Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by TAFKA Steve on October 20, 1999 at 11:09:13:

In Reply to: I haven't seen ... posted by Mike K on October 20, 1999 at 07:49:11:

Here's a list from some DVDs I've tried. Since you didn't list genre preferences, these choices are pretty widely scattershot.

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery--comedy/parody of 60's spy films.

The Big Hit--action/comedy, Hong Kong-style (definitely over-the-top).

Boogie Nights--profile of San Fernando Valley porno industry during the late 70's to early '80s, in the style of "Goodfellas".

A Bug's Life--clever Disney/Pixar computer animated story.

Central Station--fine foreign language drama of an unlikely partnership between a young boy and a retired woman.

Contact--a scifi film with a strong sense of humanity.

Dark City--science fiction/alternative reality.

Dangerous Beauty--history-based story of the life of a courtesan in Renaissance Venice.

Elizabeth--events leading to Queen Elizabeth I's coronation, sort of Merchant Ivory Studios does "The Godfather I".

Eve's Bayou--secrets and revelations of a Louisiana bayou family.

The Fifth Element--dazzling scifi eye candy. Not much of a story, though.

GATTACA--as with "Contact", scifi with questions about the human spirit.

Gods and Monsters--story of unlikely friendship between horror film director James Whale and his young gardener.

L.A. Confidential--clever murder film noir (well, maybe it isn't noir enough).

Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels--violent, funny crime caper with attitude story; the British equivalent of "Pulp Fiction".

The Mask of Zorro--conventional action/adventure version of the legend.

Mrs. Brown--story of scandalous friendship between Queen Victoria and a lowly stableman.

The Opposite of Sex--politically incorrect sex comedy.

The Pillow Book--Peter Greenaway's erotic meditation on the power of words.

Ronin--A "French Connection" for the 90's. Outstanding car chase sequences.

Shakespeare In Love--Clever romantic comedy.

A Simple Plan--greed destroys a man, his brother, and his marriage.

The Spanish Prisoner--the con games of David Mamet carried to extremes.

Titanic--boat sinks, people die, love triumphs over money, film at eleven.

The Wedding Singer--80's romantic comedy, the only film in which Adam Sandler doesn't portray a psychotic retard.

When We Were Kings--documentary on the events leading up to the Muhammad Ali/George Foreman fight. Does not foreshadow Foreman's career as an infomercial food-grilling salesman.

Wild Things--sleazy flim-flam of deceit for money in Florida. Matt Dillon in a threesome with Denise Richards and Neve Campbell did not appear to work too hard for his money.

Oh, another "Star Wars" episode came out this year that you probably missed. I SHOULD have missed it.