68 new of 241 responses total.
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (C) -- I think that was the title. It's the new James Bond movie, with an increasingly old-looking Pierce Brosnan, whose Bond will have to start carrying cyanide suppositories in a few years, plus Denise Richards as a nuclear scientist (!), and lots and lots of explosions and lethal gadgets. It's hard to get *too* curmudgeonly about such a movie: if you didn't know what you were getting into when you bought the ticket, you need to get out more. It had some respectably tense moments, and the FX are okay. (This movie is a good litmus test for the sincerity of your feminist feelings, btw. The more it pisses you off, the more sincere you are.)
It's also a good litmus test to see if you're an engineer; the more
improbable bits of the movie seem to you, and that actually bothers you, then
the more you're worthy of the title "engineer". :)
I didn't think TWinE was really that misogynist, though. What'd I
miss?
(The way Bond manipulated the nurse into clearing him for active duty almost pissed me off, for one thing.) The science struck me as lame throughout. For example, that plutonium rod Reynard was wielding like an oversized aluminum basball bat: how much would such an object weigh in the real world?
(it's sufficiently early into the movie and non-germane to the plot
that it should be safe to discuss)
Why would it bother you? I've seen women do the same sorts of things,
in real life, all the time - in fact there are industries based on it.
Being John Malkovich (1999)
Rating: Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich (out of a possible
Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich)
Review: Very strange, very funny (if you like absurdist comedy)
film about, well, being John Malkovich. Holds together
surprisingly well given the bizarre premise of the film,
but some parts work better than others. Recommended.
The Bond character is finally showing signs of aging? It's about time.
Do you realize what a powerful advertisement it would be to have James Bond endorse Viagra?
I just saw Malkovich. Malkovich malkovich. Malkovich malkovich malkovich.
I'll Malcovich the recommendations for "Being John Malkovich". I'll also state that I didn't realize that Cameron Diaz and Orson Bean -- both of whom I'm familiar with from other movies -- were in the film until I read the closing credits. And they both have major roles. (Haven't seen Orson Bean for about 150 years. It's good to know that he's still around.)
By the way, the director of "Being John Malkovich" is listed as Spike Jonze. What else has he done?
He's directed a bunch of music videos.
Yep, this is his first feature film, so far as I know.. You can see him acting in "Three Kings", where he plays the ignorant redneck character..
Orson Bean has been busy being the cranky storekeeper on Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman. I like has work.
If you only *listen* to Orson Bean, you hear Bilbo Baggins.
Anybody see the Y2K movie (on NBC)? I saw about 60 seconds total. One
scene where a large jet airliner lands sideways in about 150 feet on a
runway lit by emergency vehicles ("It worked for Lindburg" was the
line). And another scene where the 'hero' views the core of a nuclear
reactor with zero coolant and tells his daddy about it over a cellphone?
It got about a 10 share I think. Anybody actually watch the entire
turkey?
I don't watch dogs. (howl)
I'm pretty sure it was supposed to be a comedy. I saw about the first
half. Another howler scene: Woman in labor, doctors and nurses huddled
around the fetal monitor, ready to do an emergency C-section 'cuz the
monitor indicated dire fetal distress. Turns out that the monitor was
made in New York (scene took place in Seattle), and so, since it had
already turned midnight in NY, the monitor was suffering from Y2K and
the fetus was not really in danger. ("Maybe the monitor is having a Y2K
problem?" "Impossible; it's not midnight yet!" "Wait! Where was the
monitor manufactured?") Problem: when discussing the baby's
heartbeat, camera focused several times on the monitor showing a fetal
heartbeat of 125 or so, which is worlds away from fetal distress.
The local (Grand Rapids) NBC station ran a disclaimer at the return from
each commercial break saying, "This movie is presented by NBC for
entertainment purposes. WOOD-TV8 is not responsible for it's content."
Wired News had a bit panning the movie which mentioned the interesting factoid that apparently the "Edison Electric Institute" and "Independent Community Bankers of America", presumably industry organizations representing the power and banking industries, both appealed to NBC affiliates to schedule alternative programming. (They must have been concerned that the movie's ultra-realism would spark paniced rioting..)
I figured it'd be similar to their other made-for-TV movies, such as "Earthquake in New York." (Short plot summary; an earthquake hits New York, causing a tragic outbreak of bad acting.)
"Felicia's Journey" is a brilliantly written, directed and acted film which lends an intimate view of the damage left from a childhood gone terribly wrong. Bob Hoskins puts in the performance of the year. Highly recommended.
note-- felicia's journey was I believe directed by Atom Egoyan, who directed the Sweet Hereafter
Rented "Office Space" over the holiday weekend. Very funny, good take on current computer cubicle hell jobs. Much funnier than the commercials for it promised. Also went and saw "Sleepy Hollow", the new Tim Burton movie. Good, gory, stylish, but don't expect an airtight plot.
Re resp:194 - Yes, "Felicia's Journey" is an Atom Egoyan film, and displays the same visual flair as "Sweet Hereafter". I agree with Mary about Bob Hoskins' performance. Try to catch this one in a theater; the creative use of the wide screen to tell a story would be largely lost on TV.
Saw Toy Story 2 Sunday night. Very good, I think it's a bit better than the first one. Pat (now 8) sorta liked it, and cracked up over a few parts. If you're worried about going by yourself, borrow a few kids and have a good time.
My quick take on "Toy Story 2": While the first film was a revolution, this one really only manages to be an evolution. But that's okay. In the last five years, Lasseter & Co. have gotten a lot better at what they do. Buster the Dog, for example, would have been unimaginable not too long ago. It's also heartening to see that the story wasn't neglected in the mad dash for the toys. (They certainly could have gotten away with paying it much less attention. Just ask DreamWorks SKG.) And longtime followers of Pixar's work will appreciate the nods to the other films in their canon--from the pairing of the feature with their first short, "Luxo, Jr.", to the flashes of other Pixar films when the characters channel surf, right down to the inclusion of Geri as a toy rehabilitator. (I guess he plays chess on the weekends.) On the downside, "Toy Story 2" was originally intended to be straight-to-video, but was lengthened to be a feature. *Very* occasionally, it feels it. And am I the only contemporary filmgoer who lacks the Randy Newman Appreciation Gene? (Hey, Rand. I may not know where the line between "signature style" and "self parody" is, but you done passed that thing a long while ago.) I give it... I don't know. An A-minus. (Yeah, I know that wasn't exactly "quick".)
You're definitely *not* the only one who's genetically unable to appreciate Randy Newman. Lasseter's feature-length films have been the best computer-generated animated films so far but I had more admiration for his short films -- the level of amazement they create is possibly just too much to sustain througout a feature-length piece.. In my opinion his great genius is the ability to imbue inanimate objects with human attributes and feeling in what seems like a totally natural way. The Lasseter work which impresses me most to this day is "Luxo, Jr." -- I could go through it frame by frame and still never understand how he manages to give emotins and expressions to a pair of swing arm lamps which are without any face or other human features. (I'm similarly fascinated by the amount of expression Nick Parks can give to claymation figures without mouths, but Lasseter is the master..)
I've loved "Luxo, Jr." ever since I saw it running as a short on Nickelodeon. (This was back before they started running commercials, as hard as that may be for some to imagine...)
_End of Days_: B. Not a bad flick, all told, so long as your expectations are low. Just remember: Arnold Schwartzenneger plays a role in it. That should put it in the proper context: comedy without meaning to be. :) I don't remember making that many snide comments at a movie, or laughing so hard at them, in a long time. :) One particularly interesting point is that the guy who plays the devil, the spelling of whose name I can't remember, was in _Stigmata_ as essentially the opposite character. Very similar plots, similar kinds of imagery (at least on the surface), but in this one he's the good guy protecting the innocent female victim. IMO, Stigmata was by far the better movie. It would make an interesting movie night someday to get both of them and watch them back-to-back for comparison.
(I think you're talking about Gabriel Byrne..) "IMO, Stigmata was, by far, the better movie.." Now *there's* something you don't hear every day.
Well, I suppose... I liked it, though, probably better than most people would, but still. :)
I've had a sweet spot for Schwartzenneger ever since "Conan the Barbarian". I love that movie. So I'll probably see "End of Days" before it's off the big screens.
Dammit, when is "Sixth Sense" going to drop to Fox Theater?
good question.. I've been wondering much the same thing..
"LIBERTY HEIGHTS"-- This is the fourth, and supposedly final, installment in director Barry Levinson's acclaimed "Baltimore" series, depicting life in Baltimore in the 1950's. The others, all great films, were TIN MEN, DINER, and AVALON. This one is just as good. It tells the story of a jewish nightclub owner, played by Joe Montegna, who has to reconcile his occupation with the normal, religiously grounded life he wants to provide his wife (played by Bebe Neuwirth of Cheers) and sons. They live in the jewish community of Liberty Heights. The film explores the racial and class issues that people of that era lived with and dealt with daily. It is told through the eyes of Montegna's youngest son, who is starting to understand how different the outside world is from his protected, all-jewish society of Liberty Heights. Levinson (who also directed "Rain Man") is one of the best directors working today and this series of films represents a deeply heartfelt tribute to his childhood in Baltimore. If you loved Avalon or Diner or Tin Men, you will love this film. It is a proper and just conclusion to the series. LIBERTY HEIGHTS **** (FOUR STARS-- ONE OF BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR)
(Total drift: I'm pretty sure "Luxo Jr." came out in 1986, and Nickelodeon started running ads two years before.)
Hmm. Maybe my memory's faulty, then, but I'm almost sure I originally saw that short on Nickelodeon.
I'm not saying you didn't... but ads were on their way earlier.
re 307- Sounds like a great film which probably guarantees that Levinson
will again be ignored at the Oscars again. I've always loved his work. The
first one of his movies I saw was "Diner" back when it first came out and I
thought it was boring, but what does a 21 year old know from film? It wasn't
until I came across Tin Men and Avalon that I truly became a fan of his
movies. Now I don't miss anything he directs.
Movies seen recently (from cable)
"I Still Know What (your breasts) you did last summer"-
Class A stinker. I don't know why they bothered, except to give JLH more
exposure, and to try to make her into an actress.
"Hud" - 4 star movie from the 60's with Paul Newman as an amoral man in
conflict with his father (Melvyn Douglas). A performances all around. I really
didn't like seeing Newman in this role, but he did well just the same.
I'm looking forward to seeing "The Sea Wolf" with Edward G. Robinson. I saw
the version with Chris Reeve and Charles Bronson, and it was great. I just
know that Robinson is going to knock it out of the park. I'm also looking
forward to seeing Gone With The Wind in one uncut piece and not chopped to
little bits like it had been presented on Ch 7 a few years ago. That should
be a real treat.
Wasn't Gone With the Wind cut into two parts for release at the
theatures to have an intermission?
I need to watch my DVD of it when I find the 4 hour evening to
do it.
Yup. I never liked or supported cutting movies for intermissions.
Some people have to pee more often than others, especially after coffee.
Or a large Coke.
Recent rentals starring Catherine Zeta-Jones: ENTRAPMENT (B+) - I was pleasantly surprised. The action sequences were excellent -- some real nail-biter scenes. Zeta-Jones and Sean Connery are not a matched set, however, which dragged the movie down whenever one of them wasn't being shot at or dangling over an abyss. THE HAUNTING (C-) - Boring, silly, unscary. The house was really, really cool, however.
London tabloids are reporting that Jennifer Lopez has insured her body for $1,000,000,000 (one billion dollars). "$500,000,000 per cheek," as the N.Y. Post observed. That is one insurance policy I would love to see.
BTW, I do believe that in England, the insured value of Jennifer Lopez's body would be "one thousand million dollars," and a "billion" would be "one million million."
This response has been erased.
I bet her premiums cost an arm and a leg..
I just caught the remake of "Psycho" on cable the other night. What a complete waste of film stock.
After watching the "Psycho" remake, my question was "Why?" The fact that talented people were involved made the existence of this movie all the more puzzling.
We're living in the 90's (for another three weeks, anyway..) The studios are required to produce at least one high-profile remake for every new idea they produce.. You don't think anyone *wanted* to produce a version of Diabolique with Sharon Stone instead of Simone Signoret, do you? As far as "Psycho" goes, though, I chalk it up to the Gus van Sant factor. I've met people who have claimed to enjoy his films but they're obviously seeing different versions of them than I am..
The cool thing to do with Psycho is to rent the DVD of the original film and the videotape of the remake, and play both at the same time, so you can jump back and forth. Since the sequel is a scene for scene, shot for shot remake, watching both at the same time is really eerie.
Again, this begs the question: Why? (of course my stock answer is that Hollywood has no original ideas left and resorts to remakes to keep the myth floating)
Yeah, Van Sant did a carbon copy of the Hitchcock masterpiece, but lost all the wit and humor. Hitchcock's "Psycho" is actually a wickedly funny film.
This summer, I was briefly parked in Van Sant's space at the Universal lot. Apparently, *that's* an exact duplicate of Hitchcock's, too.
Except for "Psycho", I've mostly liked the Van Sant films I've seen: "My Private Idaho", "To Die For", "Good Will Hunting".
I turned off "To Die For" about 2/3 of the way through, after waiting in vain for it to go somewhere or start developing a point (that is, a point other than "Look! Nicole Kidman!") "Drugstore Cowboy" didn't do much for me, either (except for the sndtrk.) And must I really dredge up "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues"?
The Seven Samurai is being shown on TCM at 7:30pm Dec 9. I strongly suggest taping it, or watching it. I think it just might get the bad taste of that terrible Psyco out of your mouth. It IS 4 hours long so be prepared for that as well.
I made a mistak. It was on at 10:30pm.
Yes, with "The Magnificent Seven" (Hollywood version of "Seven Samurai") on just before.
I have also got wind that both the silent and the 1959 versions of Ben-Hur will be shown as well as Gone With The Wind. Uncut. In one piece. I'm not sure I'm worthy of such good programming. ;)
I got myself an early christmas present yesterday-- the new Criterion Collection DVD of Jean Renoir's classic "La Grande Illusion" (which actually translates into 'the Great Illusion', but everyone calls it 'Grand Illusion'. This is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made-- a story of people trying to maintain their humanity and decency while caught up in the chaos of World War I. Renoir was the son of the famous artist of the same name and became France's greatest film director The DVD has a clip of Renoir introducing the film, saying that it summed up his hopes for the world, and what he felt was the most dangerous threat to our futures, the gradual loss of humanity in the modern world. The film details the travails of prisoners of war in a german prison camp, how they cope with being in prison, without losing their basic essential decency. This DVD is the new uncut digitally remastered version made directly from the original negative. Hitler's cronies saw the film as propoganda and attempted to destroy all copies. For years until recently, there were no uncut copies and scenes were missing. But, miraculously, the original negative was smuggled out of Nazi occuppied France during World War II by an american captain, and with the wonders of modern technology this one of the greatest of all films has been beautifully restored. One of the extras on the DVD is the story of Criterion's restoration process, comparing chopped up and missing scenes from previous issues with the uncut digital version offered here. This also has the 1937 radio broadcast of Renoir accepting the 1937 Academy Award for Best Foriegn Film, and a radio interview with great German director Eric Von Stroheim, who plays the German prison camp commander here. And of course the trailer for the film and a whole bunch of other stuff (the Criterion DVD's are loaded with more extras than most) Suffice it to say that being able to own this DVD of "Grand Illusion" is by itself worth the price of buying a DVD player. It is one of the prizes of my movie collection. GRAND ILLUSION (***** five stars, masterpiece...DVD version 5+ stars!)
I am somewhat less than patiently for the restored "Grand Illusion" to make its way to an Ann Arbor theater.
(Make that "I am waiting somewhat less than patiently...")
Criterion released the restored version in theaters back in august because the early reviews of the new dvd were raves. Since the DVD is now out, I think the theatrical run is probably done. French films with english subtitles from the 30's arent the sort to have long theater runs. They are now working on restoring Renoir's other classic, "Rules of the Game"...I cant wait
Actor Desmond Llewellyn (sp?) who played the character Q in the James Bond series was killed in a trafic accident today. He was 85. A sad loss.
Re resp:237 - On the other hand, Ann Arbor has a theater (the Michigan) which commonly does short runs of foreign films and restorations, so I'm puzzled why they haven't shown "Grand Illusion". Perhaps I should ask them.
Maybe they figure that the last lingering shards of the Cinema Guild hold a monopoly on campus-area showings of Renoir's films..
Grand Illusion played out here at the DIA last November. I was in awe. it was well worth the wait. i recommend it to all the film watchers out there
You have several choices: