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By: rorschach
Date: 12/4/99 8:55:30 PM
# Replies: 75
not bad.... like all pixar/diznee flicks it has enough adult stuff in it that even I enjoyed it (no, no topless dancers or anything... but keep an eye out for some of the external references.....)
its worth the 7 bucks.....
now, if only the CGI people would stop blurring out those sections of the screen they they don't want you focusing on... my eyes don't always track the point of focus right and it causes some visual confusion....
Response #1
By: Ralf
Date: 12/5/99 12:04:01 PM
The blurring is intentional, to simulate actual camera optics. In a real camera (or your eyes, for that matter) adjusting the depth-of-field to focus on something in the foreground DOES make the background fuzzy.
If they did it any other way it's seem less realistic.
Response #2
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 12/6/99 6:14:25 AM
Yes, must make it more phony to seem less phony.
Response #3
By: Ralf
Date: 12/6/99 8:05:16 AM
EXACTLY! They're simulating the imperfections of the human eye.
Kinda like mixing pops and scratches into an audio CD.
Response #4
By: rorschach
Date: 12/7/99 9:09:15 AM
oh i understand WHY they do it.... i am saying that either because of an imperfect process or imperfect understanding of the way the brain processes images it gives me a case of vertigo, or perhaps it is just something with MY image processing system....
Response #5
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 12/8/99 2:48:24 AM
You need to upgrade to the latest greatest visual cortex, which utilizes the new VIZ 3.1 standard for Pixar/Disney Cash Cow Compatibility!
Response #6
By: rorschach
Date: 12/10/99 11:25:51 PM
sorry, this visual cortex is not flash bios upgradable and the manufacturer went out of business 15 years ago....
Response #7
By: sooz
Date: 12/11/99 2:29:18 PM
Disney to change game amid protest
BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - The Walt Disney Co. has agreed to change a sombrero-wearing character in the "Toy Story 2" video game because it offended some Hispanics. The decision was announced Thursday after a peaceful demonstration outside the Santa Monica headquarters of Activision, which produced the game with Disney based on characters from the animated film. One level of the game features a villain with a mustache, bullet bandolier and a sombrero, which Hispanic activists said was a Mexican stereotype. Players must shoot the symbol to advance to the next level of the game, said Oscar de la Torre, a counselor at Santa Monica High School. "We feel it's degrading. It stereotypes Mexicans as villains," he said. "It's a virtual game of genocide, the way we see it, because they're being ethno-specific."
The character does not appear in the "Toy Story 2" movie. "We regret that a portion of the game was offensive," said Claudia Peters, a Disney spokeswoman. "Unfortunately, there was a mistake made in its creation. We plan to change the character." She did not indicate what the changes would involve. It is not the first time that Disney has changed its product after such complaints. In 1993, Disney altered some lyrics to a song in the animated musical "Aladdin" after Arab-American activists labeled them racist.
Response #8
By: The Sorcerer
Date: 12/11/99 10:24:21 PM
I really love how people throw the word genocide around at the drop of a hat these days.
Sorc'(Rev)
Response #9
By: Da Sissop
Date: 12/12/99 7:58:58 AM
You mean a sombrero.
Response #10
By: Roxanne
Date: 12/13/99 7:20:23 PM
I am bemused by this prevailing attitude of "if *I'm* offended, then it has to go". Are real cowboys offended by Woody? Are real astronauts offended by Buzz? And who's going to speak up for the potato-heads of the world??
Lighten up, people (so long as you don't do it with icicle lights). Pokemon does not have a swastika on it. Jar Jar is annoying, but he's not an intentional black slur character. The "confederate" flag is not the actual flag of the Confederacy, and it does not automatically denote pro-slavery ideals any more than pulling up next to a Rolls-Royce automatically means you are going to be solicited for Grey Poupon!
Response #11
By: Shadow Sprite
Date: 12/14/99 8:15:21 AM
You know, being a child who liked to destroy toys once myself, I was offended with Toy Story... They presented people like me as mean and stupid, when I was more annoying and ignorant. Perhaps I should sue, too.
Response #12
By: Ralf
Date: 12/14/99 9:17:15 AM
In some places, lawsuits can be brought "on behalf of the victim" by the state. I wonder if this power can be extended to civil cases, so that I can sue somebody because *I* think they victimized somebody else.
For instance, I'd like to sue Matt Groening over this week's Futurama's portrayal of Richard Nixon as a 40-foot power-mad killer robot.
Response #13
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 12/14/99 4:42:26 PM
Where, exactly, does a 'peaceful protest' turn into litigation in your head?
Response #14
By: The Sorcerer
Date: 12/14/99 10:39:22 PM
Lawsuits can be brought "on behalf of the victim" by the state.
Ya' know, that's kinda' scary in a way when you think about it....
What if the vicitim isn't interested in legal action, or what if they don't see themself as a victim?
Sorc'(Rev)
Response #15
By: Ralf
Date: 12/15/99 7:31:20 AM
The victim gets no say. Really.
It all came about because somebody someplace got raped, and didn't want to press charges because of privacy issues. So the state prosecuted the defendant ON BEHALF of the victim.
IIRC, it happened in the 70's. If I had a legal degree I could probably cite you the defining case.
Response #16
By: Da Sissop
Date: 12/15/99 1:43:36 PM
If you had a legal degree you wouldn't be associating with the likes of us.
Response #17
By: Roxanne
Date: 12/15/99 4:18:29 PM
Not on a social level anyway...
Response #18
By: Seventh of Seven
Date: 12/15/99 4:46:56 PM
if ralf got a legal degree, he'd probably have to find his pants.
Response #19
By: Da Sissop
Date: 12/15/99 6:59:22 PM
I hope he's at least wearing his legal briefs.
Response #20
By: Ralf
Date: 12/16/99 7:55:39 AM
If I practiced law in the UK, I could remain pantsless. All the lawyers there wear robes.
Response #21
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 12/16/99 6:36:25 PM
They wear wigs, too. You could get a fuscia one, and be Punk Lawyer Ralf.
Response #22
By: Da Sissop
Date: 12/16/99 8:15:08 PM
Pokemon will return after these messages.
(happy music)
"Punk Lawyer Ralf, Punk Lawyer Ralf
You can comb and braid his hair
Punk Lawyer Ralf, Punk Lawyer Ralf
You won't find pants down there."
Little Girl (waving Punk Lawyer Ralf doll's arms wildly): "I'm out of order? YOU'RE out of order! YOU'RE out of order! This whole FUCKING TRIAL is out of order!"
Little Boy (wielding zeta grey defendant doll): "You want the TRUTH? You can't HANDLE the TRUTH!"
Response #23
By: Ralf
Date: 12/17/99 10:57:55 AM
I love you, man.
Response #24
By: Roxanne
Date: 12/20/99 11:04:40 PM
Toy Story 2, I believe the thread was...
I finally got to see it today. Very good movie. One of those that worked on multiple levels so the parents could enjoy it as much as the kids.
I know though that after praising "Lost and Found" just yesterday, y'all probably don't have much faith in my opinion!
Response #25
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 12/21/99 11:49:24 AM
Just so you know...
They're re-releasing Toy Story 2 next week with bloopers in the end credits just like A Bug's Life. Disney says this is a "reward" for people who come to see the film more than once.
Response #26
By: sooz
Date: 12/21/99 2:03:37 PM
...or for those that fiddled around and haven't seen it yet. Like me.
Man on the Moon. 22nd. I'll be there.
Response #27
By: Shadow Sprite
Date: 12/22/99 7:25:02 AM
I think I'll just wait until they release Man on the Moon with bloopers.
Response #28
By: Roxanne
Date: 12/31/99 9:14:01 PM
They should have bloopers at the end of all movies. Can't you just imagine the ones for The Blair Witch Project? Oh wait, the whole movie was one big blooper...
Response #29
By: sooz
Date: 1/9/00 12:01:15 PM
I just re-read this entire thread, and I gotta say, Roxanne seems like one of the coolest people around here. Why haven't I met you yet, Roxy?
At any rate, I FINALLY got to Toy Story 2 yesterday. No, my son wasn't the one that drug me there... it was my husband. While we enjoyed it fine, we really liked the first one better. The big disappointment for us was that the soldier guys didn't go on the road with the gang.
Response #30
By: Roxanne
Date: 1/9/00 10:50:52 PM
Hi sooz! I don't know how/why we haven't encounter each other yet. I have a long and twisted history with this little group. I am actually surprised that any of them still talk to me after I up and moved to Alabama! :)
I do agree that it would have been cool for the soldier to go with the toys; but I liked the movie overall. In some ways more than the first one and in some ways, the first one was better. I just love a movie that is so full of wit and social commentary. Of course, I sat through most of movie trying to figure out who the voice of Jessie was..I knew I recognized it...and it was driving me crazy until I saw the credits!
Response #31
By: sooz
Date: 1/10/00 6:42:49 AM
Who WAS the voice of Jessie?
I spent half the movie arguing with my husband that the voice of Woody was George Clooney. I, um, lost.
Response #32
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 1/10/00 8:42:42 AM
Jessie was voiced by Joan Cusack.
Woody was voiced by himself.
Response #33
By: Da Sissop
Date: 1/10/00 9:25:07 PM
http://www.imdb.com... for whenever you have *any* questions about moobies.
Response #34
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 1/10/00 9:53:23 PM
DAMNIT! You've given away my secret!
Response #35
By: Ralf
Date: 1/11/00 9:02:20 AM
That's okay. You still have your secret identity.
Also Cinescape and Dark Horizons are pretty happening sites for that kinda thing.
Response #36
By: Roxanne
Date: 1/11/00 3:36:16 PM
Internet Movie Database has robbed me of many hours of my "young" life. It's addictive as crack!
Response #37
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 1/11/00 6:07:40 PM
Okay, Ralf, to the woodshed with you!
Response #38
By: sooz
Date: 1/11/00 11:01:24 PM
...without his pants, of course.
Response #39
By: Ralf
Date: 1/12/00 11:04:24 AM
Erm, what'd I do???
(Though the woodshed *does* sound intriguing...)
Response #40
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 1/12/00 12:00:58 PM
You're giving away all the top-secret aczezz sites to these civilians.
Don't you know they can't handle knowing this kind of information in advance?
Response #41
By: Roxanne
Date: 1/12/00 1:52:28 PM
Well, Gowan, you just revealed that there is a *woodshed*! What else are you not telling us about???? Hmmmmm???
Response #42
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/4/00 4:10:37 PM
Okay, due to the Tom Hanks connection, I'll put this post into the "TS2" section.
"You've Got Mail", just saw it. In some ways it captured the essence of online relationships very nicely. But it would have been more rewarding (and realistic) without the bitter rivals in real life twist on it. Of course, in all honesty, it was just "Sleepless in Seattle" all over again.
Response #43
By: Ralf
Date: 2/5/00 9:56:16 AM
I was amused that their mailboxes always had *1* letter in it, and never any junk email.
Response #44
By: sooz
Date: 2/5/00 11:32:51 AM
I saw this in Mexico, on one of my wonderful "No husbands/no kids/no pets/just girls" weekends in Mexico. We shopped, drank margaritas and watched pay-per-view movies.
The three of us that watched it determined that it was wayyyy too predictable and painfully obvious. Meg Ryan's cuteness factor can only carry a movie so far, ya know. It was blatant from the beginning what would happen, and there wasn't a single surprise twist or turn.
Response #45
By: Da Sissop
Date: 2/5/00 12:15:50 PM
Hmm... lessee, where did I put that Usenet posting? Ahyes, here it is...
Subject: Review: You've Got Mail (1998)
From: PBBP24A@prodigy.com (Edward Johnson-ott)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.current-films
You've Got Mail (1998)
Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Reiko Aylesworth, David Chappelle,
Dabney Coleman, Hallee Hirsh, Michael Palin, Parker Posey, John Randolph,
Howard Spiegel, Jean Stapleton, Steve Zahn. Written by Nora Ephron and
Delia Ephron. Directed by Nora Ephron. Running time: Endless.
Rated PG
Review by Ed Johnson-Ott, NUVO Newsweekly
www.[deleted].com
Archive reviews at http://us.[deleted]/M/reviews_by?Edward+Johnson-ott
To receive reviews by e-mail at no charge, send subscription requests to
[deleted]@prodigy.com
Dear Reader,
Picture Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan smooching on a sunny day in a gorgeous New
York City flower garden while "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" plays in the
background. Imagine Jean Stapleton saying "I tried to have cybersex once,
but I kept getting a busy signal." If the two previous sentences made
your stomach turn, keep reading. If, on the other hand, you found the
Hanks/Ryan image just darling and the Stapleton quip too cute for words,
get as far away from this review as possible, because my critique of the
insufferably cutesy-poo "You've Got Mail" will likely give you a headache.
"You've Got Mail" may be the ultimate chick flick. It wouldn't surprise
me if the ushers required any males attending the film to check their
balls at the door. During this excruciating exercise, I heard waves of
female giggling, laughing and "Aww-ing," plus a hearty round of applause
at the end. At no time did any man in the audience make a sound. Whether
this was because they were stunned, sickened or sleeping I cannot say.
I will say this: "You've Got Mail" will delight people who use writing
paper with bunnies on it. I guarantee that some hack critic will describe
the film as "a delightful, frothy holiday confection." "You've Got Mail"
is for people who embroider toaster cozies, fasten "Garfield" cartoons to
their refrigerators with ceramic magnets that look like food, and don't
change the channel when that insufferable Celine Dion "Titanic" song pops
up yet again on the radio. As for the rest of us, this is the sort of
movie that could throw even non-diabetics into sugar shock.
Meg Ryan twinkles non-stop as the proprietor of an unbelievably quaint
children's bookstore in Manhattan. Neighborhood kiddies sit enraptured
when she dresses-up as the chronically-adorable "Storybook Lady" and
reads to them, while her band of lovable rag-tag employees exchange one-
liners straight out of "Caroline in the City." At night, after Meg's
cuddly curmudgeon boyfriend (Greg Kinnear) goes to bed, she races to the
computer, where she waxes rhapsodic with her anonymous online guy pal.
During an endless stream of product placements for America Online, the
playpen for countless Internet twerps, Meg and her secret sweetie
exchange winsome observations about life in the Big Apple ("Don't you
love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies"). Are
you gagging yet?
Ah, but there's trouble in Pepperland. Meg's online honey-bunny is Tom
Hanks, an executive of a evil corporation that runs a chain of soulless
mega-bookstores. In standard movie coincidence fashion, his next Uber-
store is slated to open, you guessed it, right next to Meg's cuddly-
wuddly shop. The two continue their online flirt-a-thon, blissfully
unaware that in real life they are bitter business enemies. Goodness
gracious, how ironic!
Director Nora Ephron, who teamed with Hanks and Ryan for "Sleepless in
Seattle," co-wrote the script for this remake of "The Shop Around the
Corner," which doesn't contain a single sentence that any actual human
being would ever say in a million years. The painfully mannered dialogue
plays like the first draft of a flop Neil Simon play, made even more
irritating by Ephron's coy direction. From the first shot of Meg Ryan,
mugging for the camera while the soundtrack plays the kind of saccharin
music most often heard in movies with chimps or the Olsen twins, it's
clear that Ephron is aiming this fluff at those who consider "Touched By
An Angel" high art.
It gets even worse. Hanks enjoys a VH1 moment at a colorful street fair,
frolicking with a couple of kids. Ryan tries to psych herself up for a
confrontation by engaging in a cute-as-a-kitten session of shadow-boxing,
triggering fits of tittering from the women seated around me. I could go
on, but just writing about this noxious movie is making me woozy.
Before anyone fires off an angry letter on their sky blue note paper with
teddy bears on the borders, let me assure you that I am not the Grinch
that stole Christmas. I love "It's A Wonderful Life," and the romantic
comedy, "The Philadelphia Story," and "Local Hero," a whimsical tale
packed with quirky characters, is one of my all-time favorite films. The
difference between those movies and "You've Got Mail" is simple. They
have style and class, while "You've Got Mail" is pure goo, a frilly
Hallmark card with icing, whipped cream and a cherry on top. As soon as I
got home from enduring this concoction, I slapped a copy of "L.A.
Confidential" into the VCR, because exposure to a toxic offering like
"You've Got Mail" requires a severe and immediate antidote.
Hugs, kisses and rainbows,
Ed
P.S. If you thought "You've Got Mail" was wonderful and are steaming over
this review, let me ask you one question. If Tom really loved Meg and saw
that his mega-store was about to drive her children's bookstore out of
business, why didn't he simply stop carrying children's books and
instruct his staff to direct customers to Meg's place? His business could
easily withstand the minute drop in revenue, her business would continue
to thrive and it would have been the decent thing to do. Think about that
while you're rearranging the figurines on your toilet tank doily, girls.
© 1998 Ed Johnson-Ott
Response #46
By: sooz
Date: 2/5/00 10:20:55 PM
Can I review that review? He was too damned repetitious. And redundant. And said the same thing. Over and over.
Response #47
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/5/00 10:57:30 PM
Oh, but it contained the phrase, "movies with chimps or the Olsen twins," which makes it golden.
Response #48
By: Ralf
Date: 2/5/00 11:28:29 PM
It struck a chord. The in-laws dragged us to see this, and twittered about how wonderful and realistic it was ("They even had the AOL login screen!") the whole weekend.
Gah.
Response #49
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/6/00 12:30:09 PM
The only people who would find the movie wonderful/realistic are those who a) are on AOL or b) have never used a computer at all. My parents thought it was charming. Nuff said.
Response #50
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/6/00 4:51:31 PM
The other day I watched a movie called 'Hurly Burly,' which stars Sean Penn and features Meg Ryan. I thought, oh shit.. Meg Ryan! Here goes an otherwise decent flick, down the tubes. But she was pretty good as a promiscuous drug-addled freak.
Response #51
By: Ralf
Date: 2/7/00 8:01:07 AM
Don't you wish you could mix'n'match celebrities in movies?
For instance, "You Have Mail" would be MUCH more interesting if you swapped Tom Hanks for the Woody Harrelson from Natural Born Killers.
Response #52
By: sooz
Date: 2/7/00 10:18:51 AM
Ooo, ooo! How bout Anthony Hopkins from Silence of the Lambs as Patch Adams?
Response #53
By: Shadow Sprite
Date: 2/7/00 5:13:54 PM
Or, if you want to keep actors in the same movie...
How about Anthony Hopkins from Instinct replacing Anthony Hopkins in Meet Joe Black?
Response #54
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/8/00 12:13:08 AM
Response #55
By: Ralf
Date: 2/8/00 10:22:18 AM
Val Kilmer from the Doors --> Val Kilmer in Meet Joe Black.
Response #56
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/8/00 3:16:10 PM
Umm, wasn't that Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black?
Love the wav, Homer!!!
Ewan MacGregor in Trainspotting --> Ewan MacGregor in Star Wars Episode One the Phantom Menace!
Response #57
By: sooz
Date: 2/8/00 5:15:53 PM
Bruce Willis in... oh, wait. He's the same in everything.
Response #58
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/9/00 12:59:51 AM
Ewan MacGregor in Velvet Goldmine --> Ewan MacGregor in Episode 1
"Use the Glam, Obi-Wan!"
Response #59
By: Ralf
Date: 2/10/00 9:19:05 AM
Aren't Val Kilmer and Brad Pitt the same guy?
Tom Hanks from Big --> Tom Hanks in Apollo 13
Response #60
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/10/00 10:15:35 AM
Touche, Ralf.
Tom Hanks in "Bosom Buddies" --> Tom Hanks in "Saving Private Ryan"
Response #61
By: sooz
Date: 2/10/00 2:43:09 PM
Susan Sarandon in "Dead Man Walking" and Susan Sarandon in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Response #62
By: Ralf
Date: 2/11/00 2:04:39 PM
Barry Bostick from Rocky Horror --> Barry Bostick in Spin City.
Response #63
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/11/00 11:41:58 PM
Michael Landon in "I was a Teen-age Werewolf" --> Michael Landon in "Little House on the Prairie"
Response #64
By: Ralf
Date: 2/12/00 10:07:23 AM
Michael J. Fox from Teen Wolf --> Michael J. Fox in Spin City.
Response #65
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/12/00 12:22:31 PM
Woody Harrelson in "Natural Born Killers" --> Woody Harrelson in "Cheers"
Response #66
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/12/00 6:55:22 PM
Harvey Keitel in 'The Bad Lieutenant' --> Harvey Keitel in 'The Piano'
Response #67
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/14/00 4:18:56 PM
Patrick Stewart in "Jeffrey" --> Patrick Stewart in "Star Trek: Next Generation"
Response #68
By: Ralf
Date: 2/15/00 7:32:47 AM
Bruce Willis from "Hudson Hawk" --> Bruce Willis in "Die Hard"
Response #69
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/15/00 4:27:12 PM
Jodie Foster in "Taxi Driver" --> Jodie Foster in "Freaky Friday"
Response #70
By: Ralf
Date: 2/16/00 7:01:31 AM
"You lookin at me, mom?"
Ricardo Montalblan from "Star Trek: Wrath of Kahn" -->
Ricardo Montalblan in Fantasy Island
Response #71
By: Shadow Sprite
Date: 2/17/00 8:42:55 AM
Tom Hanks from Forrest Gump --> Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan
Gary Oldman from Rozencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead --> Gary Oldman in Air Force One
Response #72
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/17/00 1:29:00 PM
Kevin Spacey in "The Usual Suspects" --> Kevin Spacey in "American Beauty"
Response #73
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/18/00 2:27:32 AM
Cameron Diaz in 'Being John Malkovitch' -> Cameron Diaz in 'Something About Mary'
Response #74
By: Da Sissop
Date: 2/18/00 3:22:29 AM
Dustin Hoffman in "Rain Man" --> Dustin Hoffman in just about any other Dustin Hoffman movie.
"All the President's Rain Men"
Response #75
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/18/00 1:03:03 PM
Speaking of "All the President's Men"...has anybody seen "Dick"? It was really a clever movie. You have to be up on your Watergate Scandal history to get alot of the subtle jokes; but if you do get it, it is quite funny.