Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

I've heard it's actually truer to H.G. Wells' novel (except for being modernized, which all the film versions are), but still, I didn't care much for it. Although I remember liking the noise the tripod machines made.

All in all, I still prefer the 1953 version or Independence Day (1996) over the 2005 version.

Days of Thunder is the racing movie? If so, it's a good one! especially if someone likes car racing.

I just couldnt buy Nicole as a 21 year old highly acclaimed brain specialist, or grabbing him in the middle of a diagnosis, throwing him against the wall and seducing him.

I don't like car racing. In fact I kind of despise it (and people call it a "sport"? If that's true, then I'm like a middle-aged, overweight Olympic athlete as I'm behind the wheel a lot!)
Would I like this movie?

Can't think of any car racing movies I've ever watched... except Death Race 2000!

You actually liked the film more than I did. And your observations about the Baby Boomers are valid. I was 23 when the film came out in 1967, and I was dumbfounded at it's popularity. The story was a Disneyesque treatment of alienated youth in general, and BB-ers in specific.

Far better films have been done on the underlying subject, starting with The Wild One, and all of James Dean's films. I can't think of any that were as bad as TG. It's theme song ("Mrs. Robinson") and other music ("The Sound of Silence") by Simon and Garfunkel became justifiably popular after the time of the film's release, which helped to popularize the movie and to keep it in the public's memory.

Hoffman's casting and performance in the film were so wrong, that it was years later before I could even enjoy him in anything, although his Ratso Rizzo and Carl Bernstein parts were more suited for him.

But there have been oodles of popular movies that were poor films. This is one of them.

~Doc

Don't let other people's opinions sway you Citizen...stick to your guns, man.

Bottle Rocket (1996)
Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Owen Wilson, Wes Anderson
Cast: Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Ned Dowd
Genre: Comedy, Crime-Caper


I liked it... and that says a lot as I've found Wes Anderson films to be a challenge for me. I'm guessing as this was his first feature film that explains why it wasn't as ecliptic as his later ones. Actually it was the most straight forward film I've seen from Wes.

I instantly warmed up to the actors, I'm not familiar with Luke Anderson's work but I liked him here, he was laid back and easy to relate to. I don't know if you guys felt this way, but it was like he was our guide into the movie. I liked the other actors too: Owen Wilson, Ned Dowd, great cast.

I gravitated to the instead stuff too. By that I mean I liked the personality of the characters...and who they were, and especially how they viewed the world and each other. The story of the robbery was secondary for me...."The X is Anthony. Bob, you're the zero out here in the car." I love that line, the characters are so richly fleshed out that I don't even care what they do, I just like spending time with them.


I'm a sucker for a romance story and thought Inez (Lumi Cavazos) was pretty special in the film. She reminded me of a Hispanic Marcia Brady, no kidding. I was rooting all the way for her and Anthony to get together and find true love!

The way this was filmed, especially the lighting and composition was pretty great. And indeed it did look like a Wes Anderson film. Bottle Rocket, cool name for a movie too.





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I thought this was pretty great. I loved the way it was filmed with longer scene takes and camera shots that were held long enough to give time to reflect on the moments at hand. The editing was smooth and straight forward. I liked that this was a linear story, with a beginning, a middle and an end...I liked that it was void of flashbacks and multiple story lines. That linear-straight forward story telling allowed the film to focus intensely on the moment at hand. The use of the journal as a narrative tool and the daily countdown (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc) added to that focused intensity.

The cinematography was sublime and fit the story narrative to a tee. The camera was mostly quiet with wide angle views, with just enough creative shots such as the overhead straight down look on the father in the boat. Those few creative shots gave the film an art feeling, and briefly suspended time...giving the viewer a chance to reflect.


The two child actors were amazing in this. They said so much just with facial expressions and body language. They skillfully conveyed the complex moods that they felt about being with a man who was their father, and yet was a complete stranger with a mysterious past.

Even the post production mixing of the low key, low volume music score was brilliant...as the score is hardly audible and yet subconsciously imparts an emotional resonates to the watching experience. The de-saturation of the warm colors out of the final print, leaves an austere bluish green tint that looks as foreboding as the story-line was.

Impressive film.

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I am so happy you enjoyed this film, Citizen! It is one of my all time favorite comedies because it has a big heart, and it's my fave Anderson film for the reasons you've described. My 2nd fave being The Royal Tenenbaums for different reasons.

I loved the character of Mr. Henry played by James Caan, and what he had to say about Dignan's character as he sat with Anthony. Even though he ended up robbing Bob blind, haha..it still meant a good deal, even years later I remember how special this film is.

Great review, my friend!

"Take my breath awayyy"

oops, wrong movie.

Wait, did Kidman slip him the tongue?

I agree with both of you regarding Hoffman's character's oddball behavior.

I also didn't buy the whole I slept with your mother but a couple of months or less later we're probably going to marry while riding off into the sunset thing either.

Lol. I dont know about that but she did say that in that irish 'movie' they did together he was butt naked under that bowl she lifted to take a peek at the character's pink flute. Her look of surprise was real, she said.

I haven's seen The Royal Tenenbaums yet, so that's something to look forward to. I hear good things about it

Hey, I seen a movie that your reviewed awhile ago, Valley Girl. I'd never seen that before and it was fun, like a trip back to 1983. Great soundtrack, I seen Josie Cotton perform in 1983 at a small venue in Seattle. So kind of cool to see her in the movie, and cool to see the Plimsouls too.

lol I was the one who watched Valley Girl recently...

You probably know this but the rock club that Nicholas Cage goes to in Hollywood was a real club called The Central, later to become The Viper Room, where River Phoenix died. Kind of weird seeing it in the movie, one might think it was just a set, but nope it was the real thing.

Director: Bill Duke
Writers: Michael Tolkin (story & screenplay)
Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Lira Angel
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Deep Cover is a fun entertainment flick, done in the 'pulp fiction style' of writing that came out of the 1940s & 1950s...in such luridly fun & suggestive pulp magazines like True Detective. That's why some of the characters are so way over the top, which IMO makes the movie all the more fun!

I liked Laurence Fishburne's character and Jeff Goldblum's whacked out lawyer too. And the head drug dealer guy who got kicked out of the car was pretty good in a crazy-bad way.

I thought the movie was well made. Usually I have all these ideas on how the movie could have been different, but I think the director nailed it and delivered just what he intended. So I wouldn't change a thing.

For me, I liked the film because it wasn't all super serious, like Leon the Professional in was done in the pulp thriller style of story telling, which I like as it's not to serious. I think my favorite part was Jeff Goldblum looking into the camera and saying, I want to have my cake and eat it too, I want to have my cake and eat it too. Ha! Loved that line.

+

Director: Richard Benjamin
Writers: Norman Steinberg & Dennis Palumbo (screenplay)
Cast: Peter O'Toole, Mark Linn-Baker, Jessica Harper
Genre: Comedy

Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole) is an aging, out of work, movie star who's scheduled to appear on a 1950's live TV variety show. The character played by Peter O'Toole is based on Errol Flynn, the TV show is based on the real Show of Shows (1950). And King Kaiser (Joseph Bologna) is based on the real Sid Caesar....If that ain't enough Benjamin Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) was based on Mel Brooks who worked on the Show of Shows.

A fun movie to watch, though I wasn't ever really into the story all that much. I tend to like comedy that comes from observation and out of personalities, but this had more of the shtick, broad comedy style of humor.

I don't know why it is, but Peter O'Toole kind of creeps me out. He's like this weird old uncle that you don't want to be alone in the same room with....So I really didn't like him as the Errol Flynn character.

On the flip side, I did appreciate all the 1950s TV references to Sid Caesar's Show of Shows. Loved the shot-for-shot reenactment of the sword duel from The Adventures of Robin Hood, that was well done! I even watched the sword duel scene twice, as I enjoyed the choreography of the fight moves.

Best of all, the movie does something really right, it ends on a strong note that gave me a tear in my eye, very touching.

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Loved Valley Girl...surprisingly intelligent screenplay where the female characters actually have brains.

I think The Royal Tenebaums is the perfect and peak Anderson film. It has style and sets to spare, as Wes is known for, but doesn't overwhelm or overcrowd. The pace is accessible, the writing is terrific, the humor is there, and the heart is there, too. It also has my all time favorite Gene Hackman performance, and I've seen my fair share of Gene Hackman!

Also a great, great soundtrack that basically narrates the film. I don;t want to spoil it, though. Hope you watch it soon so I can hear what you think. I may, myself!

A very enjoyable comedy, with a part ready made for O'Toole. IMO Joseph Bologna as the Sid Caesar type character was a complete miss. But Lainie Kazan as Benjy's Jewish mother, Belle Carroca, almost stole the show. "Welcome to our humble chapeau"...

~Doc