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Reviews
The House of Mirth (2000)
A film of great resonance
My personal test of the artistry of a film is how long it stays with me after the initial viewing. It is a full 12 hours after I saw 'The House of Mirth' and I'm still consumed by the power of this film. Achingly sad, this is a superbly paced portrait of the destruction of a woman whose major flaw was her sense of honor in a time when appearances counted more than truth. Gillian Anderson is incredible as Lilly Bart, her face revealing what she can not and will not speak in words. This is the key to understanding the story - pay attention not to what the characters say, but how they say it.
The Last Broadcast (1998)
Tedious, pales next to Blair Witch
I know alot of other people think this is superior to The Blair Witch,
however I found this movie to be tedious and fragmented. The use
of a voice over throughout the film broke any tension that might
have built. The biggest problem with this movie is that it never
allows us to become involved, rather it constantly removes us from
emotional involvement and reminds us that we are spectators, not
participants. The power of The Blair Witch was that it did not break
the tension, it didn't have freeze frame shots, or fancy disolves, or
bad B-movie music, or annoying narration. The Last Broadcast
shows how easy it would have been to dilute the effect of The Blair
Witch.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
A big disappointment
I finally made time to see this film, expecting a visceral, emotional experience. Instead I was (in order) bored, angry, sleepy, and bewildered. Is this the groundbreaking film that everyone was gushing over last year? From all the talk I expected a head-on assault at the beginning of the movie. What I did see was a heavy-handed and frankly uninteresting battle scene. From there the movie only got worse. I didn't care a bit for any of the characters, least of all the Tom Hanks lead and the obnoxious Matt Damon. While the film looked spectacular, that's all it was: surface. There was no depth whatsoever to any of the characters or situations. I feel like maybe there is something wrong with me that I don't see what all the orgasmic gushing over this film is about. Plain old boring.
The Eighteenth Angel (1997)
Predictable and Unintentionally Funny
I watched this movie on the recommendation of a friend, and was she dead wrong about it! I knew the ending halfway through the film, and from the way they filmed it I'm sure it was supposed to be a surprise. The only redeeming factor was that it was so bad I had a good time ripping on it with my friends. I also enjoyed the portrayal of a Music Professor as the action hero. Totally unbelievable and ridiculous. Don't rent it unless you like watching sub-quality "Omen" ripoffs.
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
Beyond my expectations! Wildly rude, brilliantly scored!
I am still reeling from my viewing of this film. I laughed and laughed on top of laughs. In fact I have to see it again, because I missed about half of the movie because I (and everyone else in the theater) was laughing too loudly. Aside from the sheer hilarity of South Park, I was surprised to find that Trey Parker is an ingenious songwriter. This movie contains dead-on parodies of well known musical styles, like the opening "Beauty and the Beast" type song that introduces the characters and setting. Trey moves from targets such as Puff Daddy to Les Mis, and hits almost every Disney staple there is. I must see this again, and again, and again. Highly recommended.
American History X (1998)
Watch and consider your own beliefs about race relations in America.
After viewing this complex and brilliant film, I felt at once drained and empowered. A brutal portrayal of race relations in current America, this is a piece of art that should be required viewing for every citizen. This is an unflinching look at violence and hate, and the effects of these. I cannot recommend this film highly enough. Watch it and consider your own daily actions. I for one have not stopped thinking about my place in the web of hate.