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Conference bookie::movies

Title:Movie Reviews and Discussion
Notice:Please do DIR/TITLE before starting a new topic on a movie!
Moderator:VAXCPU::michaudo.dec.com::tamara::eppes
Created:Thu Jan 28 1993
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1249
Total number of notes:16012

931.0. "To Die For" by TROOA::BUTKOVICH (blink and I'm gone) Mon Sep 11 1995 16:48

    (****) 
    Unfortunately I didn't see the Gala showing (which is when all the 
    stars appear) but the repeat showing on Saturday. This movie could 
    best be described as "quirky" and whether you like it or not will 
    depend on whether you like these kind of fanciful/farcical films. 
    It stars Nicole Kidman who is a real revelation - I would never    
    have imagined her cast for this part, but now that I have seen the    
    movie, I cannot imagine any other actress in the role. The story is    
    very loosely based on the Pamela Smart (I think that's the name) case
    where the schoolteacher had her students kill her husband. Except here, 
    the story has been written by Buck Henry and that alone should give you 
    a hint that sarcasm and caustic wit will play a big part in the telling.
    The husband is played by Matt Dillon, but it really is a very minor role. 
    One of the students is played by Joaquin Phoenix, River's brother, and 
    it's almost scary how stoned he looks most of the time.Dillon's sister is
    played by Illeana Douglas... can't remember where    I've seen her
    before, but she steals all her scenes and gets most of    the best
    lines.  Suzanne Stone (Kidman) has a dream - she wants her own    TV
    talk show and won't let anyone (including her husband) stop her. She   
    lands a job at the local (town is called Little Hope) cable station and   
    then pesters her bosses until they let her shoot a documentary about   
    high school students.  With the help of the 3 teens she has decided to   
    use for the documentary, she contrives to get rid of her husband
         
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931.1good movie (I overused "pretty" I see)CTHU26::S_BURRIDGEThu Oct 12 1995 17:218
    This was pretty well done, I thought-- the reactions of the various
    small town folks to Suzanne's behaviour, the tensions among the
    in-laws, the adolescent vulnerabilities she manipulates, all seemed pretty 
    realistic, and often were pretty funny.
    
    And I really liked the ending.
    
    -Stephen
931.2SPSEG::COVINGTONand the situation is excellent.Thu Oct 12 1995 17:4813
    I thought this movie was great.
    
    As an example of how good Nicole Kidman was, I couldn't remember her
    name after the movie, even though I'm very familiar with her name and
    other movies. I just couldn't remember that it was her.
    
    The sister-in-law was terrific, too. It would have been interesting to
    see her in more scenes with other people.
    
    A lighthearted black comedy, if that makes any sense.
    
    Re: ending
    Stay for the credits.
931.3SLEEPR::MAIEWSKIMon Oct 16 1995 17:2220
  I saw this movie last night and felt it was pretty good. Nicole Kidman does a
really great job playing Pamela Smart, ... excuse me, ... Suzanne Stone and the
other actors all do a fine job including Buck Henry who does an extensive cameo
as the school principle. 

  The story follows the Smart case more than just a little bit, the crime is
almost exactly the same, the makeup of the group is almost exactly the same and
the portrayal of Suzanne Stone matches exactly the picture of Pamela Smart
painted by the prosecution and bought by the press and jury in the real case. 

  If there is a flaw in the movie it is that the style in which it is done
seems a little choppy. This is due to the entire story being told in flashbacks
as the various characters are interviewed but the individual "chunks" more than
make up for this in quality.

  Ok for seeing on the big screen but it has the feel of a really good tape to
take home. The interview style should be perfect on TV.

  *** out of 5 (maybe **** on TV)
  George
931.4black comedyMKOTS1::HIGGINSMon Oct 23 1995 16:456
    I saw this over the weekend and I really enjoyed this film. I thought
    it matched the real life story of the New Hamphire woman to a T.
    And the boy who played Stone's lover looked and acted exactly like
    the real life one. I thought some parts where ironically funny. 
    Like the term "ice maiden".  If you see the ending of the story you
    will see what the true meaning of it is.
931.5***/*****TUXEDO::HASBROUCKMon Nov 06 1995 14:4010
Those who expect the Pam Smart story will be disappointed.  This film
is a "star vehicle" for Nicole Kidman.  A good one, I might add.  She's
radiant.  But she plays a modern-day Eve Harrington, which Pam Smart
ain't.  

A better "lite" murder comedy is "My New Gun".  Out for 3 years - 
checkout the video.  Or if you like films about ambitious starlets,
try "All About Eve".

Brian
931.6KERNEL::PLANTCA Vodka Martini, Shaken not stirred.Tue Nov 21 1995 11:2611
    
    
    
    I saw the movie but didn't see the end credits....can someone please
    put what is shown behind a spoiler warning or mail it to me
    at kernel::plantc.
    
    Thanks
    Chris
    :)
    
931.7Tom Cruise is a lucky manSWAM1::MEUSE_DAThu Apr 18 1996 22:395
    
    Rented it over the weekend and enjoyed it.
    Nicole Kidman is terrific.
    
    
931.8I did like the end.SUBSYS::NEUMYERYour memory still hangin roundMon May 13 1996 15:296
    
    About the only thing that this movie had going for it was Nicole
    Kidman, and I don't mean her acting ability either. Of course the plot
    was a ripoff, but the acting was terrible. God awful narrative style. 
    
    ed
931.9how does joyce maynard fit in here ??EVER::LALIBERTEPSG/IAE - OGOMon Jan 13 1997 16:447
931.10writing...QUARRY::reevesJon Reeves, UNIX compiler groupMon Jan 13 1997 22:3710
931.11EVER::LALIBERTEPSG/IAE - OGOTue Jan 14 1997 14:084
931.12Novel based on caseQUARRY::reevesJon Reeves, UNIX compiler groupTue Jan 14 1997 15:557