Unlike Creative Noise where I place comments from readers next to the individual reviews and band pages, I decided to create a separate page collecting all the reader comments in one place. I soon realized that any comments on my brief capsule reviews would seem obtrusive, but I do enjoy hearing from you -- and I do want to hear what others have to say; after all, I don't claim to be some sort of ultimate authority on anything -- I'm beginning a dialogue, not saying, "This is my opinion, if you don't like then **** you!". Feel free to post either general rantings'n'ravings or specific comments about specific films.
Reader CommentsMiksville@aol.comI personally thought that Jerry Maguire deserved at least an A-. But to give that movie a B- is not fair at all. How can anyone get upset at a filmmaker maturing. I think you should watch the movie again and take off the beer goggles that you had on when you saw Fast Times. Jerry Maguire was one of the best movies of the year. That's my two cents. A fan of Jerry Maguire. Xander, xander@eisa.net.auInteresting comments on Peckinpah - I have become interested in Straw Dogs again through a friend. Like him I praise the brilliance of the film making and particularly the editing. The idea of the unleashed violence which may be in all of us- even a wimpy pacifistic math professor is nicely disturbing. Intellectualized violence - should be more of it - make a man of you. I think the film's fundamental flaw is the notorious rape scene - a serious clink in Peckinpah's personal armour. I have not yet seduced a woman into watching this with me to see how she feels about Susan George's "change of heart" during the stressful encounter, but somehow I feel she would feel rather insulted. This seriously mars an otherwise superbly tense and gruesome thriller with significant brains. By the by, it appears that the UK still refuses to give this film a video/DVD certificate unless trims are made to the scenes of George's obvious pleasure. The distributors perhaps for reasons of artistic integrity have refused. Maybe they can't trim and still preserve the violence of the scene without destroying the magnificent editing. On another more pleasant film, if you haven't seen Ride the High Country (1962) I would thoroughly recommend it. As well as having those good ol' Peckinpah themes about the decline in honourable manly values and ageing gunfighters making last stands, it also contains a fair dollop of John Ford type knockabout humor. A very pleasant sentimental yarn, quite beautifully shot - sort of a Mild Bunch. Some interesting and well-put thoughts there. I keep going back and forth with "Straw Dogs"; I agree that the rape scene is the film's main flaw -- but it's also the centerpiece of the film. Very few films really do put your nerves and emotions through the ringer like "Straw Dogs", so it is brilliant - but the message is problematic. -- B. Burks Rob Beeler, info@movienamegame.comI was doing some research on Sam Peckinpah and was impressed so I poked around your site some more. I'm quite impressed. I especially liked your opinion on the AFI top 100 films - I agreed with quite a bit of what you said. I also forgot about Lloyd Cole - you reminded me I need to update my CD collection. Overall nice work! Anyway, I want to invite you to check out my new site - http://www.movienamegame.com . I think it might be something you would consider fun - it takes a love for movies with a knack for writing to be good at it. That's how I found your site - I was doing research to write up 'The Osterman Weekend at Bernie's' and needed to refresh my memory. Hopefully, you won't read this as a shameless plug. I honestly liked the content of your site and thought you'd like to see my newest creation. Dirty Harry + Harry met Sally = Tagline: Can a man and a woman be friends, without a Smith & Wesson getting in the way? **************************************** |