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Grex > Cinema > #21: The Summer Movie Critique Item |  |
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omni
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The Summer Movie Critique Item
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Jun 24 03:59 UTC 1998 |
What did you think of Titanic, or The Truman Show? Well, don't just sit
there keeping yout opinions to yourself, use this item to share them with the
rest of us. But don't think for a second that this item is confined to just
new releases, ANY movie will do.
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| 290 responses total. |
krj
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response 1 of 290:
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Jun 24 05:52 UTC 1998 |
Video: We got about 15 minutes into FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, with Ben
Stiller, Tea Leoni & Mary Tyler Moore. The story, as much as we cared,
had something to do with Stiller searching for his birth parents.
The story went nowhere, and the editing seemed choppy and incoherent.
We hit the eject button; it's rare that we don't see a movie
through to the bitter end.
We had a much better time with the backup feature, GROSSE POINTE BLANK,
which was a pretty fine, if violent, black comedy. John Cusack was
a bunch of fun to watch, and so was rival hitman Dan Ackroyd.
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md
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response 2 of 290:
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Jun 24 10:38 UTC 1998 |
We rented GATTACA (sp?) (D). It's written and directed by the same
guy who wrote The Truman Show. Unlike The Truman Show, it sucks.
It does make a valid social criticism, however. That thing we do,
where we do genetic testing on infants and then use the test results
to assign them to certain jobs for the rest of their lives? We should
stop doing that, 'caase it's really unfair.
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danr
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response 3 of 290:
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Jun 24 11:28 UTC 1998 |
Yes, but Gattaca has Uma Thurman in it, whereas Truman did not.
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aruba
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response 4 of 290:
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Jun 24 11:28 UTC 1998 |
Right. Important safety tip.
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aruba
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response 5 of 290:
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Jun 24 11:29 UTC 1998 |
(Dan slipped in - #4 was in response to #2)
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mcnally
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response 6 of 290:
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Jun 24 17:01 UTC 1998 |
Given my aversion to all things Uma, #4 made just as much sense
to me as a response to #3..
I didn't make it through "Flirting With Disaster" either..
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qui1
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response 7 of 290:
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Jun 25 02:21 UTC 1998 |
I thought The Truman Show blew.
If it did not have Jim Carrey in it, it would have flopped big time.
Anyone seen There's Something ABout Mary? =)
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bruin
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response 8 of 290:
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Jun 25 12:40 UTC 1998 |
How about a link of this item to the cinema cf?
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md
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response 9 of 290:
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Jun 26 00:05 UTC 1998 |
THE X FILES (B-) -- I haven't seen many X Files TV shows, but I did
enjoy the movie. The two stars are incredibly likeable. The plot is
so-so -- it's basically just a monster movie with paranoid overtones --
and the special effects are okay, but without Scully and Mulder there
would be nothing. Less than nothing if, like me, you're bored to death
by movies in which people are always predictably yet inexplicably
killing themselves and others. That is, you aren't surprised when the
limo explodes but, if pressed, you couldn't actually say *why* it
explodes. You suspect it's because the occupants "knew too much," but
you have no idea which of the other conspirators planted the bomb and
you find yourself wondering why they don't all just blow each other up
if "knowing too much" is such a bad thing.
MULAN (A) -- An exceptional cartoon feature. Our kids, ages 12 and 14,
were both crazy about it, and mom and dad kinda liked it, too.
CAN'T HARDLY WAIT (B) -- Follows the threads of several separate stories
very satisfyingly through to the end, but you almost have to be a
teenager to enjoy it fully. Our teenager has seen it twice already and
wants to see it yet again, possibly because of an actress named Jennifer
Love Hewitt.
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omni
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response 10 of 290:
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Jun 26 04:18 UTC 1998 |
Romeo+Juliet
Ok, I went into it with some prejudice, I thought I was really gonna hate
it and thought that there was going to be too much violence. 1. It is a
violent play. Shakespeare wrote it that way. Let's make that clear right now.
2. It also is very tender, and DiCaprio and Danes make you feel that they ARE
Romeo and Juliet, and are really in love, truly, madly, deeply.
However, I found it to be cool, and the producers were clever using the
LA skyline for the background, and Venice (Verona Beach), as well as showing
the Capulets and Montagues not only as warring families but competing in
business as well. But what I liked most was the adherance to the Bard's text.
That's what did it for me.
Paul Sorvino, Brian Dennehy were outstanding as the patriarchs of the
families, but Chris Rock was far above everyone with his performance. I really
enjoyed watching him as well as the guy who played the police chief, I don't
know his name, but he was excellent as well.
This one is a must see. 4- stars.
I shudder to think what they would do with Hamlet.
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senna
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response 11 of 290:
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Jun 26 04:18 UTC 1998 |
The really really good cartoon features also have a lot of appeal to adults,
since they're simply good films. I have a certain distaste for recent
features that sell out on quality for that extra little kid appeal.
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rcurl
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response 12 of 290:
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Jun 26 04:55 UTC 1998 |
HORSE WHISPERER - didn't seem as long as it was. Pretty romantic and jerks
a tear or two. I could see why she would fall for him, given her life and
his, but I couldn't see what he saw in her, unless it was a physical
likeness to his former wife. Good grief, she couldn't even play a whistle.
Lovely scenery. Horses, if you like them. No whispers.
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maeve
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response 13 of 290:
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Jun 26 04:58 UTC 1998 |
whee, I liked R+J..it worked well
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fitz
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response 14 of 290:
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Jun 26 09:38 UTC 1998 |
Six Days and Seven Nights (B-)
Harrison Ford and Anne Heche crash land on an island and work out their
contempt at first sight issues while awaiting rescue. Food and fresh
water are fortunately not a problem, but pirates are. Similar to the
pairing of Tracy and Hepburn, Ford's dourness matches Hech's pointed
criticism of his piloting skills.
Meanwhile, back in civilization, Hech's fiancé watches Ford's girlfriend's
bump and grind hula to the detriment of his scruples and peace of mind.
Jaded movie-goers will recognize elements of Robinson Crusoe, The Desk
Set, Romancing the Stone, Treasure Island, and even From Here to Eternity.
[Was that a wave or are you just glad to see me?] In fairness, being
marooned greatly reduces the plot options and some resemblence to other
wilderness situations seems unavoidable. The script handles this
archtypical setting well enough, but one could have hoped for something
more than merely sufficient. If you're not familiar with the antecedents
of this movie, you might find the script clever.
I paid for a matinee ticket and more than got my money's worth in
entertainment AND AIR CONDITIONING. Nevertheless, I think that this movie
will look good on the vcr. Taj Mahal appears briefly.
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hhsrat
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response 15 of 290:
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Jun 26 23:57 UTC 1998 |
From the Video Dept.
Airplane! - No matter how much I watch this one, it still seems kinda
funny. Always catching something I missed the last time. I don't know
if anyone else agrees with me, but I like this movie.
Sgt. Bilko - This was almost as funny as Airplane! Only saw it 2 times,
and that was last summer.
Airplane! 2 - Not as good as the first one. Sequels usually aren't.
The writers tried a little too hard to make it funny.
Still haven't gotten to Showcase to see Titanic or Truman Show yet.
Anyone have any opinions of the new theatres?
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omni
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response 16 of 290:
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Jun 27 10:08 UTC 1998 |
I have a few corrections to make regarding Romeo + Juliet.
Chris Rock wasn't in it. Harold Perrineau, Jr was. He just looks and sounds
like Chris.
The Chief of Police (Capt Prince) was played by Vondie Curtis-Hall. Another
excellent actor.
Pete Postlethwait played Fr. Lawrence.
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drew
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response 17 of 290:
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Jun 27 18:57 UTC 1998 |
The _Romeo/Juliet_ that I saw (1) had NO L.A. Skyline; and (2) could not
possibly have starred Leonardo DeCappacino, since this actor likely did not
yet exist.
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hhsrat
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response 18 of 290:
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Jun 27 23:10 UTC 1998 |
Re #17: Leonardo DeCappacino? I thought it was DeCaprio. Isn't
Cappacino a coffee drink?
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giry
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response 19 of 290:
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Jun 28 02:30 UTC 1998 |
Agora 29 <-> Cinema 21
Sorry for the wait on linking this.
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md
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response 20 of 290:
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Jun 28 13:24 UTC 1998 |
This response has been erased.
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md
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response 21 of 290:
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Jun 28 13:27 UTC 1998 |
DeCappacino was supposed to be a joke. The actor's name is spelled
"DiCaprio" and the coffee drink is spelled "capuccino," so if you
want to make fun of the Titanic star's name, as who does not, you
should spell it "DiCapuccino."
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omni
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response 22 of 290:
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Jun 28 16:39 UTC 1998 |
The version I saw was made either in 1996, or 1997. Anyhow it was good, and
I really enjoyed it. DiCaprio was the right person for Romeo.
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mary
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response 23 of 290:
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Jun 28 16:42 UTC 1998 |
"Fallen" is a fun rental. It's a has one trick that it kind of
runs into the ground, but it's a clever trick.
"Scream 2" is the most boring parts of "Scream" stretched into
a very long reprise.
"Wings of the Dove" is excellent. I really wish I'd made it
to the theatre to see it. The female characters are real,
interesting, and believable. How unusual.
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beeswing
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response 24 of 290:
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Jun 28 17:37 UTC 1998 |
It may not be in video stores, but the independent foreign film "La Belle
Epoque" is wonderful. It came out years ago, and it may still be seen on
satellite TV. I can't even recall the plot entirely but it involves a young
soldier and what happens when he encounters a family with four young and
somewhat horny daughters. It sounds cheesy but it isn't, and it's all done
tastefully.
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