I Just Watched...

[TikiSoo]

I think, based on your past opinions of films, you would really like Little Women, The Browning Version, Guarding Tess, and Widows Peak, and you might like Second Best, Crooklyn, and maybe I'll Do Anything.
(I could have sworn you saw Corrina Corrina though. I think I recall you really liking that on the old boards)

Wow- I am amazed at the sharp memory everyone here has-I can't remember last week!

You're right- I did see & like CORINNA, CORINNA...saw it after Ray Lotta died, wanted to see him in a non gangster role. I have the original BROWNING VERSION but haven't watched it, most likely it's misfiled somewhere (always fun finding a lost title in the mess!)

I'm sure I'll see CROOKLYN, since I love Spike Lee's work. Your other suggestions sound like they fall right in my comfort zone. THANKS!

[Lorna]

I will randomly toss out that 1995- while not a good year for GREAT MOVIES, was, however, a GREAT YEAR for GOOD MOVIES (and a rare year where I think the Oscars were closer to being on the mark than usual [at least nominations-wise].)

some notable films from that year just off the top o' my head: RICHARD III, BABE, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, APOLLO 13 (even if you didn't like it, it was an audience pleaser that wasn't mindless) CASINO, LEAVING LAS VEGAS, DEAD MAN WALKING...and I do think MEL GIBSON is pretty good in BRAVEHEART.

IL POSTINO sucks though.

[Allhallowsday]

HIS KIND OF WOMAN (1951) Great cast, usually ignored it, but caught all the parts I'd missed. Yes, absurdly impossible. Comic? VINCENT PRICE is kind-of PERFECTLY over-the-top. There are long stretches where we don't see ROBERT MITCHUM at all... and RAYMOND BURR at his most menacing. Hee hee hee!

[Lorna]

That was my list of 1994 titles originally, not Lorna's (although Lorna quoted it) I'm sorry if there was any mixup on that. 1994 was hardly a favorite year but I mustered it up. This was my list in whole

1 Quiz Show
2 The Browning Version
3 That's Entertainment! III
4 Widows' Peak
5 Ed Wood
6 Little Women
7 Crooklyn
8 Second Best
9 I'll Do Anything
10 Immortal Beloved
11 Corrina, Corrina
12 Four Weddings and a Funeral
13 Don Juan DeMarco
14 Serial Mom
15 Tom and Viv
16 It Could Happen to You
17 Guarding Tess
18 Pret-a-Porter
19 The Shawshank Redemption
20 Black Beauty
21 The Ref
22 Vanya on 42nd Street
23 Three Colors: Red
24 Nobody's Fool
25 The Hudsucker Proxy
26 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
27 The Swan Princess
28 The Paper
29 Love Affair
30 Death and the Maiden

I notice BLUE SKY is not on your list. Have you not seen it, did you dislike it or do you not really consider it a feature even if JESSICA LANGE did win BEST ACTRESS for it? (personally, I kinda like it all right even if it is a LIFETIME MOVIE that got a theatrical release and lucked into a weak, weak year for leading roles for women.)

ALSO, I wanted to see DEATH AND THE MAIDEN back in 1994, but never got around to it, and now- knowing about POLANSKI- I'm not sure I want to see his view in the subject matter.

also also they filmed THE HUDSUCKER PROXY in my hometown, many of the exteriors are streets I walk almost every day IRL. Still don't like the movie.

the book on which NOBODY'S FOOL is based (by RICHARD RUSSO) suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks and has a MISERABLY UNHAPPY ENDING and is too damn long- they did a REALLY GOOD JOB abridging it and making the story less bleak for the film, so I liked it better than you for that reason.

[ElCid]

HIS KIND OF WOMAN (1951) Great cast, usually ignored it, but caught all the parts I'd missed. Yes, absurdly impossible. Comic? VINCENT PRICE is kind-of PERFECTLY over-the-top. There are long stretches where we don't see ROBERT MITCHUM at all... and RAYMOND BURR at his most menacing. Hee hee hee!

One of my favorite Mitchum movies even if the Vincent Price comedy and the extended "fight" between Burr and Mitchum at the end were a little too long. This has been the opinion of many reviewers. However, it goes great for a first or second viewing.
Was surprised to see that the Tuesday showings ran over into Wednesday morning where Macao was shown. This was another good cast and director makes an OK story better.

[Allhallowsday]

...One of my favorite Mitchum movies even if the Vincent Price comedy and the extended "fight" between Burr and Mitchum at the end were a little too long. This has been the opinion of many reviewers. However, it goes great for a first or second viewing.
Was surprised to see that the Tuesday showings ran over into Wednesday morning where Macao was shown. This was another good cast and director makes an OK story better.

It's amazing how long that hypodermic needle hovers and hovers... and get a vein, don't move, moves... get a vein...hovering... Like he wouldn't have been just JABBED?

[txfilmfan]

That was my list of 1994 titles originally, not Lorna's (although Lorna quoted it) I'm sorry if there was any mixup on that. 1994 was hardly a favorite year but I mustered it up. This was my list in whole

1 Quiz Show
2 The Browning Version
3 That's Entertainment! III
4 Widows' Peak
5 Ed Wood
6 Little Women
7 Crooklyn
8 Second Best
9 I'll Do Anything
10 Immortal Beloved
11 Corrina, Corrina
12 Four Weddings and a Funeral
13 Don Juan DeMarco
14 Serial Mom
15 Tom and Viv
16 It Could Happen to You
17 Guarding Tess
18 Pret-a-Porter
19 The Shawshank Redemption
20 Black Beauty
21 The Ref
22 Vanya on 42nd Street
23 Three Colors: Red
24 Nobody's Fool
25 The Hudsucker Proxy
26 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
27 The Swan Princess
28 The Paper
29 Love Affair
30 Death and the Maiden

I notice BLUE SKY is not on your list. Have you not seen it, did you dislike it or do you not really consider it a feature even if JESSICA LANGE did win BEST ACTRESS for it? (personally, I kinda like it all right even if it is a LIFETIME MOVIE that got a theatrical release and lucked into a weak, weak year for leading roles for women.)

ALSO, I wanted to see DEATH AND THE MAIDEN back in 1994, but never got around to it, and now- knowing about POLANSKI- I'm not sure I want to see his view in the subject matter.

also also they filmed THE HUDSUCKER PROXY in my hometown, many of the exteriors are streets I walk almost every day IRL. Still don't like the movie.

the book on which NOBODY'S FOOL is based (by RICHARD RUSSO) suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks and has a MISERABLY UNHAPPY ENDING and is too damn long- they did a REALLY GOOD JOB abridging it and making the story less bleak for the film, so I liked it better than you for that reason.

I like The Hudsucker Proxy, but it would have been much better if Jennifer Jason Leigh hadn't delivered her lines like a cross between Katharine Hepburn and Rosalind Russell (IMO). Parody is hard to pull off (especially for a film's length), and I think she took the accent/delivery a bit too far.

[TikiSoo]

also also they filmed THE HUDSUCKER PROXY in my hometown, many of the exteriors are streets I walk almost every day IRL. Still don't like the movie.

the book on which NOBODY'S FOOL is based (by RICHARD RUSSO) suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks and has a MISERABLY UNHAPPY ENDING and is too damn long- they did a REALLY GOOD JOB abridging it and making the story less bleak for the film, so I liked it better than you for that reason.

Haha I like THE HUDSUCKER PROXY for it's sincere absurdness and visual lighting/sets but absolutely agree with TX about Jennifer Jason Leigh's weird vocal choice that almost ruins the movie entirely-you're not sure if it's supposed to be funny.

And my company at the time was hired by the location scout for NOBODY'S FOOL-they wanted to film exclusively in the Hudson Valley and wanted to know what cool, historic buildings were available & which direction they face for sunlight. All that information now easily researched in GoogleMaps. Sigh.
It's weird working for a movie in the planning stages-everyone thought I was going to work with Paul Newman. Um, no.

[Lorna]

I like The Hudsucker Proxy, but it would have been much better if Jennifer Jason Leigh hadn't delivered her lines like a cross between Katharine Hepburn and Rosalind Russell (IMO). Parody is hard to pull off (especially for a film's length), and I think she took the accent/delivery a bit too far.

oh, it's not just your opinion- honestly, she was what ruined it for me. (I know that's a heavy statement, but I have never warmed to JENNIFER JASON LEIGH in anything ever.)

I think it was ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY's movie critic who said that she tore into and refused to drop that MID-ATLANTIC ACCENT like a "terrier with a gym sock."

[Lorna]

And my company at the time was hired by the location scout for NOBODY'S FOOL-they wanted to film exclusively in the Hudson Valley and wanted to know what cool, historic buildings were available & which direction they face for sunlight. All that information now easily researched in GoogleMaps. Sigh.
It's weird working for a movie in the planning stages-everyone thought I was going to work with Paul Newman. Um, no.

this is making me want to see NOBODY'S FOOL again- I don't think I've seen it since 1994 and that was shortly after reading the book which had just left such a bad impression on me (it is SO DIFFERENT from the movie, just such a miserably depressing story). it would be a nice film for TCM to air on the regular, I recall JESSICA TANDY being really good (as always), same for MELANIE GRIFFITH and BRUCE WILLIS (a far less common occurrence for both.)

[Lorna]

you absolutely WOULD NEVER see A TRAILER LIKE THIS these days!

[CinemaInternational]

also also they filmed THE HUDSUCKER PROXY in my hometown, many of the exteriors are streets I walk almost every day IRL. Still don't like the movie.

the book on which NOBODY'S FOOL is based (by RICHARD RUSSO) suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks and has a MISERABLY UNHAPPY ENDING and is too damn long- they did a REALLY GOOD JOB abridging it and making the story less bleak for the film, so I liked it better than you for that reason.

Haha I like THE HUDSUCKER PROXY for it's sincere absurdness and visual lighting/sets but absolutely agree with TX about Jennifer Jason Leigh's weird vocal choice that almost ruins the movie entirely-you're not sure if it's supposed to be funny.

And my company at the time was hired by the location scout for NOBODY'S FOOL-they wanted to film exclusively in the Hudson Valley and wanted to know what cool, historic buildings were available & which direction they face for sunlight. All that information now easily researched in GoogleMaps. Sigh.
It's weird working for a movie in the planning stages-everyone thought I was going to work with Paul Newman. Um, no.

Since Hudsucker was a farcical fantasy/comedy, I didn't have a problem with Jennifer Jason Leigh's voice in the film.... But she did vocally go too far in another 90s film, the neonoir Kansas City, dealing with gangsters, kidnapping, and murder. In that film, her kidnapper character had a sneering voice reminiscent of James Cagney in his gangster roles, and it was so utterly distracting in a dark drama, and it was a major debit for the film, not helped by Miranda Richardson acting circles around her in the same scenes.

[CinemaInternational]

That was my list of 1994 titles originally, not Lorna's (although Lorna quoted it) I'm sorry if there was any mixup on that. 1994 was hardly a favorite year but I mustered it up. This was my list in whole

1 Quiz Show
2 The Browning Version
3 That's Entertainment! III
4 Widows' Peak
5 Ed Wood
6 Little Women
7 Crooklyn
8 Second Best
9 I'll Do Anything
10 Immortal Beloved
11 Corrina, Corrina
12 Four Weddings and a Funeral
13 Don Juan DeMarco
14 Serial Mom
15 Tom and Viv
16 It Could Happen to You
17 Guarding Tess
18 Pret-a-Porter
19 The Shawshank Redemption
20 Black Beauty
21 The Ref
22 Vanya on 42nd Street
23 Three Colors: Red
24 Nobody's Fool
25 The Hudsucker Proxy
26 The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
27 The Swan Princess
28 The Paper
29 Love Affair
30 Death and the Maiden

I notice BLUE SKY is not on your list. Have you not seen it, did you dislike it or do you not really consider it a feature even if JESSICA LANGE did win BEST ACTRESS for it? (personally, I kinda like it all right even if it is a LIFETIME MOVIE that got a theatrical release and lucked into a weak, weak year for leading roles for women.)

ALSO, I wanted to see DEATH AND THE MAIDEN back in 1994, but never got around to it, and now- knowing about POLANSKI- I'm not sure I want to see his view in the subject matter.

also also they filmed THE HUDSUCKER PROXY in my hometown, many of the exteriors are streets I walk almost every day IRL. Still don't like the movie.

the book on which NOBODY'S FOOL is based (by RICHARD RUSSO) suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks and has a MISERABLY UNHAPPY ENDING and is too damn long- they did a REALLY GOOD JOB abridging it and making the story less bleak for the film, so I liked it better than you for that reason.

Blue Sky is decent. It would probably be between 30-35 for me for the year (out of 86; just for reference, the worst films of 1994 were Disclosure and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein). Jessica Lange gives a fine performance as the mentally troubled lead, and as a big fan of hers, I am glad that she has a leading actress Oscar (she deserved it for Frances and Country). However, I'd give Miranda Richardson's performance as a similarly frenzied wife in Tom and Viv the edge for playing a troubled woman in 1994.

Death and the Maiden was based on a stage play, so they would not necessarily be Polanski's thoughts. The film is dark, violent, and claustrophobic, worth watching for a strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.

I think I want to see Nobody's Fool again. I remember liking Newman, Tandy, and Griffith in it....

It must be cool to live in a city where so many movies are filmed.....

[CinemaInternational]

HIS KIND OF WOMAN (1951) Great cast, usually ignored it, but caught all the parts I'd missed. Yes, absurdly impossible. Comic? VINCENT PRICE is kind-of PERFECTLY over-the-top. There are long stretches where we don't see ROBERT MITCHUM at all... and RAYMOND BURR at his most menacing. Hee hee hee!

Yes, a fun noir, and Vincent Price is exceptional fun in it. A bit on the long side, but it works.