Movies June 2002

[Bullhajj]

I am looking forward to Windtalkers and Bourne Identity. Denby in the New Yorker seemed to enjoy both, so I have high hopes. Anyone else looking foward to either of these?

I have been dissapointed with most of what I've seen in the past few weeks, including Sum of All Fears. I found some of the intrigues in SoAF difficult to follow. I thought Spy Games did a much better job of telling a complex plot so it was easy to follow.

I had to laugh when Denby mocked how Matt Damon alwasy seems to look a little lost and now that he's attempting to play an agent who has lost his memory, the effect is a little muted. I thought the same thing watching the trailer!

[GMicek]

I am looking forward to Windtalkers and Bourne Identity. Denby in the New Yorker seemed to enjoy both, so I have high hopes. Anyone else looking foward to either of these?

Bourne Identity looks pretty good. And a part of me is mildly curious to go see Scooby Doo, mainly because Shaggy looks pretty funny.

I personally havn't seen much this month, but i did see Dogtown & Z-Boys and I enjoyed it quite a bit. Enigma just came out here today, and I might see it as an ongoing thing i have with my Dad. He says that every movie Kate Winslet has been in since Titantic features her taking her clothes off, it's pretty funny too because he's batting 1000 so far from what we've seen.

[TomChick]

I was supposed to go to an advance screening of Bourne Identity a couple of weeks ago, but I made the mistake of inviting a date. She ended up being 45 frigging minutes late (what is it with you women?), so we didn't make the cutoff point and instead went to a vegetarian restaurant where I had fake Moroccan chicken that tasted like fake chicken with Moroccan seasoning.

I'm looking forward to Bourne Identity mainly because I like the idea of turning an action movie over to someone who isn't Joel Schumacher. Judging from his work in Swingers and Go, BI director Doug Liman has not been indoctrinated to the quick-cut glossy rules of action movies, so hopefully he'll come up with something fresh and entertaining in spite of haivng to use Matt Damon. And I love that German chick from Run Lola Run.

As for Windtalkers, it's usually a bad sign when a movie has been sitting on a shelf for a year, especially when it star Nicholas Cage. Think Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Still, I'll go see it. I'm a sucker for war movies and a partial sucker for John Woo movies. And isn't this one set in the South Pacific?

-Tom

[Ben Sones]

I'm a sucker for war movies and a partial sucker for John Woo movies. And isn't this one set in the South Pacific?

I have it on good authority that it is not only set in the South Pacific, it's based on South Pacific. The musical. By Rodgers and Hammerstein. Cage plays Bloody Mary.

Seriously, it's been a long time since I've seen a good movie with Nicholas Cage in it. Once I really liked him, but then I eventually realized that my opinion of him was pretty much based on one movie (Raising Arizona), which was probably a fluke.

I'm hoping to see Sum of All Fears (hopefully this weekend). Will it be good? Doesn't matter. It has Morgan Freeman in it.

I'm looking forward to Minority Report (Will Speilberg redeem himself for AI?), Signs, Road to Perdition, and (of course) Goldmember.

[Bullhajj]

I'm looking forward to Minority Report (Will Speilberg redeem himself for AI?), Signs, Road to Perdition, and (of course) Goldmember.

I'm with you all the way up to Goldmember. Not sure what it is but I am never able to muster up much anticipation for a comedy. Any comedy. Go figure. I'm sure I'll see it eventually, but it's hard to get excited.

I've not heard a thing about Road to Perdition.

[Murph]

And I love that German chick from Run Lola Run.

Rumor has it that German chick from Run Lola Run is dating the hobbit kid from Lord of the Rings. (Elijah Wood.)

Just a bit of useless trivia, there. He dumped Mandy Moore for her.

[Tyjenks]

Seriously, it's been a long time since I've seen a good movie with Nicholas Cage in it. Once I really liked him, but then I eventually realized that my opinion of him was pretty much based on one movie (Raising Arizona), which was probably a fluke.

You took the words right out of my mouth. He is deathly dull and seems to have one look. For some reason I keep seeing his movies. They are mostly passable, but I cannot say I really liked any of them.

Snake Eyes, 10mm, that damn angel movie, and worst of all was 60 Seconds with the horrible line, "Wait..............(shakes fingers in the air).......let's go"....yuck.

The Rock and Con Air were pretty good actually, but they had wonderful action sequences and much better actors for Cage to sponge off of.

The second I saw the trailer for Windtalkers I looked at my wife and we both let out sickening sighs and I said, "Not another one".

[Murph]

The Rock and Con Air were pretty good

Sean Connery, and Steve Buschemi.

But I agree. Both were good movies, but that wasn't Nicholas Cage's doing.

[Tyjenks]

Sean Connery, and Steve Buschemi.

But I agree. Both were good movies, but that wasn't Nicholas Cage's doing.

Yep, I guess being in the right places at the right times means a shitload in "the biz". Once you get a good reputaion you can live off of it for years.

....and don't forget John Malkovich in Con Air

[TomChick]

Jeez, you guys are right. Has Cage done anything worthwhile since Leaving Las Vegas? Everything else seems to have been some variation on his role in Vampire's Kiss, a.k.a. The Movie Where He Actually Ate a Cockroach. Which was great, to be sure, but does it belong in already crappy movies like Gone in 60 Seconds?

BTW, Tyj, it seems the 'Wait!...<finger shake>...Let's go!' was totally Vampire's Kiss.

-Tom

[Anders Hallin]

I just realized that I need to see a few more Kate Winslet movies. I mean, she's bloody great in Heavenly Creatures so it seems like a waste to ignore her just on account of Titanic.

[Erik]

Jeez, you guys are right. Has Cage done anything worthwhile since Leaving Las Vegas?

He stars in Adaption, the new Spike Jonze/Charlie Kaufman movie. That looks like it might be good.

[Troy S Goodfellow]

Cage seems to be going through a Costner sized drought. Once a reasonably reliable measure of quality, he hasn't done anything really great since Leaving Las Vegas. If he was a knighted British actor I could understand the period of crapulence.

That said, I was looking forward to Windtalkers. The press reviews I've read are uniformly underwhelmed, with a lot of the criticism directed at Woo for making war too stylish. So it's probably worth a look if you like Hong Kong gangster art set in the Pacific Theatre.

I can't remember a summer when I have looked forward to so few movies though. I'm not the serious moveigoer I was in college, but you'd think I could get worked up about more than one or two movies a year.

[Supertanker]

I can't remember a summer when I have looked forward to so few movies though. I'm not the serious moveigoer I was in college, but you'd think I could get worked up about more than one or two movies a year.

This sounds kind of snooty, but with movies, music, and books, I must increasingly turn to the independent or minor distributors to find anything interesting. It seems to me that the major labels are so risk averse that they are just repackaging more of the same. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, I'm just not interested in seeing/reading/hearing entertainment that I find very predictable. Will the hero succeed? Of course he will. Will there be another verse about love after this bridge? Of course there will be. Will Tom Clancy's ghostwriter spend three paragraphs describing the gear a new character is carrying, and only two sentences on what they look like? Of course he will. Yawn.

I've told this story to a few people already, but I saw Episode II within about a week of seeing Withnail & I. The story of two people and their trip to the English countryside was far more interesting than the epic story of the rise & fall of empires. As Tom would say, "Star Wars sucks."

By the way, I highly recommend picking up Jack Johnson's album "Brushfire Fairytales." If you have kids, you must-must-must buy They Might Be Giants' new album "No!" My kids love the Flash playalong/Karaoke thing so much I can use it as a reward for chores.

[DennyA]

How can we have a serious discussion of Nicholas Cage's cinematic successes without citing Valley Girl?

I think the 80's peaked with the release of that now-classic coming of age comedy.

[Troy S Goodfellow]

[quote="Supertanker
This sounds kind of snooty, but with movies, music, and books, I must increasingly turn to the independent or minor distributors to find anything interesting. [/quote]

The thing with a lot of indy pictures is that first, I don't really approve of paying 10 bucks for something I could as easily appreciate on video or Masterpiece Theatre. Sure it sounds shallow, but ten bucks for me and my wife is a substantial chunk of our entertainment budget.

Second (and most importantly) it's getting increasingly difficult to actually find these movies in a lot of cities. When I lived in Toronto, it was a sure thing that a second run theatre would charge two bucks and show wonderful movies overlooked by the chain cinemas. Now that I live in a suburb of Washington DC, even getting to the movies is an expedition, let alone schlepping out to Virginia to find an indy film.

One "minor" picture I do want to see is "Fast Runner", a highly acclaimed Canadian Inuit film. At three hours, and in Inuktituk, those snowscapes better be damned pretty. But, as of yet, no local theatre has the guts to run it.

[TomChick]

As Tom would say, "Star Wars sucks."

Actually, Tom says "Fuck Star Wars". But maybe you had kids looking over your shoulder or something when you typed that.

-Tom

[Murph]

That was Tom edited for television -- complete with bad audio-dubbing. It wasn't even close to your voice!

[Sparky]

Screw the editors! Tom Chick shot Greedo first.

[Mark Asher]

How can we have a serious discussion of Nicholas Cage's cinematic successes without citing Valley Girl?

I think the 80's peaked with the release of that now-classic coming of age comedy.

I love Valley Girl. That's a great movie. I've always liked Cage since, mostly due to how much I enjoyed him in that movie.

Gotta admit that Face Off was hard to like. It's like they let some junior high kid come up with the plot for that one, or the comic book guy in the Simpsons. It's re-tarded!

[mtkafka]

I like how John Woo can take some pretty laughable elements (like the taking off of skin masks in MI2) and make em his own. he has his own melodramatic overthetop style that fits well. With another director you'd get something like ... well not too good.

I'll be seeing Windtalkers sometime this week. Looks pretty cool. I mean it takes place on Saipan! Pacific battle! Marines in WW2! Not some stinky European theater we always see.

BTW, I liked Faceoff, it was entertaining. Same with cheesy MI2.

etc

[Desslock]

>I liked Faceoff, it was entertaining. Same with cheesy MI2.

I thought Faceoff was entertaining, and even enjoyed Broken Arrow and thought Hard Target was fun. But I hated MI2, and disliked Windtalkers even more. I loved the Killer, by the way.

Woo is a fetishist - he revels in repetitive imagery and emotions. Windtalkers makes no attempt to be a war movie (notwithstanding the fact that it features the most "combat" in any movie, ever, surpassing even Black Hawk Down) -- it's an "arcade/superhero" action movie along the lines of Commando or Rambo 3. It manages to somehow be cartoonish, simplistic and overly melodramatic at the same time -- in a "cop" movie like the Killer those traits are just minor distractions from the action and colourful visuals -- in a "war" movie it just seemed kind of offensive and embarrassing.

[mtkafka]

Wow. It seems the movie is getting mixed reviews. Is the action as 'bad' as Rambo/Commando? Does Nicholas Cage do his Ahnold/Sly impersonation in this movie? Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune gave it 3 1/2 stars.... I generally trust his reviews.. except he really liked Episode 2 with 3 1/2 stars as well... haha another Star Wars reference!

Anyway, I'll see it matinee just in case. Like the price of a Wendy's meal... almost.

etc

[Mark Asher]

More June movies. Being a dad, I got a Father's Day present of getting taken to see Scooby Doo. I didn't really mind since I have fond memories of the cartoon. The movie is faithful for the most part - a mildly amusing cartoon is transformed into a mildly amusing movie weighed down by being stretched out too long by 30 minutes.

The guy who plays Shaggy is dead on. He's amazing. He nailed it perfectly.

I :lol: once during the movie, right at the end. Otherwise I smiled a few times and that was it, just like watching the cartoon.

[Anonymous]

Nicholas Cage...

Ya know, I've only had the fortune to get a cameo in ONE movie. Firebirds was my 15 seconds of cinematic fame, and goddamnit if it had to be a film Cage was starring in - so I loathe watching it. However, I must say that Sean Young never looked better than in a tight flightsuit. It only looks half as good on the screen.

[Sparky]

More June movies. Being a dad, I got a Father's Day present of getting taken to see Scooby Doo.

Inquiring minds want to know...how was the Harry Potter "Chamber of Secrets" trailer?

[Murph]

The guy who plays Shaggy is dead on. He's amazing. He nailed it perfectly.

It seems that way from the previews. The voice alone blew me away. It shocks me that he can do that.

I'd never have guessed it from the one thing I've seen him in before (She's All That), but he seems like he can actually act.

[Mark Asher]

The Harry Potter trailer looked really good. My kids said it looked better than the first movie.

[Tom Ohle]

So I saw The Bourne Identity this weekend. I really enjoyed it--although I've yet to see a Matt Damon flick I disliked. Good action sequences, and generally a well-paced story.

[JeffL]

Not at the theater, but I saw it in June, so it must belong in this thread:

Watched "The Man who Wasn't Their" a couple of nights ago. The Coen's do 40's film noir, with their 30 degree twist off the norm. Good ole Billy Bob didn't change his expression the entire movie. He was great. Supporting cast was also superb. My wife predicted the plot twists and outcomes in the first 30 minutes, but she's scary/uncanny at that.

[Jason Becker]

" Is the action as 'bad' as Rambo/Commando? Does Nicholas Cage do his Ahnold/Sly impersonation in this movie?"


In a way yes. In the first big war scene you see the Navajo guy watch as Cage's char personally wipes out about 40+ japs while having the "I'm gonna kill you and your whole family" look on his face. Then the artillary scene were you see the trench full of dead japs. Its a tad over the top.

Anybody else just getting burnt out on the big war movies with the big ultra realistic fighting? Black Hawk down, We were Soldiers, and now Windtalkers.

[Lando]

Mark Asher wrote:
The guy who plays Shaggy is dead on. He's amazing. He nailed it perfectly.


It seems that way from the previews. The voice alone blew me away. It shocks me that he can do that.

I'd never have guessed it from the one thing I've seen him in before (She's All That), but he seems like he can actually act.

Actually, I enjoyed him in Scream as well -- at least I'm pretty sure it's the same guy. Or have I got them mixed up again???

[TomChick]

Ugh, don't tell me your wife is someone who, thirty minutes into the movie, predicts outloud what's going to happen. Remind me she's not along to come along if we ever go to a movie, Jeff.

I thought Thornton's performance in Man Who Wasn't There was brilliant. It reminded me of Anthony Hopkins in Remains of the Day, in which he played a servant in an English manor. They're both exercises in restraint and negation, but there's something fierce about them. I can imagine lesser actors coming across as dull or bland.

Hopkins said a consultant on Remains of the Day told him that an empty room is even emptier when a good servant enters it. That also reminded me of Thornton in Man Who Wasn't There. The commentary track on that movie is wretched, but there are some good moments where Thornton and the Cohen brothers point out when they want Ed Crane to react and how small they want his reactions to me.

"This is the barber's dilemma, for he is modern man..."

And what gorgeous black & white photography (except for the fact that it was shot in color and then *processed* to black & white). Shame it lost the cinematography Oscar to Lord of the Rings.

-Tom

[Bub, Andrew]

Yeah, that's Matt Lillard as Shaggy and in Scream (he's also Maniac in Wing Commander). I played opposite him in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Blake Gould's Irvine Valley Theaterfaire back in 1989. He was Ichabod Crane, I was the Headless Horseman.

My lines were easy to memorize.
Anyway, I'd like to say he was doing Shaggy impressions back then. He wasn't. But I'm really happy for him. Looks like he's having a great time and his is the only career of our little circle to have taken off.

Good on him.

And I agree with Tom re: Billy Bob. I liked him in everything he's done. Even crap like Bandits and (forgive me) Monster's Ball. My favorite in The Man Who Wasn't There has to be Shaloub. I love Tony Shaloub.

[TomChick]

Bub,Andrew wrote: Even crap like Bandits and (forgive me) Monster's Ball.

Bandits was a train wreck of a movie, but you can completely see how good Thornton is, even when he's left flailing around like he was there.

Why forgive you for Monster's Ball? He was great in that.

One of my rare moments of enjoyment in Princess Mononoke (why does all anime dissolve, figuratively and literally, into a mass of goo?) was realizing that Billy Bob Thornton was the voice of the itinerant monk.

BTW, I've recently come to the conclusion that Armageddon is a great movie, largely because Thornton's performance gives it the gravitas it needs to counterbalance all the ensemble goofiness, broad emotion, special effects, and implausible action.

-Tom

[Bub, Andrew]

"Bandits was a train wreck of a movie, but you can completely see how good Thornton is, even when he's left flailing around like he was there."

Absolutely. Actually I thought everyone was good in Heist. It was just that Heist wasn't good at all.

"Why forgive you for Monster's Ball? He was great in that"

I wanted forgiveness because I think Monster's Ball was crap and for some reason lots of people liked it. It was interesting crap, there was some talented film making going on in the vicinity, but it just wasn't a well told story. Bar none that was some of the worst casting I've ever seen in a film. And Halle Barry, aside from the enthusiastic sex scene, was totally implausible (fucking Oscars), as was Heath Ledger, and Puff Daddy was, well he was Puff Daddy. (I liked him in Made though.)

Peter Boyle and Thornton were excellent though (and both well cast).

While we're discussing Thornton, A Simple Plan was another great role for him.

[JeffL]

Don't worry, Tom, my wife rarely reveals her predictions out loud anymore; this was a case of her mentioning something, I teased her about something in the movie and it escalated.

You nailed it with Thorton in The Man who Wasn't There - what an amazing job to portray the potential energy in a role in which he is lacking in obvious emotional display. I hadn't thought about it, but you're right - most actors would just come across as bland and flat.

I didn't realize that the cinematography was done in color and converted: I'm impressed. I'm a huge fan of that art, and in particular black and white, so I'm amazed they were able to get the looks and shots they had without having originally shot in B&W.

BTW, Tom - a movie buff like you must have the Visions of Light DVD?

[TomChick]

BTW, Tom - a movie buff like you must have the Visions of Light DVD?

What's that? It sounds like some sort of inspirational Christian thing.

...what an amazing job to portray the potential energy in a role in which he is lacking in obvious emotional display.

As a movie fan and someone who used to act, I have an enormous amount of respect for actors who can underplay stuff without just going flat. One could cite some nonsense about life behind the eyes or a spark or aura or emotional honesty or some such actory sounding thing, but it really is an amazing feat to be able to swallow yourself without disappearing. Another example of this is Sylvester Stallone in Copland, but I don't know how much of that was his actual performance and how much was just a matter of stepping back from his persona.

Bub, I'm not a huge Monster's Ball fan, but I'm not as down on it as you were. I also thought Halle Berry wasn't that good (I normally get strange looks when I say that, but I felt she was really straining at the role, *especially* during the drunk sex scene). The narrative structure was odd, contrived, a bit stilted, but kind of literary, which I appreciated. But as a series of isolated moments and a story about bereaved characters, I really liked it.

-Tom

[Bub, Andrew]

"As a movie fan and someone who used to act, I have an enormous amount of respect for actors who can underplay stuff without just going flat."

Good call on Copland. I'd add Mathew Broderick in Glory and William Macy in Boogie Nights (for part of it) as additional examples. I have a friend who hated Broderick in Glory and I disagree completely, he played a meek character pretending to be strong and brave. Very non-Hollywood.

"Bub, I'm not a huge Monster's Ball fan, but I'm not as down on it as you were. The narrative structure was odd, contrived, a bit stilted, but kind of literary, which I appreciated."

Yeah, there was a lot of style there, which is why I stuck with it, but for me the casting really through the whole thing off-kilter. That, and the fact that I never really had a sense of who these characters were and why they were doing what they were doing. Except Peter Boyle, I really liked him in the film.

"I also thought Halle Berry wasn't that good (I normally get strange looks when I say that, but I felt she was really straining at the role, *especially* during the drunk sex scene)."

I can't say I was paying attention to the acting there man.... But that scene ultimately, um, offended me? It seemed so off. Like watching PBS and then flipping the channel accidentally and finding something raunchy. Then having your wife flip back to the PBS.

"Make me feel good!"

[Brad Grenz]

BTW, I've recently come to the conclusion that Armageddon is a great movie.

Billy Bob was good in it. Even Bruce Willis' performance was pretty good. But, c'mon, why were there miniguns mounted on the Armadillos? Frankly, Deep Impact was a better, more plausible take on the subject.

[Murph]

They were modified Army vehicles. Why not?

Well, I've always liked Armageddon, though, so I'm glad the minority is one person bigger.

[Ben Sones]

Billy Bob was good in it. Even Bruce Willis' performance was pretty good. But, c'mon, why were there miniguns mounted on the Armadillos? Frankly, Deep Impact was a better, more plausible take on the subject.

I agree. I rather liked Deep Impact, actually (my wife found it "too depressing")--it was something of a sleeper. Came out before Armageddon and got less press, but it was a far better film. Armageddon was full of plot holes, spotty performances (although Billy Bob's wasn't one of them), and some absolutely terrible writing, but mostly I hated the fact that I knew exactly how it was going to end right from the very first scene, where Ben Affleck wants to push the drill on the oil rig but Bruce Willis doesn't trust his judgement. The forshadowing was so incredibly obvious and clumsy, I groaned out loud. Sure enough, the film climaxes with another version of the same scene, in which Affleck finally proves his worth and saves the day (with the help of Willis' over-the-top tear-jerking heroic sacrifice).

See, I just groaned again. Awful. Bad movie! Bad!

[Mark Asher]

The Aerosmith song was good, though.

[Alan Au]

I seem to remember that song being horrendously overplayed on the radio. Bleah.

- Alan

[Desslock]

Both Armaggedan and Deep Impact were abysmal. Deep Impact felt like it was written by 12 year olds trying to ape a description of how "government" would respond to a crises, and had horrific performances from Elijah Wood and Helen Hunt Jr., Leelee Sobrieski -- compared to them, even Tea Leoni was tolerable, but had the benefit of Morgan Freeman and Maximillan Schell.

Armaggedan was just shallow and cynical - pretty much representative of the "bad CG mindless summer movie" that seemed to infect the season for several years. But Billy Bob was great, and almost saved the movie. In fact, he's great in everything -- I think he's a decent choice for the best actor currently making films.

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

I saw both Bourne Identity and Windtalkers the same day.

My thoughts on Bourne Identity (http://www.3000ad.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=002024) and Windtalkers (http://www.3000ad.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=002025)

I also took the toddler to see Scooby on Father's Day. I'd rather not talk about that if you don't mind. :roll:

[JeffL]

What's that? It sounds like some sort of inspirational Christian thing.

Visions of Light? And you call yourself an actor-slash-movie aficianodo? :wink:

It's a documentary on the art of cinematography, from the early days of movies through relatively modern, primarily related by the great cinematographers themselves and accompanied by clips that illustrate their techniques and tricks as they describe how they conceived and composed the shots. Serious film fans love it, of course, but it's fun to give a copy to a casual movie fan and then hear them talk about how they see movies in a completely different, um, light. I think you'd really love it, Tom. My kids got me the Godfather special edition DVD set, and watching it made me pull VOL back out and review the segments with Gordon Willis.

[mtkafka]

HEY DICKFANS (Philip K Dick harhar)! Looks like Minority Report is getting really good reviews. From AI to this. Looks pretty cool. Anybnody see it yet? I'm going to see it this weekend because I like both Spielberg and what little we see of Dick stuff on screen.

etc

[Desslock]

>Anybody else just getting burnt out on the big war movies with the big ultra realistic fighting? Black Hawk down, We were Soldiers, and now Windtalkers

Hold on -- you just admitted that the fighting in Windtalkers was over-the-top -- not exactly "ultra-realistic".

I'll never get bored of an "ultra-realistic" war movie - or movies that at least try to depict combat realistically, like Black Hawk Down. But I'm completely bored of the Windtalkers ton-o-blood and cartoon-ish, over the top, ulta-violence style of movie. I just found it embarrassing.

[Desslock]

>Shame it lost the cinematography Oscar to Lord of the Rings.

You mean, "shame it was released in the same year as Lord of the Rings, since it otherwise would have deserved recognition". Excellent call though on the similarities between the restrained performances of Hopkins in Remains of the Day and Billy Bob in MWWT.

[Dirt]

"I have a friend who hated Broderick in Glory and I disagree completely, he played a meek character pretending to be strong and brave. Very non-Hollywood. "

Broderick always seemed to me to be uncomfortable playing the character, his acting is akward. Don't get me wrong, I like Broderick, but this didn't seem like the part for him.

[Mark Asher]

I saw Broderick kiss a man in some movie, so now when I see him I always think of him as the boy-kisser.

I know I'm shallow, but the world is simpler that way.

[Bub, Andrew]

Broderick always seemed to me to be uncomfortable playing the character, his acting is akward.

No-no, he was *acting* awkward! It wasn't his acting that was awkward. He was playing Robert Gould Shaw, a noble guy but not a charismatic or impressive person. If you read the man's letters, and pay attention to the full characterization in the movie (Borkerick plays the awkwardness consistently - and you can watch as he begins to grow as a real leader) he nails the man's character almost perfectly. Shaw was a man way over his head and mostly unqualified for the role his father manipulated him into. He (Shaw) performed well as Colonel of the 54th in spite of basic lack of strength and character.

If you ever see Glory again watch Broderick closely, you'll see that awkwardness differently, I think.

[Bullhajj]

But I'm completely bored of the Windtalkers ton-o-blood and cartoon-ish, over the top, ulta-violence style of movie.

I couldn't agree more. I am dissapointed and am moving Windtalkers to the back of my list, after Minority Report and Bourne Identity. I have a feeling it's going to be like Behind Enemy Lines, with it's stupid A-Team explosions where people fly through the air and no one gets hurt.

Hell, if Gene Hackman couldn't make one of these kind of movies work, nobody can.

[Dean]

The Aerosmith song was good, though.

But there's something weird about watching Liv Tyler get groped while her father sings about "Missing You" on the soundtrack.

[mtkafka]

I saw Windtalkers, it aint bad. Its got the Woo melodrama. Its more in line with old war movies. It sorta reminds me of the likes of Hamburger Hill or Boys in Company C, or more recently in tone, the likes of Enemy at the Gate (which I like). If you like those sorts of war movies ... I can see no wrong in seeing Windtalkers. Its sorta old fashioned in a way, without the be-all end-all of war movies message (like SPR), which is good.

BTW, the war scenes are not completely cartoony, though the music is blaringly annoying during them. I wish directors realized that cheesy maudlin music with over the top battle scenes dont work well, especially when the scenes itself already are tragic.

And the opening battle on Saipan with the tanks and air asasult and the naval bombardment and the attacking infantry is very good! One of the best war battle scenes in a movie.

etc

[Bullhajj]

I saw Windtalkers, it aint bad. Its got the Woo melodrama. Its more in line with old war movies. It sorta reminds me of the likes of Hamburger Hill or Boys in Company C, or more recently in tone, the likes of Enemy at the Gate (which I like).

Cool. I will just see it after the others instead of relagating it to "see it when it comes out on video." Maybe if I go in with low expectations.

[Rob O'Boston]

I saw Minority Report tonight. I really, really liked it (although it didn't reach the loved stage). It really harkens back to older Spielberg in its style. Some of the tech was just great, and there were lots of good satire when it came to projecting our world into the future (i.e. The Gap). My guess is that it will do really well, and there will be quite a lot of things that get injested into the pop culture. The best part is that there is an actual story included, unlike the dismal AI. I'll say nothing more until people get a chance to see it.

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

I too saw it last night. (http://www.3000ad.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=7;t=002040)

It just goes to show how diverse (and odd) society can be at times. :P