Harry comments on BRINGING OUT THE DEAD, JOAN OF ARC, THE INSIDER, ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER, WARGAMES and about 5 or 6 more!

Hey folks... Wow. Ya know... I am well aware of the fact that I am way way waaaaay behind in my reviews. There is a ton of new films out there that you need to see asap.

THE INSIDER: for me it’s a fantastic film that not only takes a look into the insidieous world of BIG TOBACCO, but an amazing look into the world of bigtime televised journalism, ethics and producing. Pacino and Russell Crowe are at their best, and I will write a full review of this movie.

BRINGING OUT THE DEAD: This movie isn’t for everyone, but then, what Scorsese film is. The film is introspective and personal. Imagine being an ambulance driver in ‘the bad area of New York’... Crack death after Crack death... Gunshot wound after gunshot wound. I disagree with most every review written about this film on my site, and whole-heartedly love the movie. I will write a full review on this movie.

THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL: Whoa! This is a total piece of shit. I loathe this film. I think the opening 5-10 minutes are pretty good. It's a terrible Haunted House... Some of the pre-computer ghost effects and concepts are ok. The Dick Smith eyeless creature is awesome... BUT these are a few rubies buried in greasy shit. Stay away... play the lottery... it's cheaper and gives you better odds. It doesn't suck hours of your life along with your money.

LIBERTY HEIGHTS: This is the best Neil Simon movie that Neil Simon has never made. My fave of Barry’s BALTIMORE movies. An immensely enjoyable film... and I will be writing a full review for this.

THE BONE COLLECTOR: This is an entertaining little mystery. It's funny to me how some people seem to be wanting great things out of what is ultimately a 'B' movie mystery. This isn't REAR WINDOW... this is Charlie Chan or Mr Moto... It's a mystery that is smart enough to be entertaining. It isn't a brilliant film. This isn't THE USUAL SUSPECTS or SEVEN. This isn't gritty angst cinema... it's just a mystery. And Angelina Jolie and Denzel are really quite entertaining in the film. I might end up writing a full review for this film, but no promises... I did enjoy the movie though.

JOAN OF ARC: While many hate this movie, I swing the other way... I love it. I think Milla’s performance is haunting, scary and powerful... some think she can’t act her way out of a wet paper sack... I disagree. Besson has made a stunning film of a girl driven by visions to throw herself in the midst of blood and mayhem.... She is not prepared for it... Confused and lost, trying to be as strong as her visions, but lost in a hypocritical world bent on blood lust. I love this one... and will be writing up a full review...

MANSFIELD PARK: An ‘ok’ corset movie, it just didn’t work on all pistons for me, but hey... that happens sometimes. A few beautiful moments and scenes made me like the film. But it just didn’t resonate for me. I won’t be writing a full review for this.

PRINCESS MONONOKE: I think I’m just going to let Robogeek write this review instead of me... He’s more passionate about the film, and I’m waterlogged as it is. I really really like the film alot. I’m not completely in love with it though. I felt that it was missing some of the emotional resonance of Miyazaki’s other work, but the sheer complication of the politics, mysticism and character relationships... added to the beauty and enormity of the universe he is painting make me a very big fan of this film. I just don’t think it’s in his top 3 films for me. PORCO ROSSO, KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE and LAPUTA.

MUSIC OF THE HEART... While I liked it, I didn’t quite love it enough to spend my time writing up a full review for it. For me, the film tries to do too many things... Meryl Streep’s lack of a personal relationship with a man plotline just felt like unnecessary filler that was.... BORING. However, the moments of her teaching, her relationships with her students... that world of bringing beauty to east Harlem inner city youths, and giving them the ability to create their own beauty... was dead on for me. I won’t be writing a full review for the film.

ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER: This film is a joy. There is not a single normal male character in the film that survives to the second reel, and the movie is fantastic in it’s embrace of the strange and unusual. Pedro Almodóvar, the director loves all his characters completely and without any hedging. Brilliant use of taking American pop culture iconic works and making them seem both warm and foreign. Should be nominated for BEST FOREIGN FILM... I’ll try to write this one up.

BODY SHOTS, I really loved pieces of this film quite a bit. But the movie didn’t do it as a whole. I think that it’s because I would have preferred to have stayed with a couple of the characters, and didn’t care for some of the others at all. Of course that’s a bit of the point with this Gen X/RASHOMON work here. I won’t be writing a full review for this.

Meanwhile, this weekend... check your local schedules... First on your viewing list should be BEING JOHN MALKOVICH if it’s playing in your area. The movie is... BRILLIANT.

Second... If you live in New York or Los Angeles.... Find MAN OF THE CENTURY.... And give this movie your attention. It is a perfect beautiful film. You will not regret one second of your time spent with this film. If the movie doesn’t do well this weekend in NY and LA, it will never play the rest of America. True Fact my friends.

Meanwhile, to you good folks in Minneapolis/St. Paul.... Drag all your friends to see PRINCESS MONONOKE multiple times (if you love it) so the movie can get larger distribution and advertising. It could be a triumph for Illustrated Cinema.

And.... In AUSTIN, TEXAS...

Tonight, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5th.... at the Alamo Drafthouse... They are showing.... RUN LOLA RUN (if you haven’t seen this... you must), CLOCKWORK ORANGE (duh!) and fucking WARGAMES.

I went tonight to WARGAMES and ya know what. WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU PEOPLE!!!???

Ok.... First off, this print in an Archive MGM print of the movie. This is the movie that harkens back to that first computer... the fears of the Reagan era.... For me at least... this was a pivotal film in the development of me. It isn’t a jingoistic exercise in Rah Rah AMERICA FIRST mentality. This is a film about learning what it is to grow up.... live under the bomb.... be that outside teenager.... Staring mortality and extinction in the eye.... Learning the futility of nuclear war and any war. The movie has GALAGA featured prominently!!!

This is the REAL Matthew Broderick teenage film. It also happens to be, in my opinion, his best character work. He wasn’t quite playing the whines for self parody yet. I love FERRIS BUELLER, but the hacker kid wanting to play PROTOVISION games.... Playing around with his computer trying to see what is going on out there....

Hell... I’m willing to bet most of you had never heard of a MODEM before this movie. There was no Internet... it was direct dialing into computers that weren’t even networked yet. Hell... I remember that voice box as being something I felt was complete Science Fiction.... heh... Not today.

Hell... The Alamo Drafthouse is not only showing this masterpiece of early eighties cinema, but has a special on buttered corn. Hell... see Dabney Coleman in a really really good movie.

Dammit! Go see this movie! It’s only playing 2 more nights in Austin. If you live here... go see the movie. I’ll be there both nights. If for nothing else... the damn trailer for STRANGE BREW rocks!

Sigh... Hope to see you folks there.

There’s a lot of good film out there right now. It’s not all evenly spread out... but until I can write up the whole reviews on these films... I figure this is the best I can do.

Me sleepy now!