UTC 1999 |
I'd probably go so far as redneck, but not neo-nazi. But a great
flick, by all means.
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mary
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response 91 of 241:
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Oct 18 18:04 UTC 1999 |
He was a retired military officer. Our military. He was probably
an excellent officer. ;-)
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tpryan
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response 92 of 241:
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Oct 19 02:12 UTC 1999 |
<drift>
Would a retired military officer (USA) be likely to display a
captured Nazi flag?
</drift>
/
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mcnally
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response 93 of 241:
|
Oct 19 04:42 UTC 1999 |
(when would a retired military officer who was the father of a teenage
son in a movie set in the present day have been in a position to have
captured a Nazi flag?)
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mary
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response 94 of 241:
|
Oct 19 12:34 UTC 1999 |
(He *collected* Nazi artifacts. The plate was described as his
most prized possession.)
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jazz
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response 95 of 241:
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Oct 19 13:26 UTC 1999 |
It wasn't a flag, though, it was a plate with a swastika on the back.
I understand that it's a fairly common practice for people who've been
in war to keep trophies. And I can see where the confusion came from, since
his father's arch-authoritarian ways could easily be called "Nazi-like" in
this day and age.
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bru
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response 96 of 241:
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Oct 19 13:34 UTC 1999 |
authoritarian should not be linked to nazism. You can be authoritarian
without being a nazi.
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flem
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response 97 of 241:
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Oct 19 14:49 UTC 1999 |
In this case, the father's age did make it seem likely that he was not,
in fact, involved in WW2. Also, the plate in question was described as
the only Nazi artifact in a *large* collection of wartime memorabilia
from many eras. (I'm not quite sure I believe that; some of the guns I
saw looked German and looked to be about the right age, but my
knowledge of guns is at best minimal.)
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jazz
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response 98 of 241:
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Oct 19 15:28 UTC 1999 |
Authoritarianism *is* liked with Naziism, and it's common to call an
authoritarian of any stripe a "Nazi". Where've you been in these last
few years?
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drew
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response 99 of 241:
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Oct 20 01:20 UTC 1999 |
"Nazi-like" - Heavy on the do's and don'ts.
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bdh3
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response 100 of 241:
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Oct 20 05:33 UTC 1999 |
Yeah, like the US government these days.
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md
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response 101 of 241:
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Oct 20 10:24 UTC 1999 |
THREE KINGS (B) -- An attempt to make a movie in
which cynical, mercenary American soldiers turn into
compassionate and idealistic heros, without looking
or sounding too mawkish. There are no thoroughly
good guys, and no bad guys except Saddam Hussein
& Co., and George Bush. Nevertheless, some good
manages to get done. The grainy, overexposed look
is oddly effective. Worth a look.
|
otaking
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response 102 of 241:
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Oct 20 13:12 UTC 1999 |
AMERICAN BEAUTY (A) - This is the most profound movie I've seen in years. I'm
still not sure how to describe how this movie affected me. I loved it. People
should get Oscars for this film.
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tpryan
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response 103 of 241:
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Oct 20 23:35 UTC 1999 |
...like work.
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hhsrat
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response 104 of 241:
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Oct 21 02:33 UTC 1999 |
THX-1138 - Interesting. Unlike any other George Lucas film that I've
seen. Confusing at first, but it got better as it went on. Decent
plot, pretty good acting for a George Lucas film. Not as top-heavy as
Star Wars with Special Effects. Overall, I'd give it about a 7/10.
Trivia time: Can you think of ANY American movies that do not have one
of the following:
A) Sex
B) Violence
C) a Car Chase scene
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mcnally
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response 105 of 241:
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Oct 21 04:07 UTC 1999 |
"My Dinner with Andre"
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krj
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response 106 of 241:
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Oct 21 04:14 UTC 1999 |
Leslie and I are just back from seeing "The Third Man" at the new
Screening Room at the Michigan Theatre.
We liked the movie a lot: old fashioned, black & white paranoia thriller
set in the ruins of Vienna after World War II. I'd thought that
Orson Welles would have had a bigger part; it's really Joseph Cotton's
movie.
We loved the Screening Room. Roomy seats, and old-fashioned gently
raked seats: I don't think I like stadium seating all that much.
I think the Screening Room will become my favorite theatre in town;
it's reminiscent of the old Odeon in Lansing, decorated quite a bit
more upscale.
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otaking
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response 107 of 241:
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Oct 21 12:58 UTC 1999 |
Re #105: I thought "My Dinner With Andre" was a French film.
How about "Koyaaniqatsi"?
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scott
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response 108 of 241:
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Oct 21 14:00 UTC 1999 |
"Stop Making Sense", the Talking Heads concert film that got such great
reviews, is playing at the Michigan for the next few days. Anybody interested
in a Grexpedition to catch the 9:45 (I need to double check that) Friday
showing?
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