Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.

Dismiss

The Movie Report#182, 3/18/99

0 views

Skip to first unread message

Michael Dequina

unread,

Mar 18, 1999, 3:00:00 AM3/18/99

T H E
M O V I E
R E P O R T
#182
MARCH 18, 1999

LIVE WEBCAST FROM THE ACADEMY AWARDS
SUNDAY, MARCH 21
in conjunction with the Eyepiece Network @ Talk City:
http://www.talkcity.com
More details will be coming soon...

PLEASE HELP...
..support the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site. Please send any donations
(every little bit does help) to:
Michael Dequina
3650 Denver Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90810-2205

You can also help by purchasing videos and DVDs from Reel.com. Please visit:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html
Thank you very much.

=>T H I S W E E K<=
-1998 Academy Award Predictions & Picks
M O V I E S
-_Forces_of_Nature_
-_Ravenous_
-_The_Deep_End_of_the_Ocean_
V I D E O
-_Bulworth_
-_Living_Out_Loud
-_One_True_Thing_
-_Polish_Wedding_
-_Simon_Birch_
-_The_Waterboy_

For my analysis of the Academy Award nominations, the best and worst of
1998, links to the official websites of all the current films, past
reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie MIDI music, movie
discussion board, a comprehensive link section, and more, visit Mr. Brown's
Movie Site at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown or
http://welcome.to/mrbrown or
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown or
http://mrbrown.webjump.com

Please don't forget to sign the guestbook...

If you are reading this on Usenet, you can subscribe to the MR at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/moviereport.html

Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline:
http://www.HollywoodHotline.com
..and the Eyepiece Network at:
http://www.eyepiece.com
..and Albany Online at:
http://www.AlbanyOnline.com
..and Film Frenzy at:
http://www.filmfrenzy.com

I am always up for a good live chat. Feel free to message me on ICQ at
#25289934 or on AOL Instant Messenger under the handle "MrBrown23."

all movies graded out of four stars (****)

~~~

=>A C A D E M Y A W A R D S<=
P R E D I C T I O N S

It's that time of the year again--time for me to throw all caution to the
wind and take a stab at that most futile of annual pastimes, Oscar
predictions. Bear in mind that I'm likely to have egg on my face come
Sunday night...

* = prediction
+ = personal pick

PICTURE
_Elizabeth_
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_È_Bella)_
_Saving_Private_Ryan_
*_Shakespeare_in_Love_
+_The_Thin_Red_Line_

*Prediction: There are two films here that absolutely have no chance of
winning. The first is _Elizabeth_, whose director, Shekhar Kapur, failed
to secure a nomination in the directing category. The other is
_The_Thin_Red_Line_, a difficult film which has just as many bitter
detractors as it does passionate admirers. _La_Vita_E_Bella_ has many
supporters and cannot be completely counted out, but those subtitles will
lead most voters to leave it to the Foreign Language Film committee to
reward the film. So this category is pretty much a two-picture toss-up.
The longtime favorite, _Saving_Private_Ryan_, is still strong in the wake
of its many critics' awards, but in recent months the tide appears to have
shifted--in favor of _Shakespeare_in_Love_, which appears to now hold most
of the momentum: a December release date, an aggressive Miramax push,
strong box office, and recent award wins for the film (most recently at the
Screen Actors Guild Awards) and its star, Gwyneth Paltrow. It's close, but
I think voters--who are perhaps a bit tired of _Ryan_ winning
everything--will opt to go the light and frothy route this year.

+My Pick: Call me pretentious, but of these five, none got under my skin
and lingered there quite like Terrence Malick's challenging meditation on
the nature of war and man--the one complete film, I believe, that will be
the most studied and debated in years to come.

ACTOR
*Roberto Benigni, _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_È_Bella)_
Tom Hanks, _Saving_Private_Ryan_
Ian McKellen, _Gods_and_Monsters_
Nick Nolte, _Affliction_
+Edward Norton, _American_History_X_

*Prediction: For once, this category is a free-for-all. Make that a
_virtual_ free-for-all; as incredibly deserving as he is, Norton has no
chance in hell of winning the prize. The other four all have some
reasonable chance of winning, with Hanks being the most unlikely; while an
obvious Academy favorite, with two other statuettes to his credit, it's
doubtful the voters will allow him to make history so quickly. I think the
only way he would win is if _Ryan_ sweeps, which is a possible but not
highly probable scenario. Second-time nominee Nolte is a Hollywood
favorite, and honoring him would also bring de facto recognition to his
(better) performance in _The_Thin_Red_Line_, but I don't think enough
people will have seen _Affliction_, and those who have may have difficulty
warming up to that glacial film. That leaves the two foreigners, and while
McKellen has much respect and all the critics' awards behind him, there
could be some fear over a politically-charged acceptance speech. So I
suspect that Benigni will buck the bias against subtitles and take home the
gold. Never mind his performance; it's his ebullient personality that made
his film as popular as it is--and that has charmed the pants off of
Tinseltown. His shocking win at the SAG Awards only confirms just how
loved, let alone liked, he is. Not bad for a guy who only a year ago was
most widely known stateside as the star of the misbegotten
_Son_of_the_Pink_Panther_.

+My Pick: He may not have a chance in hell of actually winning, but in my
book performances don't come any better than Norton's astonishing work in
_X_--a film that would not have worked at all if it weren't for his
powerhouse presence.

ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, _Elizabeth_
Fernanda Montenegro, _Central_Station_
*Gwyneth Paltrow, _Shakespeare_in_Love_
Meryl Streep, _One_True_Thing_
+Emily Watson, _Hilary_and_Jackie_

*Prediction: Paltrow is one of the two locks of night--no ifs, ands, or
buts. Not only is she credited with most of _Shakespeare_'s success,
recognizing her would also give Hollywood a way of patting itself on the
back for picking an "it girl" that, for once, lived up to the hype. The
closest competitor is Blanchett, whose best chance comes with the fact that
her film had more dramatic substance. Oft-nominated Streep delivered
another _True_-ly strong performance, but I doubt anyone really believes
hers was the best of the year. Montenegro is a well-respected veteran, but
the Brazilian is a virtual arriviste in Hollywood. (Those pesky subtitles
don't help, either.) And while Watson clearly has built an Academy
following in a relatively short period of time (two Best Actress nods in
three years), there's no derailing the Paltrow Express...

+My Pick: ...which is most unfortunate, for her virtuoso work as cellist
Jacqueline du Pre is what acting is all about, convincingly running the
entire gamut of emotions and personality traits: sweetness to bitterness,
madness to illness, and all points in between. It's a truly extraordinary
performance, one that will endure far longer than Paltrow's.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
James Coburn, _Affliction_
Robert Duvall, _A_Civil_Action_
Ed Harris, _The_Truman_Show_
Geoffrey Rush, _Shakespeare_in_Love_
* +Billy Bob Thornton, _A_Simple_Plan_

*Prediction: A tough category to call. I suspect that Rush's only chance
lies in the possibility that _Shakespeare_ could sweep. Coburn has his
first nod in a decades-spanning career, but I think his film's lack of
visibility will kill his chances. Harris won the Golden Globe and a win
for him here would give _Truman_ some de facto recognition, but the film's
paltry three nods shows that support for that film is virtually
nonexistent. Duvall won the SAG Award, but a win for him here would be
less for his performance (which was just good, but stood out in an
unimpressive film) than his star gravity--and that scenario is not out of
the question. But I think it's Thornton who has the best chance; though he
won a 1996 Adapted Screenplay Oscar for _Sling_Blade_, many (including
myself) feel he's owed for losing the Actor trophy (which went to,
coincidentally enough, fellow Supporting Actor nominee Rush). And it
doesn't hurt that his _Simple_ performance was nothing short of superb.

+My Pick: Also Thornton, whose heartbreaking work lent _A_Simple_Plan_ an
uncommon poignancy for a thriller.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*Kathy Bates, _Primary_Colors_
Brenda Blethyn, _Little_Voice_
Judi Dench, _Shakespeare_in_Love_
+Rachel Griffiths, _Hilary_and_Jackie_
Lynn Redgrave, _Gods_and_Monsters_

*Prediction: A little easier to call than the male side, but another
crapshoot all the same. I would immediately count out Griffiths and
Blethyn; both of their films may not have been widely enough seen, and
Blethyn's character was so (appropriately) grating that voters may be
hesitant to vote for her. Redgrave was the surprising winner of the Golden
Globe, but the surprise won't carry over to Oscar night. The toss-up is
between Dench and Bates. Support for _Shakespeare_ and a few critics's
prizes could carry the day for Dench's cameo role (which I found to be
effective, but let's get real here--it was little more than James Bond's M
in queen drag), and many feel that she's owed for being passed up last year
in the Best Actress category (for _Mrs._Brown_). But people forget exactly
_why_ she lost last year--she was one of four foreigners in the category,
and the typically xenophobic Academy decided to go with the sole Yank,
Helen Hunt. Accordingly, I think the Academy will go for the sole American
in this category: Bates. While her film was a disappointment critically
and financially, and she already has a statuette to her credit (Best
Actress for 1990's _Misery_), her recent SAG win shows that she's just as
respected as ever by her peers.

+My Pick: There's a reason why the film wasn't called
_Jackie_and_Hilary_--it's because the less flashy role is the film's
steadying force, and Griffiths more than held her own against the
formidable Emily Watson. Their tandem performance was the one-two acting
punch of the last year.

DIRECTOR
Roberto Benigni, _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_È_Bella)_
John Madden, _Shakespeare_in_Love_
+Terrence Malick, _The_Thin_Red_Line_
*Steven Spielberg, _Saving_Private_Ryan_
Peter Weir, _The_Truman_Show_

*Prediction: Spielberg. The night's other lock. The question isn't
whether or not he will win, but who has the strongest chance to pull the
upset--that is, if one is in the realm of possibility (it isn't). Weir is
totally out since _Truman_ failed to secure a Picture nomination. Also
count out Benigni, for as loved as his film is, it wasn't exactly a
"director's" film; the same goes for Madden, whose only shot, as with many,
lies with a possible _Shakespeare_ sweep. So I think the #1 contender will
be Malick. His film had a very divisive reaction, but he is a legend and a
hero to many in the directing community--the same directing community that
shunned Spielberg for years before _Schindler's_List_ and may not be so
quick to honor him again. Of course, this detailed analysis is all for
naught--it's Spielberg all the way.

+My Pick: All due respect to Mr. Spielberg, Malick showed a subconscious
command of cinema in _The_Thin_Red_Line_ that could only be called entrancing.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
*_Gods_and_Monsters_ - Bill Condon
_Out_of_Sight_ - Scott Frank
_Primary_Colors_ - Elaine May
+_A_Simple_Plan_ - Scott B. Smith
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Terrence Malick

*Prediction: The out-of-its-league _Primary_Colors_ is the only contender
here that could be stricken off of the ballot from the get-go.
_Out_of_Sight_ could parlay its critics' awards to a win here, but I doubt
the Academy will be so quick to honor a crime potboiler. _A_Simple_Plan_
also has critics' awards going for it and has a stronger chance than the
summer-released _Out_of_Sight_, but not by that much. This category could
very well be Malick's consolation prize for his big return to filmmaking,
but of all the complaints about _The_Thin_Red_Line_, the loudest were over
the narrative-light screenplay. By default, the odds are on
_Gods_and_Monsters_, a well-liked film that, if my predictions are correct,
will not be honored elsewhere.

+My Pick: Smith's _Simple_ script was far from it--intelligently twisty
and emotionally complex. (Yes, I actually picked something over Malick.)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
_Bulworth_ - Warren Beatty & Jeremy Pikser
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_È_Bella)_ - Roberto Benigni
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Robert Rodat
*_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard
+_The_Truman_Show_ - Andrew Niccol

*Prediction: This is _Bulworth_'s only nod. Translation? No Oscar this
year, Warren. Rodat's script was by far _Ryan_'s weakest element, with
only the sweep factor giving it the slightest chance to win here. Love for
Benigni could extend here, but it won't. Four months ago I would have said
that _Truman_ was a shoo-in here, but now it's all about _Shakespeare_, and
I'd say this is that film's second all-but-guaranteed win.

+My Pick: The film was slightly overrated, but their's no denying the
cleverness of Niccol's _Truman_ premise and the ingenuity of its execution.

Now, my picks (_not_ predictions) in the remaining categories, except the
Documentary categories and Animated Short Subject:

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
_Central_Station_ (Brazil)
_Children_of_Heaven_ (Iran)
_The_Grandfather_ (Spain)
+_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_È_Bella)_ (Italy)
_Tango_ (Argentina)

ART DIRECTION
_Elizabeth_ - Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Peter Howitt
_Pleasantville_ - Art Direction: Jeannine Oppewall; Set Decoration: Jay Hart
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Art Direction: Tom Sanders; Set Decoration: Lisa
Dean Kavanaugh
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Art Direction: Martin Childs; Set Decoration: Jill
Quertier
+_What_Dreams_May_Come_ - Art Direction: Eugenio Zanetti; Set Decoration:
Cindy Carr

CINEMATOGRAPHY
_A_Civil_Action_ - Conrad L. Hall
_Elizabeth_ - Remi Adefarasin
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Janusz Kaminski
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Richard Greatrex
+_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - John Toll

COSTUME DESIGN
_Beloved_ - Colleen Atwood
_Elizabeth_ - Alexandra Byrne
_Pleasantville_ - Judianna Makovsky
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Sandy Powell
+_Velvet_Goldmine_ - Sandy Powell

FILM EDITING
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_È_Bella)_ - Simona Paggi
_Out_of_Sight_ - Anne V. Coates
+_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Michael Kahn
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - David Gamble
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Billy Weber, Leslie Jones and Saar Klein

MAKEUP
+_Elizabeth_ - Jenny Shircore
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Lois Burwell, Conor O'Sullivan, and Daniel C.
Striepeke
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Lisa Westcott and Veronica Brebner

ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE
_Elizabeth_ - David Hirschfelder
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_È_Bella)_ - Nicola Piovani
_Pleasantville_ - Randy Newman
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - John Williams
+_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Hans Zimmer

ORIGINAL MUSICAL/COMEDY SCORE
_A_Bug's_Life_ - Randy Newman
_Mulan_ - Jerry Goldsmith, Matthew Wilder, and David Zippel
_Patch_Adams_ - Marc Shaiman
+_The_Prince_of_Egypt_ - Hans Zimmer and Stephen Schwartz
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Stephen Warbeck

ORIGINAL SONG
"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", _Armageddon_ - Diane Warren
"The Prayer," _Quest_for_Camelot_ - Music by Carole Bayer Sager and David
Foster; Lyric by Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster, Tony Renis and Alberto
Testa
"A Soft Place to Fall," _The_Horse_Whisperer_ - Allison Moorer and Gwil Owen
"That'll Do," _Babe:_Pig_in _the_City_ - Randy Newman
+"When You Believe," _The_Prince_of_Egypt_ - Stephen Schwartz

SOUND
_Armageddon_ - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Keith A. Wester
_The_Mask_of_Zorro_ - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Pud Cusack
+_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and
Ronald Judkins
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Robin O'Donoghue, Dominic Lester and Peter Glossop
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer and Paul Brincat

SOUND EFFECTS EDITING
_Armageddon_ - George Watters, II
_The_Mask_of_Zorro_ - David McMoyler
+_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Gary Rydstrom and Richard Hymns

VISUAL EFFECTS
_Armageddon_ - Richard R. Hoover, Pat McClung and John Frazier
_Mighty_Joe_Young_ - Rick Baker, Hoyt Yeatman, Alan Hall and Jim Mitchell
+_What_Dreams_May_Come_ - Joel Hynek, Nicholas Brooks, Stuart Robertson and
Kevin Mack

The 71st Academy Awards will be telecast live on ABC Sunday, March 21,
beginning at 8PM EST/5PM EST, with the first official Oscar pre-show,
hosted by Geena Davis (yes, you read that right).

I will be broadcasting LIVE from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion press room
for the Eyepiece Network on Talk City (http://www.talkcity.com). I will be
sending out more details later...

~~~

=>M O V I E S<=
N E W R E L E A S E S

_Forces_of_Nature_ (PG-13) ** 1/2
Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck make one hell of a sickeningly attractive
couple. I saw just how much at the premiere of their romantic comedy,
_Forces_of_Nature_, in Westwood last week. In person, Bullock's
slow-simmering sexiness erupts to a mad boil; and Affleck perfectly
complements her by appearing more boyishly handsome (and I mean
_boyish_--he looks about five years younger) than he does in film. Above even
their shared brunet beauty, the pair's innate charm shone through: the
perky Bullock waved and smiled especially at me, and the smooth Affleck
one-upped her by actually winking at me (though I, must say, I would have
rather they "traded" their respective greetings).
It is that charm that carries _Forces_. Apart from Tom Hanks and Meg
Ryan, have two more effortlessly likable been paired onscreen? When we
first meet Affleck's Ben Holmes, an uptight copywriter days away from his
wedding; and Bullock's Sarah, a veritable firecracker of a young woman he
meets on a plane from New York to Savannah, Georgia, we immediately want
them to get whatever they want. For Sarah, it's to return to Savannah in
time to sell off a bagel shop she co-owns (long story); for Ben, it's
arriving in time for his wedding to one Bridget (Maura Tierney).
Come to think of it, though, the audience will probably not want Ben to
achieve his goal. After a freak but fairly minor plane crash, Ben and
Sarah find themselves on the road, attempting to reach their destination by
train and automobile in addition to plane. Along the way, the duo find
that they're not so mismatched after all, feeling, as Ben says, "a certain
chemistry." And there's no disagreeing with him--Bullock and Affleck's
compatibility lookswise translates into an engaging rapport.
It must be said, though, that Bullock and Affleck click more than combust,
and that sort of makes the force drawing their characters together feel
more like one of script mechanics than that of nature. Still, that's more
than can be said of Affleck's rapport with Tierney, but the weakness there
says more about Marc Lawrence's screenplay than the two actors. He and
director Bronwen Hughes don't develop Ben and Bridget's relationship
satisfactorily enough to make make certain crucial turns of events
completely convincing.
As such, while Lawrence and Hughes do come up with some good comic scenes
(a strip club scene is a highlight) and coax good performances from their
Tierney, Steve Zahn (a zany delight as Ben's first man), and their two
wildly appealing leads, _Forces_of_Nature_ never quite generates enough
power to become sweep up the audience like the long-brewing hurricane that
hits at the film's climax.

Hollywood Hotline Featured Review
_Ravenous_ (R) ** 1/2
In his review of the 1993 cannibalism-for-survival drama _Alive_,
_Entertainment_Weekly_ critic Owen Gleiberman called the moment when the
plane crash survivors finally decide to eat the remains of the dead
passengers "truly disgusting." In these eyes, it was an undoubtedly
discomfiting but rather tame moment, with most of the grisliness left to
the imagination; it only got as bad as seeing arms moving as if cutting
into something and the slices of, um, meat.
If that's Gleiberman's idea of "truly disgusting," I'm interested in
hearing what he has to say about _Ravenous_, which opens with a table full
of hungry 19th Century army men voraciously digging into extra-rare slabs
of meat, which leads one soldier, John Boyd (Guy Pearce), to lose his lunch
and just about any other meal he's ever had. OK, so they're not eating
humans--they're eating beef. But it gives one a fair inkling of how
graphic the "food" consumption gets once the cannibalism theme takes over.
After narrowly escaping death in a battle in the Mexican War, Boyd is
assigned to a remote outpost in the Sierra Nevadas manned only by Hart
(Jeffrey Jones), the commanding officer; Toffler (Jeremy Davies, doing the
soft-spoken thing yet again), the religious leader; Knox (Stephen
Spinella), the hard-drinking doctor; no-nonsence Reich (Neal McDonough);
and Cleaves (David Arquette), the over-medicated cook. Entering their fold
one night is the mysterious loner Colqhoun (Robert Carlyle), who tells a
horrific tale about how his now-dead settling party turned to cannibalism
in the wilds. In due time, the human flesh diet starts to gain popularity
with this group.
_Ravenous_ is definitely not for the squeamish. Director Antonia Bird
pulls no punches as far as gore is concerned; one especially graphic scene
between Pearce and Arquette is certain to send some viewers racing to the
restroom, and a climactic bloodbath of a fight scene really pushes the
limits of an R-rating. But Bird's tongue is often in cheek during the gory
proceedings; the over-the-top nature, while sure to offend many, is
actually the big factor in keeping one from taking it overly seriously.
Screenwriter Ted Griffin is also in on the joke, offering some amusingly
self-aware lines ("It's lonely being a cannibal. It's tough making
friends.") But his script accomplishes the seemingly impossible task of
being overstuffed and undercooked at the same time. He offers a mystical
explanation for all the cannibalism, which then launches into metaphors
about addiction and the quest for eternal youth--this all in addition to
trying to be a down-and-dirty horror film. But then there's the matter of
characterization, which there is little of; with only schematically
developed personalities onscreen, there's no real audience investment as to
who ends up being the diner or dinner.
I cannot say that I was ever bored by _Ravenous_; the actors and its
deliciously disgusting subject matter always keep it watchable and--dare I
say it--amusing. There's nothing wrong with that, but in attempting to be
something more, _Ravenous_ ends up offering even less to chew on.

IN BRIEF

_The_Deep_End_of_the_Ocean_ (PG-13) **
Michelle Pfeiffer turns in an impassioned performance of often
gut-wrenching intensity in a film that deserves far less. It's not that
the basic story is without promise. Beth Cappadora (Pfeiffer) loses her
three-year-old son, only to have him resurface on her doorstep nine years
later with no recollection of his former family (Ryan Merriman plays the
now-12-year-old son). It's a setup ripe with psychological and emotional
conflict, and apparently Jacquelyn Mitchard did it justice in her novel of
the same name, which was not only a bestseller but none other than a
selection in Oprah Winfrey's book club.
However, director Ulu Grosbard and scripter Stephen Schiff follow
pedestrian TV-movie-like paces, from the abrupt and overly tidy ending to
the rebelliously-bitter-yet-guilt-ridden older brother, well-played by
Emmy-winning _General_Hospital_ star Jonathan Jackson. In fact, all the
characters are well-played by the actors. It's just that the material is
about as shallow as its deeply metaphoric title (the meaning of which, for
the record, is never explained in the film).

I N C U R R E N T R E L E A S E
(full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs)

F U T U R E F I L M S

-_Goodbye_Lover_ (R) *** <MR#179, 2/25/99>
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#goodbye
(April 16)

O N T H E H O R I Z O N
FRIDAY

_Forces_of_Nature_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <see above review>
Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck make an ideal pair in Bronwen Hughes's
less-than-ideal romantic road comedy.

_The_King_and_I_ (G) <review postponed until next week>
Warner Bros. tries to rebound from last year's embarrassing
_Quest_for_Camelot_ with this animated adaptation of the famed Rodgers and
Hammerstein musical.

_Ravenous_ (R) ** 1/2 <see above review>
Flat characters mar Antonia Bird's violent satirical thriller about
cannibalism in the 19th-century Sierra Nevadas. Guy Pearce, Robert
Carlyle, Jeffrey Jones, Jeremy Davies, and David Arquette star.

_True_Crime_ (R)
Clint Eastwood's latest directorial effort casts him as a reporter in a
race against time to save a man (Isaiah Washington) on Death Row. James
Woods also stars.

~~~

=>V I D E O<=
N E W T H I S W E E K

_Bulworth_ (R) ***
Full review in MR#144, 5/29/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt34.html#bulworth
Attack of the Oscar Nominees, Part I: Warren Beatty's bold, ambitious, yet
overrated and underachieving satire about a suicidal senator (Beatty) who
becomes the rapping political voice of the disenfranchised. Beatty and
Jeremy Pikser's script is nominated for Original Screenplay. Halle Berry,
Don Cheadle, and Oliver Platt also star. (20th Century Fox Home
Entertainment)

_Living_Out_Loud_ (R) ***
Full review in MR#164, 10/29/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#living
Celebrated screenwriter Richard LaGravenese made an assured directorial
debut with this refreshingly realistic romantic comedy-drama between a
divorcee (Holly Hunter) and an elevator operator (Danny DeVito). A silky
jazz soundtrack and a mature attitude add to a unique and delightful film.
(New Line Home Video)

_One_True_Thing_ (R) ***
Full review in MR#158, 9/17/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#1truething
Attack of the Oscar Nominees, Part II: Meryl Streep earned her umpteenth
Best Actress nod for her typically strong work as a mother dying of cancer
in Carl Franklin's understated family drama. Renee Zellweger and William
Hurt also deliver fine performances as Streep's daughter and husband,
respectively. (Universal Studios Home Video)

_Polish_Wedding_ (R) * 1/2
Full review in MR#151, 7/24/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#polish
Claire Danes, Gabriel Byrne, and especially Lena Olin deliver robust
performances in Theresa Connelly's jumbled comedy-drama about the troubles
within a Polish-American household. (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)

_Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#157, 9/6/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#simon
The first--and lesser--of the two films about unlikely boyhood friendships
with a dwarf was Mark Steven Johnson's well-meaning but cloying adaptation
of _A_Prayer_for_Owen_Meany_. Nonetheless, newcomer Ian Michael Smith and
Joseph Mazzello impress as the two 12-year-olds, the tiny title character
and his best friend, respectively. (Hollywood Pictures Home Video)

_The_Waterboy_ (PG-13) **
Full review in MR#165, 11/6/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#waterboy
This inexplicable box office blockbuster offers Adam Sandler doing more of
his usual schtick as a 31-year-old college football waterboy who becomes a
gridiron star himself as a tackling machine. That said, this film is
considerably less grating than some of Sandler's earlier star vehicles.
Kathy Bates does some memorable comic work as Sandler's mother.
(Touchstone Home Video)

~~~

=>N E X T W E E K<=

S U N D A Y
LIVE webcast from the 71st Academy Awards on Talk City, in conjunction with
the Eyepiece Network:
http://www.talkcity.com
More details will be coming shortly...

M O N D A Y / T U E S D A Y
Depending on how quickly I recover from the madness that is Oscar night, my
take on the evening's results and various festivities.
PLUS... my annual report from the Independent Spirit Awards, to be held on
Saturday, March 20. I'm also going to be designated press at this event...
I guess I *am* making some movement in the world...

T H U R S D A Y
More reviews, including:
-_The_King_and_I_
-_The_Matrix_
-_The_Mod_Squad_

*whew*

'til then...

__________________________________________________________

Michael Dequina
Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site
http://jordan.sportsline.com

mj...@michaeljordanfan.com | jorda...@sportsmail.com
michael...@geocities.com | mrb...@iname.com

>My personal WWW sites<
Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown
Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan
A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23
Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md
>Other WWW sites I work on<
CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com
Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com
Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com
Film Frenzy: http://www.filmfrenzy.com

"Life is knowing the toughest competition you ever face is yourself."
--Michael Jordan
__________________________________________________________

0 new messages