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By: sooz
Date: 12/20/99 1:25:59 PM
# Replies: 28
I like Robin Williams. I liked him when he was cranked on whatever his drug of choice was during SNL and Mork and Mindy. I liked him when he got clean, sober and earnest and did Mrs. Doubtfire and all those other heart-wrenchers. He absolutely MADE Aladdin, as the genie. I think he's a fabulous genius, so I'd probably go see Mary Poppins if he was in it.
HOWEVER... don't waste even a matinee price on Millenium Man. We went with yesterday, and it was a long, drawn-out, long, please-get-to-the-point, long, overdone, milquetoast thing. Did I mention it was long?
The concept of an android wanting to become human and being treated as human has been done before, most notably in ST:TNG with Data. There are one, possibly two funny moments where Robin Williams goes into a quick list of silly jokes ("Why don't cannibals eat clowns? They taste funny."), but mostly, it just drones.
POSSIBLE SPOILER, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T LIKE TO KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE MOVIE BEFOREHAND -- WARNING WARNING-- THis doesn't give away any secrets, but just it might be considered a spoiler if you don't want to know much:
There was also the twist of him surviving through generations of one family. The concept of him being vaguely romantically linked to a woman AND her granddaughter seemed vaguely, weirdly incestuous to me. I didn't like it. Even Jimmy thought it was kind of "gross".
Go see DOgma, see The Straight Story, see Sixth Sense again and again. But don't blow cash on this mess, not even for the kids.
Response #1
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 12/20/99 1:36:28 PM
She means Bicentennial Man.
Strangely enough, Millennium Man was a made-for-tv movie on Friday night that was a cross between "The Six Million Dollar Man" and the new show on CBS "Now and Then".
I haven't seen either.
Response #2
By: Ralf
Date: 12/21/99 11:23:44 AM
Bicentennial Man was an Asimov short story written in 1976. It made me cry the first time I read it, because of all the terrible things that happened to this poor soul by the very beings he loved.
When I first heard about the Bicentennial Man film project in 1998, I hoped it was going to be a serious effort. When I heard Williams was going to play the part of Andrew, I worried... but convinced myself he was capable of doing the character right after seeing What Dreams May Come.
It's a shame when such an incredible, moving story is turned into a weak comedy because filmmakers don't think american audiences can handle it. (Incidently, in the book Andrew loved Little Miss in a paternal way. There was never any sex implied.)
Oh well. I just heard that Silver Metal Lover was optioned, and should be in theaters for Christmas 2001. Maybe *that* will get done right.
Response #3
By: rorschach
Date: 12/21/99 12:48:54 PM
I keep waiting to see "Songs of Distant Earth" or "Lucifer's Hammer" in film......(Deep Impact had my hopes up for a while...) I guess I just keep waiting.....
Response #4
By: sooz
Date: 12/21/99 2:08:11 PM
Re: Andrew and Little Miss. Andrew DID care for Little Miss in a paternal way, because at the time, it hadn't occurred to him to think of her otherwise. She felt more strongly about him, however. The union was obviously never possible, so he hooked up with her granddaughter instead.
The beginning credits do mention the Asimov story, and say they combined it with another novel whose name I promised myself I'd remember, but of course I didn't. Damn.
Response #5
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 12/21/99 6:32:49 PM
The Positronic Man, also by Asimov, is all I can find in the credits.
Response #6
By: sooz
Date: 12/22/99 6:18:52 AM
Yep, that's it.
Response #7
By: Ralf
Date: 12/22/99 8:27:21 AM
Ah. Then that's where the sex stuff comes from.
If they're gonna cross-breed novels, they should do it RIGHT.
E.g., Day of the Triffids + Silence of the Lambs.
Response #8
By: Cleotis
Date: 12/24/99 12:09:45 AM
Speaking of sex...
I've recently become reinfatuated with what is probably the greatest film I've ever seen.
I just can't get enough of "Boogie Nights".
It's rare that you see a film, and walk away from it in a bit of a daze - strangely yet wonderfully exhausted. That's what Boogie Nights did for me. The music, the capturing of an era, the acting... Even the subtleties of the movie - the things you don't catch until you watch it 4 or 5 times.
Man, what a freaking GREAT film!
Response #9
By: sooz
Date: 12/24/99 11:54:25 AM
(Puts "Boogie Nights" on list of things to get with free Blockbuster rental coupons)
Response #10
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 12/24/99 2:17:10 PM
My problem with Boogie Nights is that I caught it on cable, and tuned in halfway through. So basically all the super-evil ultraviolent parts, with none of the happy whimsey.
Response #11
By: Ralf
Date: 12/26/99 1:11:49 PM
Seeing Marky Mark's extralong prosthetic penis wasn't happy whimsey?
Response #12
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 12/27/99 2:13:15 PM
Maybe I missed that part, too. Or maybe it was just too stunning and I had a blackout, I dunno...
However, I'm looking forward to seeing Magnolia.
Response #13
By: Roxanne
Date: 12/31/99 9:09:43 PM
"Boogie Nights" addiction? Hmm, very interesting.
Re: The prostethic penis...they didn't need to show that. I would have preferred using my imagination since the reaction of the other characters' when they'd see it was priceless.
Re: Burt Reynolds found his niche...was he not perfect for that role??
Response #14
By: Tess Trueheart
Date: 1/1/00 9:11:06 AM
He did do a good job in that movie. I liked the penis, it showed why he was the big man on campus..so to speak.
Response #15
By: Seventh of Seven
Date: 1/4/00 4:47:36 PM
that movie really didn't do much for improving my self esteem.
Response #16
By: Ralf
Date: 1/5/00 8:13:20 AM
*shrug* It's 20% equipment and 80% expertise.
I am reminded of a story I read about some car-magazine writers who were at a race track to compare some new cars. Mario Andretti was on hand, to offer his professional guru opinion.
Just for fun, one of the writers jumps into a 1998 twin-turbo Supra (about 320hp, 0-60 in 5 seconds, top speed 180) and says to Mario, "try'n catch me if you can!" then peels out onto the track.
Mario climbs into an old Celica (150hp; lots slower) and follows in hot pursuit. Everyone laughs at Mario's funny joke.
Until, within three laps Mario has caught up to the Supra and PASSES it. The reason's simple: Mario knew how to drive, and the writer didn't.
Response #17
By: Seventh of Seven
Date: 1/5/00 9:23:58 AM
so what you're saying is, i should pretend i'm mario andretti?
Response #18
By: sooz
Date: 1/5/00 2:42:40 PM
And get a Celica.
There aren't enough women on this board, so the 3 or 4 of us will have to pretend to represent the entire population... unless we can get some input from any bi or gay guys.
Ralf's right. In my younger, sleazier years I tried 'em all... and a smaller man with technique is much more interesting than a welll-endowed man with all the lovemaking skills of a jackhammer.
Response #19
By: Da Sissop
Date: 1/5/00 8:36:06 PM
Cool! So, um, define "technique"...
Response #20
By: Roxanne
Date: 1/5/00 9:50:01 PM
"Technique" could be defined as any position that makes the most of what a man has got.
I agree with sooz that a well-endowed man who doesn't think he needs to have a technique because "size is all that matters" is a big yawner compared to an "average" guy who brings some creativity to the boudoir...
Response #21
By: sooz
Date: 1/5/00 11:14:09 PM
...and as a lot of men haven't realized, there are other ways to turn a woman on than just with a penis.
Response #22
By: Da Sissop
Date: 1/6/00 5:29:46 AM
Well geez, I just bought a new Hyundai, and it hasn't had any effect.
Response #23
By: Ralf
Date: 1/6/00 8:10:42 AM
Kia feels under the covers. "Isuzu?"
"Yep!" Bentley says. "Isn't it Supra?!"
"Ram Tough." She Rolls her eyes. "Like a Rock."
"Camaro here, my Luv and I'll Impala."
One Thing she was Reliant on, was how he could Bug her with his Cavalier attitude. Quick as a Viper she decided: No More Mr. Goodwrench.
"Avanti you doing?!" Bentley yelps, her hand becoming a Talon.
"Goodbye Bonnerville!"
Response #24
By: Tess Trueheart
Date: 1/9/00 7:56:57 AM
Yeah baby..
Can you hammer a six inch spike through a board with your penis?
A girls got to have her standards...
There are times when a hammer is the right tool for the job. tee hee
Response #25
By: sooz
Date: 1/9/00 11:59:49 AM
Tess speaks the truth, yessir... the tricky part (for men AND women, I suppose) is knowing which tool to pull outta the tool box at which time!
(For some reason, "It's Hammer Time!" keeps coming to mind.)
Response #26
By: Ralf
Date: 1/10/00 7:13:16 AM
Joist pliered her with screwdrivers until she had to lathe down. Once she was level, he undid her dickies, popping each rivet lovingly until her padded c-clamp was exposed. Applying a gentle #000 fine touch, he worked against her grain until beads of moisture appeared. Reminding himself that one musn't overprepare, he loosened his toolbelt, clawed his hammer free and pounded away rhythmically, whistling while he worked.
Response #27
By: Da Sissop
Date: 1/10/00 9:26:21 PM
"Hello, I'm Bob Vila, and welcome to This Old Whorehouse."
Response #28
By: Ralf
Date: 7/17/00 12:07:13 PM
I just wanna say, we rented this Bicentennial Man thing and there was NO machine-assisted pornography at all. I was really disappointed.