Author Topic: 1990s US Bracket: Verdicts  (Read 712331 times)

¡Keith!

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #580 on: June 02, 2008, 10:46:07 AM »
I can't believe you made it through your Thelma & Louise review without mentioning Brad Pitt.

Ya know, when writing I had tacked on trow away line about him in the last pargraph then decided it would be more fun not to mention what the film has more become known for; aka Pitt's star-making vehicle.

pixote

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #581 on: June 02, 2008, 12:24:56 PM »
...I believe I will get a nice big stamp for promoting C,S to the next level.

Uh oh, nothing yet!  Maybe you picked the wrong film!  :'(

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facedad

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #582 on: June 02, 2008, 12:31:29 PM »
I present to you the evidence for the following two contenders, feel free to make your own decision… I hope mine is the right one.

Clean, Shaven (henceforth C,S)

What is the mind of a schizophrenic feel like?  This film tries to answer this question along side portraying the social stigma and malignment associated with the sufferers.  Peter Greene plays Peter Winter who is seen in the opening shots leaving a mental institution.  It is not made clear, like so many things in the film, if he was just released or escaped and based on the events that follow either is possible.  In order to put us in his mind the soundtrack and editing combine for a static-y & jarring experience with random voices that may or may not be coming from talk radio.  In an early scene a ball is thrown at his car and he has a moment with the thrower, a young girl.  We cut to an unidentified time later and hear screams off camera but see nothing.  Winter the sets out to find his  own little girl based only on a Polaroid of her as an infant. She has been given up for adoption by her grandmother as her mother is deceased.  A string of child murders follows him and there is a detective hot on his trail.  Nothing in this film is what it seems to be and everything is – it is left up to the viewer to decide, even the final don’t truly resolve any questions but I wanted to believe Peter was actually a good man so I took the ending as deeply tragic.

Not that I would revisit this film all that often as some scenes are so cringe-worthy as to make one look away (he thinks there are transmitters in his fingernails that must be excised… ‘nuff said), but It should be experienced at least once as it is one of the best films I’ve seen to tackle mental illness from the victim’s point of view.

Thelma & Louise (henceforth T&L)

Wow, was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did.  Female bonding in films usually involves burning pictures or old boyfriends, sing-a-longs to crappy/clichéd music or something to do with primping.  This had none of those elements.  There were sing-a-longs but the music was a-ok with me and despite what some Texans may think it does happen in real life and its great when it does. Fly Eagles Fly… sorry got off track there. 

Other than that T&L really does a great job of reinventing the On the Lam Western for the 90’s.  Our two heroines set off from their useless bo’s (Christopher McDonald proves once again that if ya want someone to loath onscreen he’s the man to call) for a nice fishing weekend.  On the way they stop for drinks at a honky-tonk and after a good bit-o-sauce Thelma (Geena Davis) finds herself out in the parking lot with a lascivious brute forcing himself on her.  Louise comes in just in time and with a 6 shooter to pull her friend from danger.  The brute though decides to fling some insults while they make their escape and Louise turns right around and puts one in his chest.  From here they start off on a 6 state journey that eventually ends at the Grand Canyon.  Not before adding armed robbery, damaging police property, kidnapping an officer, reckless endangerment and a host of other crimes to their wanted posters.  Harvey Keitel is both the detective on their case and their sole empathizer in a world of male oppression that has led them down this path.  He believes based on eye witness reports that they might not be the hardened criminals the rest of the law enforcers think they are and doesn’t want to see the system destroy their lives.

The “on the lam” genre is one of the few that is really underserved but was very big in the 90’s.  I think this film from 91 was part of the reason for all the solid pieces that followed along with some of the revisionist westerns as well.  It’s also just a blast to watch with an excellent blues soundtrack.  C,S on the other hand is a truly visceral experience and one that you will not soon forget.  At first I thought I’d put T&L through due to a perceived lack of fun films winning but a quick look at that stats shows that this is not the case so with no wrongs to right, I believe I will get a nice big stamp for promoting C,S to the next level.
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¡Keith!

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #583 on: June 02, 2008, 05:07:50 PM »
is that stamp a giant prison in the shape of stalin?

I have this sitting on my shelf:


winrit

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #584 on: June 02, 2008, 05:12:33 PM »
I don't think that stamp is big enough.
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facedad

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #585 on: June 02, 2008, 05:15:55 PM »
I don't think that stamp is big enough.
Are you challenging me?
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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winrit

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #586 on: June 02, 2008, 08:35:49 PM »
I don't think that stamp is big enough.
Are you challenging me?

Only if you think size matters.
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facedad

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #587 on: June 02, 2008, 09:14:42 PM »
I don't think that stamp is big enough.
Are you challenging me?

Only if you think size matters.
It's all in the way you use it.
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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winrit

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #588 on: June 02, 2008, 09:21:05 PM »
I don't think that stamp is big enough.
Are you challenging me?

Only if you think size matters.
It's all in the way you use it.

I expect you will use it with great care then.
"Kickboxing. Sport of the future."

facedad

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Re: 1990s US Bracket commentary
« Reply #589 on: June 02, 2008, 09:28:05 PM »
I don't think that stamp is big enough.
Are you challenging me?

Only if you think size matters.
It's all in the way you use it.

I expect you will use it with great care then.
My stamp is very selective.
You're just jealous! Nobody loves you because you're tiny and made of meat!

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