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| Author |
Message |
| 25 new of 241 responses total. |
flem
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response 138 of 241:
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Oct 27 13:56 UTC 1999 |
Huh. I thought previews for that looked interesting. I'll have to
check it out.
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remmers
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response 139 of 241:
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Oct 27 17:26 UTC 1999 |
(I think "The Limey" ends its run at the Michigan Theater Screening
Room in a day or two. Maybe it'll move over to the State.)
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scott
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response 140 of 241:
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Oct 27 19:38 UTC 1999 |
Grexpedition to see the recently restored Yellow Submarine, this Friday! 9:00
pm at the Michigan.
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richard
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response 141 of 241:
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Oct 29 16:28 UTC 1999 |
In the category of movies with no sex, violence, or car chase scenes
would you believe a David Lynch movie?! Yes, the director of Blue
Velvet, Wild at Heart, and Twin Peaks has directed a G rated movie, and
a really good one too...
THE STRAIGHT STORY-- A wonderful new movie from David Lynch telling the
true story of a 73 year old Iowa man named Alvin Straight who drove his
lawnmower 400 miles to Wisconsin to visit his dying brother, whom he
hadnt been on speaking terms with in 10 years. He wants to visit his
brother by himself, on his own terms, and has cataracts in his eyes so
cant drive and the bus doesnt go there. So Straight hooks up a
makeshift trailer to his lawnmower and takes off on a long, slow journey
on backroads through Iowa and Wisconsin. Along the way he meets
interesting people, camps out in cornfields, and basically has the time
of his life and comes to terms with his own mortality. There is a great
scene where he finally makes it the Mississippi River on his lawnmower
after weeks of traveling and crosses over the bridge, as the mighty
currents of the river flow underneath. At this point he looks at the
river and smiles, as he realizes that he is now finally at peace with
the world and realizes his past is all "water under the bridge". He
knows that once he's seen his brother and settled things with him, he'll
be completely at terms with his life.
Straight is played in a great performance by Richard Farnsworth, who
should be a leading contender for Best Actor Oscar. The rest of the
cast is strong too, with Sissy Spacek as his mentally impaired daughter
who adores him, and Harry Dean Stanton (one of my favorite actors) as
the estranged brother.
"The Straight Story" is IMO the best film Ive seen this year
**** (four stars)
(note: the opening credits brought a round of laughter from the
audience, "Walt Disney presents a film by David Lynch" Talk about a
weird combination!)
|
otaking
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response 142 of 241:
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Oct 29 18:15 UTC 1999 |
MaybeDisney could convince Lynch to direct an animated movie. I'd love to see
what he could do with animation. *grin*
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remmers
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response 143 of 241:
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Oct 29 21:50 UTC 1999 |
Well, Lynch is a comic strip cartoonist in addition to being a
director, so the idea makes a lot of sense.
I'm anxiously waiting for "The Straight Story" to come to Ann Arbor.
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mcnally
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response 144 of 241:
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Oct 30 04:04 UTC 1999 |
So what does Harry Dean Stanton do during the years in between David Lynch
movies?
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drewmike
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response 145 of 241:
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Oct 30 04:10 UTC 1999 |
Cocaine.
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scott
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response 146 of 241:
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Oct 30 13:01 UTC 1999 |
We had a total of four people show up for Yellow Submarine last night: scott,
scg, chanur and kaplan. Great movie, of course, but the restoration was quite
nice. The audio was *wonderful*.
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tpryan
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response 147 of 241:
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Oct 30 16:15 UTC 1999 |
I picked up the Yellow Submarine on DVD just a few weeks ago. Saw
it thru and also with the running commentary and a look at the specials
and whatever else.
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janc
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response 148 of 241:
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Nov 1 02:37 UTC 1999 |
Had a rare free evening and went to see AMERICAN BEAUTY. Liked the
film, but before I could make sense of it, I had to discard everything
I'd heard about it. The reviews I'd read were based on an
interpretation of the film that was at least as warped as most of the
characters. Mostly a cool film, but falls just short of being as cool
as it should have been.
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krj
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response 149 of 241:
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Nov 1 23:07 UTC 1999 |
resp:128 & resp:130 :: if you missed STOP MAKING SENSE at the Michigan
Theatre because Grex was down that weekend so we couldn't write our
rave reviews, you have a chance to see it in East Lansing.
Wells Hall, MSU, 7 & 9:15 pm, Friday November 5 - Sunday November 7.
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krj
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response 150 of 241:
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Nov 3 05:33 UTC 1999 |
Leslie and I saw "Yellow Submarine" at the Michigan Screening Room tonight.
Um, I loved hearing the Beatles songs in six-track stereo. Wow!
As for the story: well, the trailer for "Being John Malkovich" was
the dramatic highlight of the evening. :)
Yes, Attention John Cusack Fans!! "Being John Malkovich," starring Your Idol,
opens Friday at the Michigan and runs for about a week, with shows spread
between both screens. When's the Grexpedition?
Also at the Michigan this month is a festival of free silent films on
Tuesday nights. And at the end of the month we get the latest of Gillian
Anderson's restorations of silent music scores: Douglas Fairbanks in
"Robin Hood," with a live orchestral accompaniment. The Lillian Gish show
I saw with the live orchestra a year or so ago was just dazzling.
I sure hope I can make it to this one.
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scg
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response 151 of 241:
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Nov 3 05:56 UTC 1999 |
I'd like to suggest that the Being John Malkovich Grexpedition be a night when
it's showing in the old theater. The new one has nice sound, but it lacks
the character.
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gull
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response 152 of 241:
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Nov 3 16:48 UTC 1999 |
Re #150: How long is Yellow Sub going to be showing?
|
otaking
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response 153 of 241:
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Nov 3 16:57 UTC 1999 |
Re #150: Gillian Anderson is restoring silent musical scores?
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remmers
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response 154 of 241:
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Nov 3 18:22 UTC 1999 |
(The Gillian Anderson referred to in resp:150 is not the same person
that stars in "The X Files".)
|
otaking
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response 155 of 241:
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Nov 3 20:11 UTC 1999 |
Thanks for clearing that up.
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jazz
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response 156 of 241:
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Nov 4 13:07 UTC 1999 |
Re #152:
Today is, I understand, the last showing.
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krj
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response 157 of 241:
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Nov 5 07:34 UTC 1999 |
The Gillian Anderson in resp:150 is a musicologist -- I believe she is
associated with the Library of Congress -- who resurrects
lost orchestral film scores and then brings the film, and the score,
on a short nationwide tour. We're incredibly lucky that Ann Arbor is one
of her regular stops.
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bdh3
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response 158 of 241:
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Nov 6 05:42 UTC 1999 |
Bought and watched _Taxi Driver_. Somehow I missed it before.
Awesome flick. Makes me want to go out and assassinate President Raygun
(Note to Secret Service and Echalon: its a joke, Raygun is no longer
President, chill out.) The next time you hire a cab in Chicago or NYC
that is not driven by a pakistani, chechen, ukranian, polack, or black,
think to yourself 'what the fuck is the problem with this white guy and
why am I in the same car with him'.
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omni
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response 159 of 241:
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Nov 6 08:25 UTC 1999 |
Didja recognize the guy who was out to kill his old lady? That was Marty
Scorsese himself. Taxi Driver is an awesome flick. Still frightening after
all these years and that in itself is a tribute to the brilliance of DeNiro
and Scorsese.
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otaking
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response 160 of 241:
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Nov 6 21:27 UTC 1999 |
MONONOKE HIME (or Princess Mononoke) - A-
This was the first anime dub that I have enjoyed. The film was as good as I
remember it. It had a compelling story and wonderful animation. Hopefully,
more theaters than the Maple 3 on 15 Mile and Telegraph will carry it. If you
love anime, SEE THIS MOVIE. If you've never watchd anime before, try this one.
It is one of the best ever made.
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richard
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response 161 of 241:
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Nov 6 21:29 UTC 1999 |
"BEING JOHN MALKOVICH"-- Easily the best and most original film of the
year-- John Cusak plays a puppeteer who while working a menial office job
discovers a hole behind a filing cabinet, that is actually a portal into
the head of real-life actor John Malkovich. Go through this portal and
you are actually inside the head of Malkovich and can see what he sees
and feel what he feels. Of course you can only stay in the portal for 15
minutes and then you get dumped on the side of the highway on the New
Jersey turnpike. Cusack and a female co-worker go into business selling
entrance to the portal to anyone who wants to *really* know what it is
like being a celebrity. Things get complicated when Cusack's wife, played
by Cameron Diaz, goes into the portal and as Malkovich has a fling with
Cusack's co-worker.
There is a lot more to this film but I dont want toi give it away. The
movie is a wonderful commentary on celebrity worship and also the desire
we all have from time to time to actually be in someone else's body. The
performances are great, especially John Malkovich as himself (he might
earn an academy award nomination for playing himself!)
Go see "Being John Malkovich"-- best film of the year. ****
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flem
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response 162 of 241:
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Nov 6 23:54 UTC 1999 |
I saw "Stigmata" at the Fox Village theater yesterday. Not great, but
an enjoyable movie. The Catholic Church plays a large part in this
movie, and for once, was treated with a certain amount of respect and
dignity. The characterization was somewhat half-hearted, especially as
regards motivation, and the main plot device is questionable at best,
but overall, I think this was one of the more enjoyable and original
thrillers that I've seen in a while. A solid B, even with a C- in the
preview metric.
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