Review
The Virgin Suicides
- Director
- Sofia Coppola
- Year
- 2000
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- a.k.a. Jacinda
- Review date
- Saturday, December 30, 2000
This movie is a mystery, a dream, a vision. Sofia Coppola's adaptation is based on the book by Jeffrey Eugenides and tells the tale of the Lisbon sisters set in the early 70s. The five sisters, all beautiful and compelling, are kept like a secret by their parents (James Woods, Kathleen Turner).The story is told from the perspective of the boys next door who have fallen for the beauties and try to understand the mystery behind these teenage girls.
Coppola succeeds on all levels by creating an eerie dreamlike atmosphere with stunning visuals and a hypnotic score by Air. I already bought the soundtrack almost a year ago but the music which I simply love gets a new quality when you see it combined with the pictures in the movie. It's a perfect match. Kirsten Dunst as Lux Lisbon gives an outstanding, compelling performance.
I liked the way the story was told without any accusations. I liked the way it reminded me of the ideals, dreams and thoughts a teenage girl has and that I had once myself.
The Virgin Suicides is a mystery dealing with the loss of innocence and the world of girls that no one can grasp. A movie experience of a different kind!
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News
Last weekend of the year
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, December 29, 2000
Hello there! This, as you know, is the last weekend of the year. 2000
is coming to an end. Looking back at what we saw in theaters, you
could say it wasn’t such a strong year for Hollywood, although there
were certainly many good movies to choose from. Now it is coming to
an end, the awards season is getting hotter and a brand new slate of
movies are awaiting to arrive so we can check them out as always. The
story has been written.
So what’s new this weekend? Nothing really. There are no big wide
releases, although there are many movies still waiting for you to see
them. In limited release,
Traffic,
Shadow of the
Vampire and
The Claim have just opened.
O Brother Where
Art Thou,
Chocolat and
Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon are going a little wider. And movies such as
Cast
Away,
What Women Want,
Miss Congeniality and
The
Family Man will continue their strong
showings.
So there’s a lot to see out there. Go to the movies, and have a happy
new year. See you in 2001!
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News
Steven Spielberg knighted by Queen Elizabeth II
- Posted by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- News date
- Thursday, December 28, 2000
Guess what I heard today, fellas! I’ve always felt thrilled about the
British artists who are knighted by the throne of England. Well, this
time it’s the turn of an American artist: Steven Spielberg.
What is that about? As far as I know, Queen Elizabeth II is so
thankful for the work Spielberg has done contributing to her
country’s film industry, that she has decided to give him a honorary
knighthood, due to his nationality.
Spielberg, director of
E.T.,
Schindler’s List and many
other great films, is a very respectful tourist every time he visits
the U.K., and thoroughly enjoys the work of the artists of that
country.
As a huge Spielberg fan, I feel very glad for him, and anxiously
expect next Friday, when he will receive this great honor England
offers him.
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Review
Magnolia
- Director
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Year
- 1999
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Wednesday, December 27, 2000
So, what can I say about a movie that revolves around the lives of about ten different people and at the surface is about nothing? Well, that maybe this point is the one that makes this movie so brilliant and strange at the same time. When I saw it, I wasn’t expecting to like it a lot, but then again, since it started until it finished about more than three hours later, there wasn’t even a hint in which I got bored or distracted at all.
It is a highly emotional one-day ride where we get to meet all this people and see for ourselves that even the most innocent of human beings has its share of problems. There’s the dying man (Jason Robards), his confused wife (Julianne Moore), his wild son (Tom Cruise), his kind nurse (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the TV host (Philip Baker Hall), his drug addict daughter (Melora Walters), the nice policeman (John C. Reilly), the ex genius (William H. Macy) and the boy genius. All of these people share nothing in common, but in a way, the story puts them along the path in different situations that may or may not have a dramatic impact in each and every one of them.
While all of this might just sound boring, the script has so many layers and tones that the whole experience is nothing of the sort. Instead, it is a powerful movie that deals with relationships. Whether it is a father and son relationship, a husband and wife relationship, a life and death experience or whatever it may be, we always get to see a story about forgiveness, about the human need of being loved and love others, about redemption, about dignity, about coincidences.
The director and writer is Paul Thomas Anderson, who has held himself as one of the most promising young talents working in Hollywood nowadays. With this picture, he puts it clear that he is not willing to make any concessions. His direction is highly original and flawless. This can also be seen in the way he directs his actors.
The movie, as itself, is extremely well acted by all the cast. My personal choices for the best performances would have to be Tom Cruise (who is astonishing and heartbreaking in a way we had never seen him before) and Julianne Moore (who irradiates talent and steals every scene she’s in).
The bittersweet score by Aimee Man is fabulous, by the way. And be prepared for a completely unexpected event towards the end that is, literally, of biblical proportions. A remarkable picture which may be brilliant for some, pointless for others. No doubt about it, I’ll stick with the first choice.
“Now that I’ve met you, would you object to never seeing me again?”
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Jason Robards dies at 78
- Posted by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- News date
- Wednesday, December 27, 2000
Last year, I enjoyed going to the movies very much. I liked many movies, enjoyed many scenes in them, and was touched by the performances of many actors. One actor I especially remember as one who really penetrated my deepest feelings is Jason Robards, who played the role of Earl Partridge, the dying man in
Magnolia (1999). Had I known that his fight between life and death was real, I would’ve suffered even more. Now Earl Partridge is dead, and so is Jason Robards.
After years of struggle against cancer, the fight was lost yesterday. Fortunately, Robards never quit acting. As a matter of fact, he struggled against many other diseases in his life, including alcoholism and depression. Paralleling in a surprising way his real life with his artistic career, he played characters whose lives somehow resembled his own experiences. He even declared once that it was easy for him to play disintegrated characters.
Two times Oscar-winner (playing real-life characters in
All the President’s Men (1976) and
Julia (1977)), Robards was best-known for his performances in Eugene O’Neill’s plays. He won a Tony for his performance in “The Disenchanted.”
The fact that Robards kept working no matter what and said goodbye with such a strong performance as the one he gave in
Magnolia (1999) makes this even harder to assimilate. Let’s never forget his larger than life work.
Rest in Peace, Jason Robards.
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2000 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Wednesday, December 27, 2000
It’s the turn for those journalists in San Diego to select their
awards for the best of the year in films. The race keeps heating, so
check out how Hollywood did:
Best Picture,
Almost Famous
Best Director, Cameron Crowe (
Almost Famous)
Best Actor, Russel Crowe (
Gladiator)
Best Actress (tie), Julia Roberts (
Erin Brockovich) and Laura
Linney (
You Can Count On Me)
Best Supporting Actor, Benicio del Toro (
Traffic)
Best Supporting Actress, Frances McDormand (
Almost Famous)
Best Original Screenplay, Cameron Crowe (
Almost Famous)
Best Adapted Screenplay, Robert Nelson Jacobs (
Chocolat)
Best Cinematography, John Matheison (
Gladiator)
Best Foreign Picture,
The Color of Paradise (Iran)
Best Body of Work, Joaquin Phoenix (
Gladiator,
Quills
and
The Yards)
Good for
Gladiator and
Almost Famous!
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Review
Wag the Dog
- Director
- Barry Levinson
- Year
- 1997
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Tuesday, December 26, 2000
I have always been a huge Dustin Hoffman fan and I’m very glad to see that, once in a while, he always comes up with one of those great, unforgettable performances of his. Well,
Wag the Dog is not only not an exception, but it is actually one of his greatest ever.
In fact, he has given two of his best under the direction of Levinson:
Rain Man (for which both men won an Oscar) and now this.
An adaptation of Larry Beinhart’s “American Hero,”
Wag the Dog is a highly entertaining parody of the secrets and scandals of the White House and everything that is behind and in front of them, and also a mock of the rich of Hollywood, who live in luxury and triumph, while secretly submerged in frustration and depression.
Hoffman is a wow as a Hollywood Producer hired by political fixer Robert De Niro to stage a fake war in order to distract the people from a sex scandal involving the President, a couple of days before election day. The whole fantasy becomes a reality even for the audience of the movie, who know the truth. It even makes you wonder how often does that happen in real life, and how often do we believe their lies.
It also works amazingly as a way to take us into the head of the movie producers who feel underestimated while their work is very important for the whole process of filmmaking.
The comedy works perfectly well, even though the film is a little bit too long for its own good. However, the charming cast and the cleverness of the script make up for the whole length of the film. De Niro is great as usual, Anne Heche funnier than ever as a neurotic and passionate White House worker who follows De Niro and Hoffman every step they take. William H. Macy is also excellent in a brief role as a CIA agent.
The whole procedure is delightful, and the finale is surprising and ironic. This comedy will grow in status through the years, especially considering the growing scandals of the White House with every president.
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Box Office Results
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Tuesday, December 26, 2000
It was a wild weekend at the box office this Christmas. Tom Hanks
proved once again that people love him and that he’s still got it.
His new movie,
Cast Away, debuted at number one with an
impressive estimated 40.5 for the four-day period. This results is
far above expectations, and settled a box office record for a
Christmas weekend ever. In second place came last week’s champ,
What Women Want with 21.5 million. In third place came
The
Family Man, the new Nic Cage pic, with a solid estimated 15.2
million.
The Grinch, which has now become the highest grossing
movie of 2000, still earned an extra 15 million Then came Sandra
Bullock, whose latest movie,
Miss Congeniality made modest
business and packed in 13.8 million..
Dracula 2000 had to
settle with the seventh place with 7.8 million. In other big news,
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon just entered the top10 and
keeps doing amazing business. Watch out for this one!
Here’s the complete list:
1.
Cast Away, 40.5 million (40.5 m. total)
2.
What Women Want, 21.5 million (70.1 m.t.)
3.
The Family Man, 15.2 million (15.2 m.t.)
4.
The Grinch, 15 million (235.4 m.t.)
5.
Miss Congeniality, 13.8 million (13.8 m.t.)
6.
The Emperor's New Groove, 10.2 million (24.8 m.t.)
7.
Dracula 2000, 7.8 million (7.8 m.t.)
8.
Vertical Limit, 5.7 million (38.4 m.t.)
9.
Dude, Where's My Car?, 5.2 million (24.2 m.t.)
10.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 4 million (6.9 m.t.)
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Review
North by Northwest
- Director
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Year
- 1959
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- a.k.a. Vincent
- Review date
- Monday, December 25, 2000
If you are a beginner movie fan, then this has to be your favorite Hitchcock. It's the most accessible of his great films and a pretty perfect entertainment. It may not be as profound or serious as, say,
Vertigo, but if you want to spend a nice relaxing evening you'd be hard pressed to find a more suitable movie.
It tells the tale of Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), a New York advertising man, who is mistaken with a man named George Kaplan, an invented government agent. Because of this mix-up he is chased all across America by spy Philip Van Dam (James Mason) who wants to get a microfilm out of the country without being bothered by Kaplan. During this chase, Thornhill becomes involved with Eve Kendall (Eva Marie-Saint) who is the real government agent, only able to work close to Van Dam because he thinks Kaplan is his enemy. This means that Thornhill can't reveal his mistaken identity without putting the suspicion on Eve.
I hope you followed all that. It is quite difficult to give you an idea of the plot in just a few sentences, but don't worry, the film will make sense when you sit down and watch it. People who have seen the movie (like my family) always tell me how ridiculous and far fetched the plot really is but they don't care. The screenplay, by Earnest Lehman, has a healthy dose of humor and Hitchcock made sure the film had, as they say, its tongue in its cheek (when Thornhill asks what it is Van Dam is trying to get out of the country the only reply he gets is "Government secrets perhaps" as if to say that it is not important how or why it all happens, but only
that it happens). Also there are some marvelous lines of dialogue. My favorite is an exchange between Thornhill and Eve:
Eve: I never discuss love on an empty stomach.
Roger: But you've already eaten.
Eve: Yes, but you haven't.
This was the last film that Grant and Hitchcock made together. As good as
Notorious is, I still prefer to call this one their best collaboration. Both Grant and Hitchcock seem to be more comfortable when there is some comedy to play with and there is a lot of that here as opposed to
Notorious.
The cast is at the top of their form. Grant and Mason are always good to watch and Marie-Saint does her best work here. The supporting roles are well performed by Martin Landau, Jessie Royce Landis (as Grant's mother!) and Hitchcock regular Leo G. Carroll. And they all look great thanks to Robert Burks' splendid photography.
The film's most famous scene, Grant being chased by a crop dusting plane in a corn field, has been imitated and ripped off many times most notably in
From Russia with Love and more recently in the Johnny Depp movie
Arizona Dream. Needless to say none of them match the original. There are many more great scenes in here though such as the climax on Mount Rushmore and Grant's escape from the auction gallery. All this is set to music by Bernard Herrmann who delivers, once again, a perfect, exiting soundtrack.
Watch this one if you have the chance!
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Review
Wonder Boys
- Director
- Curtis Hanson
- Year
- 2000
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- a.k.a. Jacinda
- Review date
- Saturday, December 23, 2000
When I first heard about the making of this movie I remembered a very odd novel I had read several years ago. I knew the book by Michael Chabon but, to be honest, I didn't remember much. Although I had a vague idea of some odd characters, I had to grab the book again and read the summary on the back. It said something about a chaotic weekend "involving a tuba, a dead dog, Marilyn Monroe's ermine-lined jacket and a squashed boa constrictor." What kind of story do you expect now? It's hard to sum it up but I'll have a try.
The main character is Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas) who is teaching literature at university. He was once declared a great novelist with his second book not being finished yet although he had already written about 2500 pages. No need to worry about writer's block! The story is a weird journey of this professor including all the elements mentioned before (except the snake). I don't know if this is really a story about the midlife crisis of a man but Grady in a way has to settle down with things as his girlfriend (Frances McDormand) gets pregnant and his editor (Robert Downey Jr.) arrives in town to talk about his next novel. You will also find Tobey Maguire in one of his most cheerful roles ever and
Dawson's Creek's Katie Holmes in a small supporting role.
I don't want to give away too much of the story. Actually, I can't really explain what happens - you simply have to see it for yourself. I only have to state this: Michael Douglas deserves an Oscar for portraying Grady trip exactly as I had imagined him when I read the book. Curtis Hanson is a master of adapting novels. I still remember
LA Confidential as one of the best films in the past years.
Wonder Boys can't be compared with it, but it has some of the weirdest characters and situations I've seen lately (reminding me a lot of John Irving). The dialogue is witty, the cast is outstanding, the script is intelligent. What else can I say?
Michael Douglas received a Golden Globes nomination for Best Dramatic Actor. I can't wait for the Oscars...
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Hollywood at its peak
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, December 22, 2000
A busy week this has been, I’d say. After many critics associations
have been publishing their respective winners and nominations,
Hollywood studios are preparing themselves for the last big weekend
of the year. Whether it means big movies battling for money, or just
limited releases to qualify for Oscar consideration, there’s no
question about the large amount of movies waiting to be seen in
theaters. So here’s the rundown:
Four movies are opening wide:
Cast Away. Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks pair once again for
this “Robinson Crusoe”-like tale of a man stranded accidentally in a
desert island. What people don’t really know is that it is not a
movie about a man trying to survive. Instead, it is mostly a one-
character drama about a guy who needs to learn the difference between
living and surviving. This is what makes this movie special and why
it’s getting raves from critics everywhere. Even if some do encounter
some flaws with the movie, they all agree that Hanks gives an
astonishing performance, both by keeping the audience entertained for
a long time and because of the epic journey his character travels
within himself. Even people who are already sick of him are pointing
out his performance as definitely Oscar-worthy. Zemeckis, by the way,
is also receiving accolades for bringing this simple story with the
necessary complexity and rhythm. A must-see for everyone.
The Family Man. I’ve seen this one already, and I can
personally tell you that it is a good one. The perfect Christmas
movie about a guy who gets a glimpse of what would’ve been his life
like if he hadn’t put his career over love. Cage and Leoni make an
excellent match, and critics are saying so as well. Even it isn’t
going to become a classic, the movie is said to be aptly entertaining
and appealing. Another good one here.
Miss Congeniality. Sandra Bullock just got a Golden Globe nom
for his role as an FBI agent who has to go undercover as a beauty
pageant contestant. But even thou she is said to be quite funny, the
movie cannot be saved from being a misfire. Well, that’s according to
the word being spread all over today. Benjamin Bratt and Michael
Caine co-star, although they don’t do much to elevate it. It is said
to be tedious and occasionally unfunny. Not a bomb, but neither a
movie you must hurry to go and see.
Dracula 2000. Wes Craven produces this modern re-telling of
the classic tale of Dracula which isn’t the big turkey you might
expect. In fact, some people are admiring the way the story is told
and the way it was adapted. But there are also many people who think
that it is bad filmmaking at it’s worst. Whatever side you may be in,
this movie will certainly entertain you. It does offer the usual pack
of blood, sexy girls and quirky characters.
Movies opening between today and Monday to begin their run for Oscar
qualification include
Finding Forrester (directed by Gus Van
Sant and with two stellar from Robert Brown and Sean Connery),
State and Main (David Mamet’s very funny Hollywood satire with
a large cast including Alec Baldwin, Sarah Jessica Parker, William H.
Macy and many more),
O Brother Where Art Thou? (he Coen
Brothers’ wacky comedy with George Clooney and John Turturro),
The
Gift (a supernatural horror tale starring Cate Blanchett, Keanu
Reeves, Hillary Swank, Katie Holmes, Greg Kinnear and Giovanni
Ribisi),
All The Pretty Horses (Billy Bob Thornton’s entrance
to the Western genre with Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz),
An
Everlasting Piece (the latest Barry Levinson pick),
Before
Night Falls (recreation of the life of writer Reinaldo Arenas,
with an impressive performance by Javier Bardem) and
Thirteen
Days (fact-based thriller about the legendary Cuban-missile
threaten starring Kevin Costner)
If that’s not enough, you could always see movies such as
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,
Chocolat,
The House
of Mirth and many more that will continue showing in selected
theaters.
Anyway, have a Merry Christmas, and I’ll see you on Monday....
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2000 Las Vegas Critics Society Awards
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, December 22, 2000
Here is the list of yet another critics’ group. This time it’s Las
Vegas and this are the winners of the 4th Annual Sierra Awards:
Best Picture:
Erin Brockovich
Best Actor: Geoffrey Rush,
Quills
Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn,
Requiem for a Dream
Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro,
Traffic
Best Supporting Actress: Kate Hudson,
Almost Famous
Best Director: Steven Soderbergh,
Erin Brockovich and
Traffic
Best Original Screenplay: Susannah Grant and Richard LaGravanese,
Erin Brockovich
Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium: Steve Kloves,
Wonder
Boys
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins,
O Brother, Where Art Thou
Best Film Editing: Pietro Scalia,
Gladiator
Best Score: Hans Zimmer,
Gladiator
Best Original Song: "Things Have Changed," Bob Dylan from
Wonder
Boys
Best Foreign Film:
Girl on the Bridge (France)
Best Family Film:
Chicken Run
Best Documentary:
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
Best Costume Design: Janty Yates,
Gladiator
Best Visual Effects:
Gladiator
Best Male Newcomer: Rob Brown,
Finding Forrester
Best Female Newcomer: (
tie) Karyn Kusama, Writer/Director of
Girlfight and Michelle Rodriguez, Actress,
Girlfight
Youth in Film Award: Jamie Bell,
Billy Elliot
Best DVD:
Gladiator Dreamworks Home Video
William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award: William Goldman
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Review
Crimes and Misdemeanors
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Year
- 1989
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Thursday, December 21, 2000
I’ve never been the biggest Woody Allen fan, such as Groucho. But nevertheless, I do enjoy seeing his movies and I also think that, when he succeeds, he brings magic to the big screen. Such is the case of
Crimes and Misdemeanors, one of Woody’s best and a remarkable motion picture in every aspect.
The movie consists of two disturbing and very profound storylines. One involves Judah Rosenthal (Martin Landau), a doctor who has it all, a successful career and an established family. Suddenly, all of his life is put in danger when his former mistress (Angelica Huston) threatens to come out and tell his wife about their two-year relationship. On the other hand, Cliff Stern (Woody Allen) is a documentary filmmaker who gets to fight for the love of Halley Reed (Mia Farrow) with his own brother-in-law (Alan Alda), a successful producer.
The main achievement here is that Allen masterfully succeeds in telling this two parallel stories which have nothing in common (one is a tragedy, the other kind of a comedy) while neatly tying them together at the end. Both stories are about human relationships, a common theme in Allen’s films. But this time we are transported into more deep territory. It’s the true honesty of the script and the dialogue which make this characters come to life. The film questions such subject matters as murder, religion, guilt, jealousy, without even trying to judge them, but to present them as true feelings that affect a human being.
By doing so, Allen once again assembles a marvelous cast and makes it work. Martin Landau, specially, is heartbreakingly good in a very difficult role. He is terrific and you always sense and understand everything that he is going through. Alda, Huston, Farrow and Allen himself all give top-notch performances.
This is a thoughtful movie that you won’t easily forget. I really liked the way the movie ended. And even thou there’s a spoiler coming ahead, I must point out how interesting it is that the tragic storyline ends up happily, while the comedic one ends up in a bittersweet note. This just comes to show how unpredictable life is, and that we never know, anything could happen. A big applause to Allen and everyone involved!
“Last time I was inside a woman was when I visited the Statue of Liberty”
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2000 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Thursday, December 21, 2000
It’s the turn of the Canadians! Check it out:
Best Picture:
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Runner-up:
Traffic
Best Director: Steven Soderbergh (
Traffic)
Runner-up: Ang Lee (
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Best Actor: Benicio del Toro (
Traffic)
Runner-up: Mark Ruffalo (
You Can Count On Me)
Best Actress: Laura Linney (
You Can Count On Me)
Runner-up: Michelle Yeoh (
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Best Supporting Actor (
tie): Tobey Maguire (
Wonder
Boys) and Jeffrey Wright (
Shaft)
Best Supporting Actress: Zhang Ziyi (
Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon)
Runner-up: Ellen Burstyn (
Requiem for a Dream)
Best Screenplay: Keneth Lonergan (
You Can Count On Me)
Runner-up: Hirokazu Kore-eda (
After Life)
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Golden Globe Nominations 2000
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Thursday, December 21, 2000
It’s here!!!! The complete list of nominees for the Golden Globes
Awards which the Foreign Press Association just announced this
morning. Take into account that this are the awards that most
resemble the Oscars. Check it out:
Best Motion Picture, Drama
Gladiator
Erin Brockovich
Billy Elliot
Traffic
Wonder Boys
Sunshine
Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
O Brother Where Art Thou?
Chocolat
Almost Famous
Chicken Run
Best In Show
Best Director
Ang Lee (
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Ridley Scott (
Gladiator)
Steven Soderbergh (
Erin Brockovich)
Steven Soderbergh (
Traffic)
Isrvan Szabo (
Sunshine)
Best Actor, Drama
Javier Bardem (
Before Night Falls)
Russel Crowe (
Gladiator)
Michael Douglas (
Wonder Boys)
Tom Hanks (
Cast Away)
Geoffrey Rush (
Quills)
Best Actor, Comedy or Musical
Jim Carrey (
The Grinch)
George Clooney (
O Brother Where Art Thou? )
John Cusack (
High Fidelity)
Robert De Niro (
Meet The Parents)
Mel Gibson (
What Women Want)
Best Actress, Drama
Joan Allen (
The Contender)
Björk (
Dancer in the Dark)
Ellen Burstyn (
Requiem for a Dream)
Laura Linney (
You Can Count On Me)
Julia Roberts (
Erin Brockovich)
Best Actress, Comedy or Musical
Juliette Binoche (
Chocolat)
Brenda Blethyn (
Saving Grace)
Sandra Bullock (
Miss Congeniality)
Tracey Ullman (
Small Time Crooks)
Renee Zellweger (
Nurse Betty)
Best Supporting Actress
Judi Dench (
Chocolat)
Kate Hudson (
Almost Famous)
Frances McDormand (
Almost Famous)
Julie Walters (
Billy Elliot)
Catherine Zeta-Jones (
Traffic)
Best Supporting Actor
Jeff Bridges (
The Contender)
Willem Dafoe (
Shadow of the Vampire)
Benicio del Toro (
Traffic)
Albert Finney (
Erin Brockovich)
Joaquin Phoenix (
Gladiator)
Best Foreign Picture
Love’s a Bitch (Mexico)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Taiwan)
The Hundred Steps (Italy)
Malena (Italy)
The Widow of St. Pierre (France)
Best Screenplay
Cameron Crowe (
Almost Famous)
Stephen Gaghan (
Traffic)
Steve Kloves (
Wonder Boys)
Kenneth Lonergan (
You Can Count On Me)
Doug Wright (
Quills)
Best Original Score
Tan Dun (
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Maurice Jarre (
Sunshine)
Ennio Morricone (
Malena)
Rachel Portman (
Chocolat)
Mary Stuart, Kristin Wilkinson and Larry Pastón (
All The Pretty
Horses)
Hanz Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard (
Gladiator)
Best Original Song
“I’ve seen it all”, Björk (
Dancer in the Dark)
“My Funny Friend and Me”, Sting (
The Emperor’s New Groove)
“One in a Million”, Steffan Olsson (
Miss Congeniality)
“Things Have Changed”, Bob Dylan (
Wonder Boys)
“When You Come Back To Me Again”, Garth Brooks (
Frequency)
Now let’s get into some stuff. In what is actually a very surprising
move,
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon didn’t get recognized as
Best Picture Drama and instead had to settle with the Foreign
category. I don't really know if that's because of a certain rule,
but it is interesting still. It wasn’t expected to go this way, but
you never now.
Gladiator, Traffic and Erin Brockovich all
recognized here, which makes me very happy.
Sunshine is the
dark horse this year, since no one expected to even see it in the
list, although Ralph Fiennes was rumored to be in the run for his
triple performance in the movie. On the other hand, the movies with
the most nominations are the same as with the Golden Satellite
Awards:
Traffic and
Gladiator, with 5 each. GREAT! The
category for Best Actress Drama is, as for me, going to look exactly
the same way at the Academy Awards. It will be a big battle for the
prize, and who wins here will be important. Surprising to see Sandra
Bullock getting a nomination for
Miss Congeniality, opening
tomorrow. This will definitely help her. And I’m glad to see Ullman
as well. She is very funny and Woody Allen certainly knew how to
direct her to give a great performance. Carrey made it one more time,
and so did De Niro in yet another funny role. Good for them. It’s sad
not to see Kate Winslet nominated for
Quills. Instead, and
surprisingly, Catherine Zeta-Jones took her place. Ok, I’m not mad.
It’s ok. Two nominations in the supporting category for
Almost
Famous: Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand. Both are amazing. In
the men category, Joaquin Phoenix was finally chosen for his
excellent performance in
Gladiator. It’s very very nice to see
Albert Finney getting a nomination. And check it out, Jeff Bridges
managed to get in there instead of a lot more candidates, including
Gary Oldman for the same picture. Soderbergh and his movies are
obviously the big story today. This kind of thing hadn’t been seen
for a long time. He is competing against himself and his movies are
all over the place. Definitely a fantastic year for him. I’m glad to
see Scott and Lee in there. And Szabo is the revelation. Finally,
great movies in the Best Foreign Picture category. Eventhou we now
who will win, Mexico’s and Italy’s entries are really good.
The awards ceremony will be held in January 21th.
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Review
Julia
- Director
- Fred Zinnemann
- Year
- 1977
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Wednesday, December 20, 2000
Julia is a calm, quiet, nearly dialogue-less film, full of flashbacks and inner thoughts. Allegedly, it is based on a true story. It is also a masterpiece.
One of Fred Zinnemann’s final films (based on Lillian Hellman’s “Pentimento”) tells the story of Hellman’s (Jane Fonda) friendship with Julia (Vanessa Redgrave), an eccentric woman who fought for her beliefs to the very end, and how she introduced Hellman into the resistance during World War II. A complicated, insecure woman, Lilly finds no satisfaction in her personal life next to classic writer Dashiell Hammett (Jason Robards), but is not brave enough to venture into danger or true excitement.
A vivid tale of times and cities, with inimitable photography, great editing and masterful performances,
Julia is mostly a character study that suggests many things but implies none. It is a respectful portrait of all of its characters.
Robards and Redgrave won Oscars for their unforgettable roles. Fonda is no less impressive. Maximilian Schell is a delight as a spy who gives Hellman the most important message of her life. Meryl Streep shines in her film debut.
My favorite moments happen during the train travels, where psychological terror reigns inside Hellman’s mind… and ours!
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Article
All-time Oscar Info
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Article date
- Wednesday, December 20, 2000
Let’s face it: even if we hate them, even if we love them, the real
truth is that, in some way or another, we are always interested in
the Oscars. How can’t we? The media goes crazy about them, the show
is a national event, and its the highest honor an actor can receive
in Hollywood. Now that we are arriving at the time of the year when
people don’t talk about anything else, I thought it would be
appropriate to let you know some facts about the Oscars that you
might not know or might not remember, but which are timeless and
always interesting. Here we go:
- The highest number of nominations for one person is 12. Both
Katharine Hepburn and Meryl Streep hold the record, eventhou
Katharine Hepburn won 4 times, and Meryl has only won 2 times. The
record for Oscars won by a man belongs to Jack Nicholson, with 3.
- Oldest Oscar Winners: George Burns and Jessica Tandy. Both were
80 years old.
- Youngest Oscar Winner: Tatum O’Neal, for Paper Moon,
when she was 10.
- Only Actor to win a posthumous Oscar: Peter Finch, for
Network
- Biggest lapse between one nomination and another: 41 years.
It was Henry Fonda, first for The Grapes of Wrath in 1940,
then for On Golden Pond in 1981.
- Biggest lapse between an Oscar and another: 38 years for
Helen Hayes.
- Longest acceptance speech: 5 minutes and 40 seconds when
Greer Garson won in 1943 for Mrs. Miniver.
- Ten actors have won in both categories (Best Acting and Best
Supporting Acting). They are: Jessica Lange, Jack Nicholson, Gene
Hackman, Maggie Smith, Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Helen Hayes,
Jack Lemmon, Ingrid Bergman and Kevin Spacey.
- Only actor with two posthumous nominations: James Dean for
East of Eden and Giant
- Shortest time on screen that earned an Oscar: 5 minutes and
40 seconds for Beatrice Straight in Network
- Only person who has won an Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy and a
Grammy: Rita Moreno.
- Director whose movies have obtained the most nominations:
William Wyler, with 127.
- First color movie to win the Best Picture Oscar: Gone With
The Wind
- Director with the most Oscar won: John Ford, with 4.
- Movies nominated for many awards, but which didn’t win any:
The Color Purple and The Turning Point with 11 each.
- Best Picture winners whose directors weren’t even nominated:
Grand Hotel and Driving Miss Daisy
- Shortest Best Picture winner: Annie Hall (94 minutes)
- Longest Best Picture winner: Gone With The Wind (222
minutes)
- Only movies which have won for Best Picture, Best Director,
Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Script: It happened one
night, One flew over the cuckoo’s nest and The Silence
of the Lambs
- Biggest number of nominations in any category without winning
any: Alex North, with 15.
- Movies with the highest number of Oscars won: Titanic
and Ben-Hur, both with 11.
- Movies with the highest number of nominations: Titanic
and All About Eve, with 14.
- Only silent movie to win an Oscar for Best Picture:
Wings (1927-1928)
- First Non-American movie to win an Oscar for Best Picture:
Hamlet (England, 1948)
- Only animated movie to be nominated for Best Picture:
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- The shortest Oscar ceremony: The first one. The prizes were
given in just five minutes.
- Price of an Oscar statue: 150 dollars.
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News
2000 Golden Satellite Nominations
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Tuesday, December 19, 2000
The Golden Satellite Awards are given out by a group of critics that
form a branch from the Foreign Press Association. That’s why this
list resembles a lot that of the Golden Globes, and some things are
expected to stay in a similar way. It’s important to note that
Gladiator has the most nominations (10), next to
Traffic which has 9. Both are the two movies I’m rooting for
the most this year, so I’m very glad. It can also be noticed that the
comedy categories are somewhat weak, given the fact that this wasn’t
a good year for movies. Hanks isn’t there. That’s weird. Murphy, on
the other hand, did make it. That’s stupid. So check out the complete
list:
Best Motion Picture, Drama
Billy Elliot
Erin Brockovich
Dancer in the Dark
Gladiator
Quills
Traffic
Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
Almost Famous
Best In Show
Nurse Betty
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
State and Main
Wonder Boys
Best Actor, Drama
Jamie Bell (
Billy Elliot)
Sean Connery (
Finding Forrester)
Russel Crowe (
Gladiator)
Ed Harris (
Pollock)
Geoffrey Rush (
Quills)
Denzel Wasington (
Remember The Titans)
Best Actor, Comedy or Musical
George Clooney (
O Brother, Where Art Thou? )
Michael Douglas (
Wonder Boys)
Richard Gere (
Dr. T & the Women)
Christopher Guest (
Best In Show)
Eddie Murphy (
Nutty Professor II)
Edward Norton (
Keeping The Faith)
Best Actress, Drama
Joan Allen (
The Contender
Gillian Anderson (
The House of Mirth)
Bjork (
Dancer in the Dark)
Ellen Busrtyn (
Dancer in the Dark)
Laura Linney (
You Can Count On Me)
Julia Roberts (
Erin Brockovich)
Best Actress, Comedy or Musical
Brenda Blethyn (
Saving Grace)
Sandra Bullock (
Miss Congeniality)
Glenn Close (
102 Dalmatians)
Cameron Diaz (
Charlie’s Angels)
Jenna Elfman (
Keeping the Faith)
Renee Zellweger (
Nurse Betty)
Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Jeff Bridges (
The Contender)
Robert De Niro (
Men of Honor)
Benicio del Toro (
Traffic)
Albert Finney (
Erin Brockovich)
Bruce Greenwood (
Thirteen Days)
Joaquin Phoenix (
Gladiator)
Best Supporting Actor, Comedy or Musical
Willem Dafoe (
Shadow of the Vampire)
Morgan Freeman (
Nurse Betty)
Phillip Seymour Hoffman (
Almost Famous)
Tim Blake Nelson (
O Brother, Where Art Thou? )
Brad Pitt (
Snatch)
Owen Wilson (
Shanghai Noon)
Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Judi Dench (
Chocolat)
Catherine Deneuve (
Dancer in the Dark)
Jennifer Ehle/Rosemary Harris (
Sunshine)
Samantha Morton (
Jesus’ Son)
Julie Walters (
Billy Elliot)
Kate Winslet (
Quills)
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy or Musical
Kate Hudson (
Almost Famous)
Holly Hunter (
O Brother, Where Art Thou? )
Frances McDormand (
Almost Famous)
Catherine O’Hara (
Best In Show)
Rebecca Pidgeon (
State and Main)
Marisa Tomei (
What Women Want)
Best Foreign Picture
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (China)
Goya in Bordeaux (Spain)
His Wife’s Diary (Russia)
Malena (Italy)
Shower (China)
The Terrorist (India)
Best Motion Picture, Animated or Mixed Media
Chicken Run
Dinosaur
The Emperor’s New Groove
Rugrats in Paris
Titan A.E.
Best Director
Cameron Crowe (
Almost Famous)
Philip Kaufman (
Quills)
Ang Lee (
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Ridley Scott (
Gladiator)
Steven Soderbergh (
Erin Brockovich)
Steven Soderbergh (
Traffic)
Best Original Screenplay
Cameron Crowe (
Almost Famous)
Susannah Grant (
Erin Brockovich)
Lee Hall (
Billy Elliot)
Ken Lonergan (
You Can Count On Me)
David Mamet (
State and Main)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Joel & Ethan Coen (
O Brother, Where Art Thou? )
Terence Davies (
The House of Mirth)
Stephen Gaghan (
Traffic)
David Self (
Thirteen Days)
Doug Wright (
Quills)
Best Original Score
Danny Elfman (
Proof of Life)
Cliff Martinez (
Traffic)
Ennio Morricone (
Malena)
Rachel Portman (
The Legend of Bagger Vance)
Hanz Zimmer (
Gladiator)
Best Original Song
“A Fool In Love” (
Meet the Parents)
“I’ve Seen It All” (
Dancer in the Dark)
“My Funny Friend and Me” (
The Emperor’s New Groove)
“Things Have Changed” (
Wonder Boys)
“Yours Forever” (
The Perfect Storm)
Best Cinematography
Traffic
The Legend of Bagger Vance
M:I 2
Gladiator
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Best Visual Effects
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Charlie’s Angels
Gladiator
M:I 2
Vertical Limit
Best Film Editing
Thirteen Days
Traffic
Gladiator
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
M:I 2
Best Sound
Dinosaur
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Chicken Run
M:I 2
The Perfect Storm
Best Art Direction
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Traffic
Gladiator
The House of Mirth
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Best Costume Design
The House of Mirth
The Patriot
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Gladiator
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Mary Pickford Award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the
Entertainment Industry
Francis Ford Coppola
Outstanding Motion Picture Ensemble
Traffic
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News
2000 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Tuesday, December 19, 2000
Another pile of awards were announced today, as the prestigious
Broadcast Film Critics Association chose what was the best of the
year from their point of view. Although not as known as other circle
of critics’ awards, this ones have shown, though the years, that they
are highly predictable of what will end up being nominated at the
Oscars. Check out the winners:
Best Director: Steven Soderbergh (
Traffic, Erin Brockovich)
Best Actor: Russel Crowe (
Gladiator)
Best Actress: Julia Roberts (
Erin Brockovich)
Best Supporting Actor: Joaquin Phoenix (
Gladiator, Quills, The
Yards)
Best Supporting Actress: Frances McDormand (
Almost Famous, Wonder
Boys)
Best Adapted Screenplay (
tie): Steven Kloves (
Wonder
Boys) and Stephen Gaghan (
Traffic)
Best Original Screenplay: Cameron Crowe (
Almost Famous)
Breakthrough Performance: Kate Hudson (
Almost Famous)
Best Child Performer: Jamie Bell (
Billy Elliot)
Best Foreign Film:
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Best Cinematography: John Mathieson (
Gladiator)
Best Production Design: Arthur Max (
Gladiator)
Best Animated Feature:
Chicken Run
Best Family Film (live action):
My Dog Skip
Best Feature Documentary:
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
Best Song: Sting, “My Funny Friend and Me” (
The Emperor's New
Groove)
Best Composer: Hans Zimmer (
Gladiator, Mission: Impossible II and
The Road to El Dorado)
Best Inanimate Object: Wilson the volley ball (
Cast Away)
Best Picture (in alphabetical order):
Almost Famous
Billy Elliot
Cast Away
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Erin Brockovich
Gladiator
Quills
Thirteen Days
Traffic
Wonder Boys
You Can Count On Me
The Best Picture will be announced when the awards are given at a
January 22 luncheon. I loved to see
Gladiator picking up the
most prices (5). It is one of the best movies I’ve seen this year,
and Russell really deserves the recognition. Julia Roberts, on the
other hand, keeps winning awards, just as Frances McDormand and
Steven Soderbergh. All very talented people. It was nice to see
Wilson, the volleyball, recognized as well. There’s been a lot of
talk about it, so it’s great someone takes it into account.
Next up are the Golden Globes on Thursday. See you then...
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Review
The Godfather
- Director
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Year
- 1972
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- a.k.a. Vincent
- Review date
- Monday, December 18, 2000
The early 1970’s were Hollywood’s true golden age. A new generation of filmmakers was coming on board and due to the closure of the Production Code (I call them censors) in the late 60’s they had new boundaries to explore. The result was a remarkable string of great, adult and exiting films like
French Connection, The (1971),
Chinatown,
The Exorcist,
The Conversation and
Taxi Driver, to name but a few. The biggest achievement of them all was probably
The Godfather.
Coppola’s masterpiece was probably Hollywood’s first real gangster-drama since Bogart and Cagney left Warner Brothers. It can't really be called an homage to those films, but that’s only because it is better than them. It added a human element that was always missing from films like
Angels with Dirty Faces and
Little Caesar or White Heat.
Its story concerns the transition of power within one of the five big crime-families in New York just after WW2. The head of the family, Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is getting old and due to a nasty war over the drug-trade, which costs many lives, his youngest son Michael (Al Pacino) becomes the new Don. This is much against the will of Vito who wanted a better life for his son but Michael proofs himself more than willing to take over and sets aside his father’s somewhat old-fashioned ideas.
The movie unfolds before your eyes like a true epic. Its pace is perfect and never drags for a minute. From the opening at the wedding, which introduces all the main characters, the movie is packed with great, unforgettable scenes. The visit to the Hollywood studio boss, Michael’s first murder on the drug-lord, his stay in Sicily, the death of the old Don and the finale in which Michael wipes out all his remaining enemies.
Technically it is also flawless. The period-backdrop is totally realistic, the camera-work by Gordon Willis looks splendid, the direction is assured, there is a great musical-score by Nino Rota and the performances are first rate. Brando and Pacino get the spotlights, but the support from Robert Duvall, James Caan, Diane Keaton and Talia Shire is great as well.
It says much of the climate in Hollywood at the time that Coppola was given this high-profile assignment with virtually no experience. Admittedly he wasn’t first choice but he still got the job which shows that back then they went for talent instead of status and it paid off. He also adapted the book (which is pretty awful) together with its author Mario Puzo. Looking at Coppola now with recent films like
The Rainmaker and
Jack you can’t help but wonder what went wrong. He must still have the talent but alas he just doesn’t show it anymore.
An amusing fact is that the words mafia or Cosa Nostra, aren’t spoken a single time during the entire film. It appears that the studio heads at Paramount were visited by real-life gangster Anthony Colombo, who also was a “technical consultant” on the film, and he insisted that those words shouldn’t be used. He must have been pretty persuasive (I hope those stuidio heads could still go see their horses race the next morning, unlike the one in the film).
The film was an amazing critical and financial success. This inevitably led to many parodies, rip-offs, imitations and sequels which could have diminished the power the film holds after so many years. The fact that this hasn’t happened with
The Godfather is another sign of the film’s greatness.
The movie is long, 176 minutes to be precise, but, as I said, it moves along very smoothly with a great scene or quote never far away. I don’t know if it is a realistic portrayal of mafia-life, but that’s not really important because it feels realistic and as a piece of storytelling and filmmaking it remains unsurpassed.
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2000 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, December 18, 2000
One of the last awards before the Foreign Press Association announces
its nominees next Thursday come from Boston. This critics do not
really affect the other big awards and nominations. In fact, people
barely notice them. They usually choose different kind of stuff than
what the more traditional and well-known societies do. They like to
be different, although their choices are well-thought and
understandable. They do have prestige, and they keep adding awards
into some people’s shelves. Look up:
Best Picture:
Almost Famous
Runners-up:
Yi Yi (A One and A Two),
Erin Brockovich
Best Director: Cameron Crowe (
Almost Famous)
Runners-up: Edward Yang (
Yi Yi (A One and A Two), Steven
Soderbergh (
Traffic, Erin Brockovich), Michael Winterbottom
(
The Claim, Wonderland)
Best Actor: Colin Farrell (
Tigerland)
Runners-up: Javier Bardem (
Before Night Falls), Tom Hanks
(
Cast Away), Mark Ruffalo (
You Can Count On Me)
Best Actress: Ellen Busrtyn (
Requiem for a Dream)
Runners-up: Julia Roberst (
Erin Brockovich), Laura Linney
(
You Can Count On Me)
Best Supporting Actor: Fred Willard (
Best In Show)
Runners-up: Albert Finney (
Erin Brockovich), Jack Black
(
High Fidelity)
Best Supporting Actress: Frances McDormand (
Almost Famous, Wonder
Boys)
Foreign Language Picture:
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Runners-up:
Yi Yi (A One and A Two),
Color of Paradise
Best Screenplay (
tie): Cameron Crowe (
Almost Famous)
and Steven Kloves (
Wonder Boys
Best Cinematography: Peter Pay (
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Best New Filmmaker: Fred Lonnergan (
You Can Count On Me)
Best Documentary:
The Eyes of Tommy Faye)
Honorable Mention:
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg,
Into the Arms of Strangers
It is great to see
Almost Famous being recognized, since it
seems as if the movie will be shut out from every other major awards
ceremony. Crowe is an excellent filmmaker, so he deserves it. Burstyn
as Best Actress is also a good choice. Those three actresses will
witness a big fight, come Oscar time, amongst themselves. McDormand
wins another prize, and so does Ang Lee’s
Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon.
Great!
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News
Box Office Results
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, December 18, 2000
Nothing could have prepared us for the big smash that Mel would cause
at the box office this weekend.
What Women Want not only was
the number one movie, but even broke a record in its way. With
34.4 million, it became the number one opening movie ever for a
December release. The previous record was held by
Scream 2.
In second place came
Dude, Where’s My Car?, with a very very
decent 14 million. It has now grossed more than what it cost.
The
Grinch, on the other hand, still packaged in another 13 million,
putting its total at 212.9 million and just about to become the
highest grossing movie of the year. It should end up around the 250
million mark. Not bad.
The Emperor’s New Groove didn’t do
impressive business, but it still had a strong 10 million and should
keep steady when word-of-mouth starts spreading and the holidays
arrive. The rest of the list dropped their grosses considerably,
being most of them disappointments. A busy weekend is next, so keep
an eye on it. Until then, here’s the complete rundown:
1. What Women Want - 34.4 m. (34.4 m. total)
2. Dude, Where's My Car? – 14 m. (14 m.t.)
3. The Grinch – 13 m. (212.9 m.t.)
4. The Emperor's New Groove – 10 m. (10 m.t.)
5. Vertical Limit – 9 m. (28.7 m.t.)
6. Proof of Life - 5.2 m. (18.6 m.t.)
7. Unbreakable - 3.9 m. (83.2 m.t.)
8. 102 Dalmatians - 2.7 m. (48 m.t.)
9. Dungeons & Dragons - 2.2 m. (10.9 m.t.)
10. Rugrats in Paris - 1.8 m. (62.9 m.t.)
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Review
Small Time Crooks
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Year
- 2000
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- a.k.a. Jacinda
- Review date
- Saturday, December 16, 2000
Hey Grouch,
I know you're a Woody Allen fan and there's been a lot of buzz on TV in the last weeks as he celebrates his 65th birthday. I didn't want to miss his latest because I heard only positive things about it and everything is true.
The storyline is rather simple. Allen and his lousy burglar friends want to rob a bank and have a very imaginative idea. They open a cookie shop next to the bank and start digging a tunnel while his wife (Tracey Ullman) sells the cookies. When Allen and his wife get rich (I won't tell you how they do =) they don't quite seem to fit in high-society. Therefore a noble man (Hugh Grant) has to teach them how to behave.
This movie is intended for entertainment and only for entertainment. It is a pleasure to watch bizarre characters and typical Woody Allen jokes on screen. Tracey Ullman is a real find and carries most of the hilarious scenes (especially when she faces the life of a rich woman).
In contrast to Allen's more serious movies of the past years this one is light-hearted and a must see for anyone who wants to go for a good time. You won't be disappointed with this hilarious comedy!
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News
2000 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Saturday, December 16, 2000
More awards this time around. Now its the turn of the L.A. critics to
choose what was, as for them, the best of the year. Once again, it´s
important to notice that this nominations, along with the New York
Circle of Critics´ ones, the Golden Globes´ and the Screen Actors
Guild´s, are clearly indicators of what to expect come Oscar time.
This awards do have a lot of impact, so check out how the Hollywood
elite did. Do notice that this list contains, in some categories, the
runner-ups, which means sort of the second place.
Best Picture: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Runner-up: Wonder Boys
Best Director: Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Erin Brockovich)
Runner-up: Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Best Actor: Michael Douglas (Wonder Boys)
Runner-up: Javier Bardem (When Night Falls)
Best Actress: Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich)
Runner-up: Laura Linney (You Can Count On Me)
Best Supporting Actor: Willen Dafoe (Shadow of the Vampire)
Runner-up: Benicio del Toro (Traffic)
Best Supporting Actress: Frances McDormand (Almost Famous, Wonder
Boys)
Runner-up: Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Best Foreign Picture: Yi Yi (A One and A Two)
Runner-up: Girl on the Bridge
Best Animated Picture: Chicken Run
Best Documentary: Dark Days
Runner-up: Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
Best Cinematography: Peter Pau (Crouching, Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Runner-up: Peter Andrews, aka Steven Soderbergh (Traffic)
Best Production Design: Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Runner-up: Don Taylor (House of Mirth)
Best Music Score: Tan Dun (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Runner-up: Björk (Dancer in the Dark)
Career Achievement: Conrad Hill
Special Citation: Film Critic Charles Champlin
As you can see, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is becoming stronger
and stronger as each day goes by. Steven Soderbergh continues with a
perfect score: three out of three in a row. Critics keep recognizing
him for both his last year´s movies. He has made a lot of impact.
Surprising to see Julia Roberts win again. This type of awards
usually go to more independent movies with good performances, and her
victory here proves that she really is the front-runner to win the
Oscar this year. As it is turning out, the battle will be between
Laura Linney and her. It´s nice to see Douglas recognized for his
quirky, excellent performance in the little seen "Wonder Boys". Dafoe
and McDormand are perfect choices as well. Chicken Run, you must
notice, is also quietly winning and winning. It also has a perfect
score.
The awards will be presented January the 17th.
Next up are the Golden Globes, whose nominations will be announced
this Thursday. Stay tuned...
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Review
A Streetcar Named Desire
- Director
- Elia Kazan
- Year
- 1951
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Friday, December 15, 2000
Last night I saw
A Streetcar Named Desire on DVD. I first saw the film with the scenes that were removed from the original version. I also first saw it with the beautiful quality that, so far, only DVD offers. The result was an astounded Groucho. Naturally, I already loved the film and considered it one of the greatest films ever and probably the best by Kazan. After seeing it this time, I reassured myself to all those beliefs, plus enjoyed it even more. The score, the cinematography and the whole atmosphere are flawless.
Of course, considering the fact that Tennessee Williams’s story of a southern couple and their breakdown due to the visit of the wife’s sister is so astoundingly good no matter from what point of view you see it, this movie had no chance to be any bad, except if it had been wrongly directed. Fortunately, nothing goes wrong. Marlon Brando, as Stanley, is fantastic: handsome, strong, impulsive and aggressive, but no matter what, charming. His performance is definitive and unforgettable. A model for future Stanleys to follow. Vivien Leigh, as Blanche, is so delicate and crazed that she becomes a whole different person. It’s hard to link her with the actress who appeared in
Gone With the Wind. Every time she’s onscreen, there’s disturbance going around. Certainly terrific. Kim Hunter perfectly captures the essence of the wife and sister, caught in the middle of both their loving relatives. How she handles the situation, never ceasing to love her husband, but trying to have everything under control, is not easy for the character or the actress. Karl Malden also takes a piece of every viewer’s heart as Stanley’s friend who falls in love with Blanche.
They all, except Brando, won Oscars. How Brando is the most important thing of the film and wasn’t awarded that time, is hurtful. Anyways, the Academy later recognized him as he deserved.
Don’t you dare miss this black-and-white beauty in case you haven’t seen it. Brando and Kazan at their greatest. The story, full of craziness, deepness, twists and turns, is hard to resist. Many scenes, including the finale, are unforgettable.
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Closer to the end
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, December 15, 2000
Lots and lots of movies to talk about this weekend. As the end of the
year gets closer, the studios are releasing many of their high
quality pictures for Oscar consideration. This is why some people
might be lucky enough to see some of them, but the rest still have
quite a nice mix at their reach.
Here´s what we have:
What Women Want. Mel Gibson stars in this comedy about a guy who can
suddenly hear the thoughts of women. This makes up for many hilarious
situations along costars Helen Hunt and Marisa Tomei. From what I
hear, this is a very good comedy. Mel Gibson is said to be amazing.
The best he has been in years. Nancy Meyers has come up with a very
nice and appealing movie which is certain to become a big hit. While
it isn´t going to become a classic, it certainly delivers and critics
alike are agreeing on that.
The Emperor´s New Groove. This year´s Disney animated entry is
certain to appeal to kids and parents alike. People are cheering
about it, saying that it is arguably the best Disney has done in
years. The story is about an Emperor who is transformed into a llama
by an evil witch to take control of the throne. With the help of
another guy, he goes on for adventures which end up being very funny.
In fact, what critics are saying is that it isn´t a movie filled with
drama or false moments. It is a comedy in the truest sense of the
word. And it is a good one. Voices are provided by David Spade and
John Goodman. Don´t miss this one.
Dude, Where´s My Car?. There´s not much to say about this one except
that it is a light comedy in the vein of "Road Trip" or "American
Pie," following the success of raunchy teenage movies. Ashton Kutcher
and Sean William Scott, after a wild night of partying, can´t
remember where they parked their car... or anything else, for that
matter. The movie is just ok. Nothing exceptional, and entertaining,
with two appealing performances.
Chocolat. As with Lässe Hallstrom latest outing, "The Cider House
Rules," this movie is certainly dividing critics. In fact, it is one
of those love-it-or-hate-it kind of movies. The story is about a
small 50´s town where a woman starts to gain attention when her
chocolate starts doing wonderful things for people. With a simplistic
style and calmed, deep performances, the movies uses the kind of
magic-in-the-food premise of such other movies as "Like Water For
Chocolate" or the most recent flop "Women on Top." Critics who like
it say that the performances by its stars (Juliette Binoche, Johnny
Depp, Judi Dench) are very good, and that the movie succeeds as it
tries to create an atmosphere full of love, sex and food, all mixed
together. On the other hand, other are complaining about its script
and about the boring proceedings. You should give it a look for
yourself, because Miramax is promoting it big time for Oscar
consideration.
Pollock. Another movie opening in limited release that boasts two
excellent performances by Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Harden as the
troubled artist and his long-suffering wife. The movie isn´t
precisely great, although it paints an accurate description of the
famous artist and all the trouble surrounding his life. Two
performances to watch out carefully, directed by the hand of Ed
himself.
So that´s it for today. Hope you have a nice weekend. Don´t forget to
go to the movies. Until Monday...
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Review
Nurse Betty
- Director
- Neil LaBute
- Year
- 2000
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- a.k.a. Jacinda
- Review date
- Thursday, December 14, 2000
Hey Grouch,
I know you haven't had the chance to see this movie yet and I'm eager to let you know about
Nurse Betty.
Renee Zellweger portrays Betty, a waitress living in poor circumstances bullied by her white trash husband. The only thing that seems to be important to her is a daily soap opera. When she has to watch her husband being murdered by two killers (Morgan Freeman and Chris Rock), her reaction is rather strange. She believes she's one of the characters of the soap opera, Nurse Betty. In pursuit of her true love she travels across the country and in the end manages to meet the actor (Greg Kinnear) who plays the doctor she's in love with.
A lot of bizarre scenes follow. I don't want to give away too much.
Nurse Betty definitely has one of the best scripts this year. The dialogue is witty and intelligent. Renee Zellweger is more than convincing and gives this movie a romantic touch. She's like a lost Doris Day in this world.
Moreover I believe that Morgan Freeman gives his best performance since
Seven. What can I say more?
It's all in all a wonderful romantic movie - comedy and melancholy go hand in hand.
Zellweger definitely makes this one a must see and brings some magic back to the big screen!
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2000 New York Film Critics Circle Awards
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Wednesday, December 13, 2000
It´s time for the New York Film Critics Circle to announce their
winners for what they considered to be the best of the year. It´s
important to note that this group has a lot of prestige and that
their awards do affect and have an increasing role in what is known
as the Oscar race. It is a look at what we might expect come
February, when their nominations will be announced. So here´s the
winners:
Best Picture: Traffic
Best Actor: Tom Hanks (Cast Away)
Best Actress: Laura Linney (You Can Count On Me)
Best Supporting Actor: Benicio del Toro (Traffic)
Best Supporting Actress: Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock)
Best Director: Steven Soderbergh (Traffic and Erin Brockovich)
Best Screenplay: Ken Lonergan (You Can Count On Me)
Best Cinematographer: Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
Best Foreign Picture: Yi Yi (A One And A Two)
Best Non-Fiction Film: The Life and Time of Hank Greenberg
Best Animated Film: Chicken Run
Best First Film: George Washington
Special Award: Jules Dassin (director of Rififi)
Special Award: The Shooting Gallery
I couldn´t be happier to see "Traffic" named as the Best Picture of
the year. I simply cannot wait to see it, but my Salma has a cameo in
it, and everything about it sounds great. To see Del Toro awarded is
also a nice touch. And Soderbergh keeps strong on his way to the
throne. I was truly surprised to see Tom Hanks being recognized by
this critics who usually fare more independent movies. His
performance must be amazing. Laura Linney is a wonderful actress.
I´ve always thought so. It was time for her to be truly recognized.
Weird not to find "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" as Best Foreign
Film, but it still has a lot to give.
The Awards will be given January 14th, 2001.
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Box Office Results
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, December 11, 2000
A very surprising weekend indeed! "The Grinch" continued to rule at
the box office for the fourth consecutive weekend. Only another movie
has done so this year, "Meet The Parents", but both are still far
from the record, which "Titanic" holds, for staying at the number one
spot for 15 consecutive weekends. Impressive, uh? Anyway, "The
Grinch" is just this-close to breaking the 200 million barrier,
becoming the most successful movie of the year, just ahead
of "Mission Impossible 2", which did 215 million earlier this year.
In second place came "Vertical Limit" with a strong 16
million. "Proof of Life" finished third with a so so 10.4 million.
Disappointing, given the high caliber of its two stars. The other new
wide release, "Dungeons and Dragons", ended up in fifth place with 7
million. A low figure, but an expected one. The rest of the list just
had low drop-offs and continued to do pretty well. Expect a lot of
changes next week, when "What Women Wants", with Mel Gibson, arrives
in theaters. It should be a big hit.
Here's the complete list:
1. The Grinch - 18.5 m. (195.5 m. total)
2. Vertical Limit - 16 m. (16.0 m.t.)
3. Proof of Life - 10.4 m. (10.4 m.t.)
4. Unbreakable - 7.5 m. (77.3 m.t.)
5. Dungeons & Dragons - 7 m. (7 m.t.)
6. 102 Dalmatians - 6.3 m. (44.3 m.t.)
7. Rugrats in Paris - 4 m. (60.5 m.t.)
8. Meet the Parents - 3 m. (157.1 m.t.)
9. Charlie's Angels - 2.7 m. (119.3 m.t.)
10. Bounce - 2.6 m. (34.1 m.t.)
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Review
The Apartment
- Director
- Billy Wilder
- Year
- 1960
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- a.k.a. Vincent
- Review date
- Sunday, December 10, 2000
I know that in my review of
Sunset Boulevard I said that I couldn't say what was Billy Wilder's best film. But deep,
deep in my heart I did know, it is
The Apartment. Having just rewatched it I know that it was the right choice and I can't recommend it highly enough, also as a Christmas film for the people who don't like to watch
It's a Wonderful Life or
The Wizard of Oz again this year.
It tells the story of C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon), who works at an insurance firm and works his way to the top by letting his superiors sleep with their mistresses in his apartment in exchange for a promotion. All is well and good until he finds out that the girl who he is secretly in love with, the lovely elevator-girl Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), is one of those mistresses, and of the biggest boss of the firm as well. When he finds out about this he comes to the conclusion that what he has done isn't very honorable and quits the firm.
This doesn't sound like a nice, upbeat film that you would watch around Christmas time, but I tell you that the film is truly heartwarming, and it takes place around Christmas, so why not? At the center of the film are the two nicest and most likable characters that Wilder ever created and the are played just right by Lemmon and in particular by MacLaine who does the best work of her career.
It still is a Wilder film so there is also some criticism here and it is aimed at corporate America and the obsession with career-making. The bosses of Baxter are all dislikable and seem to have no morals at all. The highest man is the worst of all. He is played by Fred MacMurray, an actor who then was playing in Disney movies and might have seemed like an odd casting choice, but he pulls it off perfectly. Another fun criticism is aimed at TV when Baxter wants to watch
Grand Hotel but can't get through all the commercials that precede it.
The script is beautifully written and contains some memorable dialogue, but the film features some striking visuals as well, none more so than the office that Baxter works in. It is a seemingly endless sea of desks that looks like something out of a surrealist painting. My favorite scene is when Baxter looks in Fran's broken mirror which he found in his house and he then realizes that she is the lover of his boss. Lemmon shows you his feelings without saying a word and it is a heartbreaking moment.
But as I said it ultimately ends well, despite a suicide attempt that is in here. I never was a person who likes happy endings, but all credits here to the makers, because I was never happier to see two people coming together at the end of a film. The film picked up three Oscars in 1960, Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Director. All this was thoroughly deserved, but the film deserved another Oscar. I can still get mad when I see that Elizabeth Taylor won Best Actress for her dreadful work in the terrible
Butterfield 8 and the lovely Shirley MacLaine was left empty-handed despite a brilliant performance.
The Apartment hasn't quite the same stature as Wilder's
Some Like It Hot which I think is a bit of a shame. Don't get me wrong, I think
Some Like It Hot is great, but it is more of a farce and its story isn't very likely to happen whereas
The Apartment is totally believable and more human.
So then I hope you will follow my advise and make watching
The Apartment a Christmas tradition, you will not be disappointed. Because, as C.C. Baxter might say, it is an film experience that is very hard to top, script-wise, laughter-wise, emotion-wise and otherwise-wise.
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2000 National Board of Review Awards
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Saturday, December 09, 2000
I love this time of the year! Everyone stars to speculate about what
was the best of the year. Awards start being handed. Nominations for
different competitions are announced. Today this season officially
kicks off with the New York based National Board of Review. While
their importance is big, they don´t necessarily affect the process of
the Oscar season. So who won? Here´s the complete report:
Best Actor: Javier Bardem (Before Night Falls)
Best Actress: Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich)
Best Supporting Actor: Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, Quills, The Yards)
Best Supporting Actress: Lupe Ontiveros (Chuck and Buck)
Best Director: Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Erin Brockovich)
Best Ensemble: State and Main
Best Animated Feature: Chicken Run
Best Documentary: The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
Best Screenplay: Ted Tally (All the Pretty Horses)
Breakthrough Performance: Michelle Rodriguez (Girlfight)
Outstanding Young Actor: Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot)
Best Production Design/Art Direction: Gladiator
Outstanding Dramatic Musical Performance by an Actress: Bjork (Dancer
in the Dark)
Outstanding Achievement in Foreign Film: Krzysztof Kieslowski's
Decalogue Series
Career Achievement Award: Ellen Burstyn
Career Achievement Award for Excellence in Film Music Scoring: Ennio
Morricone
Special Filmmaking Achievement: Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on
Me)
Best Films:
1. Quills
2. Traffic
3. Croupier
4. You Can Count on Me
5. Billy Elliot
6. Before Night Falls
7. Gladiator
8. Wonder Boys
9. Sunshine
10. Dancer in the Dark
Best Foreign Films:
1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
2. Butterfly
3. A Time for Drunken Horses
4. Malena
5. Girl on the Bridge
I loved to see Julia Roberts win as Best Actress. She really deserves
it. "Quills" as Best Picture seems a brave choice, but a good one
either. Phoenix and Soderbergh both had an amazing year, so they
really deserve all the recognition they can get. Good choices indeed.
The awards will be presented January 16th.
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Review
Any Given Sunday
- Director
- Oliver Stone
- Year
- 1999
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- a.k.a. Jacinda
- Review date
- Friday, December 08, 2000
Hey Grouch,
Finally I rented Oliver Stone's last movie and I have to tell you it wasn't worth the money. I don't know why I didn't like this movie Maybe it's because there's no American football here in Europe. Maybe because I'm not into sports or maybe because the movie lasts almost 3 hours and the story can be told in one sentence.
Any given Sunday basically deals with the story of a football coach played by Al Pacino who is struggling with the success of his team. Moreover there's a quarterback (Dennis Quaid) at the end of his career, a young black quarterback taking his position and trying to intregrate himself into the team. Cameron Diaz stars as the ruthless manager.
I can't tell you about many achievements because this movie doesn't have any. It's a sports movie filmed in MTV style with nothing new to add to the subject. The characters are more than cliched and flat(watching the team at the party was almost unbearable).
If it wasn't for Pacino, Diaz and Quaid the movie would have been a total waste of time.
To be honest: Any given Sunday bored me to death.
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Action all the way
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, December 08, 2000
Hi Grouch. How have you been buddy? I´m great. We are now back in
full gear with a lot of new releases and a lot to talk about. So I
better go right into it.
We have 3 new wide releases and a limited one this weekend. They are:
"Vertical Limit", Martin Campbell, who has held pretty decent action
pictures before, is back with this one about a team of rescuers
trying to find some lost and hurt people in K2, the second highest
mountain of the world. The movie is full of action-packed sequences
which fare pretty well. At least that´s what critics are saying. But
the bottom line, in general, is that those scenes can´t make up for a
very very weak script and a somewhat ridiculous plot. The actors
(Chris O´Donnel, Robin Tunney, Bill Paxton, Scott Glenn, etc.) are
said to be ok, and the photography is said to be amazing, but there´s
not much else to expect. It is just an average action/adventure
escapade.
"Dungeons and Dragons", Based on the popular videogame of the same
name, here comes a movie that is being pointed as one of the worst of
the year. Considering the year we´ve had, that aren´t precisely good
news. Critics are talking about the mess of the plot, the laugh-out-
loud over-the-top performances given by the cast (specially Jeremy
Irons) and the absurd dialogue which this characters recite. Neither
Thora Birch nor Marlon Wayans (who had been having a good trend as of
now) can save this turkey from being as bad and as annoying as it
could get. I just wonder when a perfectly good dragon-themed movie
will be made. It is an interesting topic. It just hasn´t been
exploited to it´s fullest.
"Proof of Life", A movie already famous before it´s release because
of the overpublicized off-screen romance of its two stars, "Proof of
Life" might not live to the expectations. It tells the story about
the kidnap of a guy who is taken to Ecuador and who´s wife tries to
get back with the help of a hostage negotiator expert. Of course,
romance ensues, and it all leads up to an action-packed finale, which
is receiving high praise. Unfortunately the rest of the movie isn´t.
While it ain´t as bad as it could´ve been, it isn´t something new or
groundbreaking. At times, critics say, it tries to hard to
resemble "Casablanca", only to fail miserably when it realizes that,
well, it isn´t. Russel Crowe and Meg Ryan are fine, while David Morse
and David Caruso are the ones receiving the most praise for their
supporting roles. Hope this doesn´t affect Crowe´s chance at the
Oscars.
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", I don´t recall seeing a movie being
so lauded and praised by critics so far this year. If this momentum
continues, this movie could very well be a strong candidate for the
Best Picture Oscar. No kidding. It is astonishingly good and critics
are speechless. It is directed by Ang Lee, starred by Chow Yun Fat,
Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Zi-Yi , Zheng Pei-Pei and Chang Chen and spoken
in Mandarin. This, precisely, might be its biggest obstacle towards
box office glory, as it seems that everything else required is in its
right place. The movie is kind of a feminist martial-arts epic
containing great doses of action and romance. It is getting better
known because of its gravity defying action sequences which rival and
surpass those seen in "The Matrix" last year. I personally can´t wait
for this one when it opens wider. Believe the hype, this is by far
one of the best movies of the year.
So that´s it Grouch. Hope you have a nice weekend. Until Monday...
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Box Office Results
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Monday, December 04, 2000
As expected, there was no big deal at the box office this
weekend. "The Grinch" continued to claim the top spot with another
27.1 million, heading to become the biggest box office hit of the
year. Let me tell you something: it´s worth it. The rest of the list
stayed practically the same, with "Men of Honor" and "The Sixth Day"
changing places. This Friday sees the release of three big
pictures: "Proof of Life", "Dungeons and Dragons" and "Vertical
Limit", so expect a lot of things to shake up a bit.
Here´s the complete rundown:
1. The Grinch, 27.1 m. (171.9 m. total)
2. Unbreakable, 15.0m. (66.9 m.t.)
3. 102 Dalmatians, (8.2m.) (36.5 m.t.)
4. Rugrats in Paris, 6.5m. (55.5 m.t.)
5. Charlie's Angels, 5.2m. (115.6 m.t.)
6. Bounce, 4.4m. (30.4 m.t.)
7. Men of Honor, 4.1m. (41.2 m.t.)
8. The Sixth Day, 4.0m. (30.6 m.t.)
9. Meet the Parents, 3.8m. (153.1 m.t.)
10. Little Nicky, 2.4m. (36.9 m.t.)
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Review
The Family Man
- Director
- Brett Ratner
- Year
- 2000
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- Review date
- Sunday, December 03, 2000
First it was
The Grinch, now it’s
The Family Man. I don’t recall any recent Christmas were two movies were released back-to-back and both promoted such a handful of values and still were well-received by the public. It isn’t something Hollywood does very often, and even less when it isn’t a Disney product.
Anyway,
The Family Man, which could be considered to be a mix between
It’s A Wonderful Life and
A Christmas Carol tells the story of Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage), a man who once had to take a decision that would mark the rest of his life. As you might expect, he took the wrong path and has now become a man whose only interest is money and is actually as alone as one could be. On Christmas night a man (Don Cheadle) stumbles in his way and warns him about what is to happen. What is that? He is going to give him a glimpse of what would have been his life like if he hadn’t messed it all up with the only girl he loved (Téa Leoni). Thus starts this movie, which everyone should see with their families at their side.
The movie serves mainly as a romantic comedy, but it has also a lot to deliver underneath. It is about reflecting what really are our priorities. What is first for us? What have we come to become? The movie doesn’t have an alarming sense. On the other hand, it gives hope. It’s never too late to start all over again, to fix our problems. Besides, the movie sends a universal message about how important it is to have a family and be with your loved ones.
There’s nothing like an old-fashioned story that works. And let me tell you something: this movie does. The reason why I don’t give it a higher rating is because it’s one of those movies that don’t really deserve more, but which are actually good. A movie with magic.
I’ve never been a real Nicolas Cage fan. I don’t think he is as talented as many people state, but I don’t really care about him either. In this movie he is great. It doesn’t mark a new ground or a new range for him, but with his usually calmed expressions he fits perfectly into this role. Téa Leoni, on the other hand, has never been this good. She shines in her role. We really root for her. She brings her character that sympathy and charisma that we come to expect in order to find this movie believable. The kids, by the way, are also very good.
Brett Ratner has surprised us all by coming with a picture like this, where he succeeds expertly and delivers a movie for all ages. This is an inspiring, well-made and magically performed movie. A very good one indeed.
"I choose us"
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Review
The Sixth Sense
- Director
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Year
- 1999
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Friday, December 01, 2000
I was told from the very beginning that unknown writer-director M. Night Shyamalan’s
The Sixth Sense was going to become a hit. Of course, when I heard what it was about (a kid who saw ghosts all the time and a Doctor who tried to help him), I thought what they said was true. Even more so when they told me about an unprecedented plot twist at the end of the movie. They didn’t tell me what the plot twist was, but they said it was completely unexpected. If worked out well, the film could become a real hit… and it did! I couldn’t have been happier about it.
The expectation to see it was huge, but fortunately, it didn’t disappoint me at all. As a matter of fact, it became one of my favorites from 1999. I didn’t consider it the best, or even one of the five best, but I certainly considered it one of my favorites. I enjoyed it thoroughly. It scared me to death, and had me thrilled from the beginning to the end. As you may have guessed, I loved the plot twist, and believed it by heart. I needed to see it a second time, which I did. The experience was definitely different. The movie had changed, but was as interesting and thrilling. The movie was a success.
No spoilers ahead!
Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is recognized and awarded by the people of Philadelphia, right before he encounters a former patient who became a freak after years of suffering due to Dr. Crowe’s incapacity to cure him when he was a child. The experience changes his life. Soon, he takes a new patient, young Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), who’s got the same symptoms of the lost patient. This kid is a new chance for Dr. Crowe to redeem his mistake.
While he passes through a difficult moment of his personal and professional life, Dr. Crowe deals with the weirdest case he has ever treated. Unable but forced to deal with the truth, he must understand himself and what’s happening to him before he tries to help anyone else. And that’s the whole point of the film.
Osment’s performance is probably the best by a kid ever. He’s continuously terrified, no matter if he’s mildly happy, joyous or sad. Toni Collette, as his mother, is a wonderful match. Willis is calm and silent but good too.
The ending is a whoa. A fine horror classic from the end of the century with scares of the purest, simplest kind.
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News
Nothing new to expect
- Posted by
- José Ruiloba a.k.a. Morris
- News date
- Friday, December 01, 2000
Hi Grouch. What´s up?
Just wanted to tell you that no wide releases are expected to hit
theaters today. Because of this being a week after Thanksgiving,
studios prefer to let their other big movies roll on and continue to
make tons of money. So this is the time to catch on if you've missed
something. Have fun.
Until Monday...
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Jacinda wrote at 6/22/2002:
Morris wrote at 6/22/2002:
I must admit to agreeing in every single aspect of what Jacinda so heartily expresses in her review. This movie is a mystery, a dream. The mood is the thing I loved the most about it. The way this girls are so mysterious, so impressive, such an object of admiration. With a score that is simply perfect, a great recreation of the era, some wonderful performances (especially by Kirsten Dunst) and a great script, this movie is a different experience. I was also impressed by the way Coppola represented the world of teenage girls and boys which is absolutely truth to itself and is given a very real portrait here. This is a haunting movie that will leave you with a lot of mixed emotions. One-of-a-kind!