Conference bookie::movies

    Well, I for one am looking forward to it, but was hoping for something
    light.  Now, I'll call a babysitter!!
    
    -sandy
    

    A really fun movie! Not a great amount of plot... just enough to get
    by, has a lot of Mel Gibson humor influence....
    
    worth seeing at the Theater, but if you miss it, it should be as good
    on video....
    
    Michael
    

    Pretty funny movie.  Graham Greene (you know, the guy who plays all
    those "noble Indian" roles -- ala Dances with Wolves, Northern Exposure,
    etc.  He plays the noble Indian, Wes Studi always plays the pissed off
    Indian) really stole the scenes he was in.  James Garner was pleasant,
    Mel was doing his Americanized Mel/Lethal Weapon humor schtick with
    some restraint and Jodi Foster was there, too.  Mel does a good young
    James Garner and James Garner does a fine himself.  
    
    Dragged a bit towards the end, could have afforded some tightening up
    around the poker game and afterwards.  Lots of "plot twists", most of 
    which I guessed before they happened, but didn't mind.  Chock full 'o 
    familiar faces (Alfred Molina plays Angel, the real bad guy of the movie.
    I kept seeing him in his role opposite Gary Oldman in "Prick Up Your Ears".
    Now there's an example of acting range...  :)  Some real anachronisms, in 
    dialog if nothing else, but it's not the kind of Western that you end up 
    caring.   Gorgeous scenery shots, and speaking of which, plenty of Mel 
    With No Shirt On, too.  
    
    We liked it. Of course, we had to deal with the projectionist catching 
    on that the picture wasn't set right about 5 minutes into the movie and 
    kids "sneaking" into the theatre quite blatantly through the exit doors, 
    but hey.  It only cost $3.  Quite probably worth the more typical
    theatre prices of $6-7.50.     
    
    *** out of ****
    
    kim
                                               
    

    I got the "Mel takes his shirt off" count at 5 - is that about right?
    
    Graham Greene was terrific, the scenery was spectacular, the plot OK,
    and the three stars were marvelous.  A very entertaining movie.
    
    8.5 out of 10
    
    NAZZ
    
    

    My wife confirms the "Mel with no shirt" count at 5.
    Yep, Greene (the Indian) steals the scenes he's in.
    
    Maybe I shoulda seen it coming, but the Big Surprise
    (you know, the last five minutes) came as a complete 
    surprise to me, so I enjoyed the movie all the more 
    because of it. Good piece of scriptwork.
    
      John

    Saw this over the weekend and really enjoyed it too.  I liked all of
    the cameos at the big card game- Clint Black, grandfather from the
    Dukes of Hazard, the guy that was a doctor on Emergency - but was also
    in some old western show, and a few others.
    
    Oh yea, shirtless Mel wasn't bad either.....
    
    Barb
    

	Another thumbs up here.  Very cute.  I was confused what everyone
	thought was funny about the bank robbery scene until I saw the film
	reviewed on TV and they mentioned what other Mel Gibson films the
	director directed.  And I too didn't guess the ending.  I was surprised
	at one thing though ......

[spoiler warning]

	I didn't think he'd let the girl leave after the poker game
	was over.  But I guess it would of been a cliche if he had,
	and it was nice how in the end he really didn't let her get
	away ("I'll have more fun chasing her down" or something like that).

    Best cameo....
    
    
    		Bank robber in the early part of the movie...
    
    
    

    Saw this the other night - definately all thumbs up!
    
    I ditto what's been said before - good light-hearted movie - don't need
    to like westerns in order to enjoy it.
    
    Even though some of the surprise will be gone, I want to see it a
    second time. Have a feeling I missed more cameos..... The bank robbery
    scene was good - but only if you know about Gibson's other movies.
    
    Besides Mel looking good, Jodie Foster definately looked good in those
    dresses, too - so there's something for the guys! 
    
    I also liked that James Garner had the role he did.... 
    
    best lines    "did I hold my breath?..." "You breath heavy when you're
    excited..."  "How do you.... oh ... did I hold my breath?"
    
    good movie!

	The cold bathwater line was pretty good, along with the
	reactions.

	- John

    I just saw this yesterday.  I really enjoyed this picture.  I always
    liked the series also.  I do have a question for any western fans
    though...  Behind ff so as not to spoil it for anyone
    
    I was trying to place names with faces for the big poker tournament.  I
    recognized Doug McClure from the Men from Shiloh and wasn't that James
    Drury from the Virginian.  Also the guy that played Manualito from High
    Chapparel and was the other blond/white haired guy Blue Boy.  Also one
    of the guy from the Texas Rangers.  Wasn't one of the guy the father
    from Lancer.  I didn't watch the credits but I would be interested in
    knowing who was at the game.
    
    Thanks,
    Donna 

    I saw "Maverick" as part of a rather wild'n'wacky movie-going day, in
    which a bunch of us started with brunch, then saw "Serial Mom," then -
    inspired by the trailer - went in search of "Maverick". It was a romp;
    generally silly, but many parts were very funny indeed. [I found much
    of it to be overdone for my taste. Triple-takes that should have
    stopped at doubles, for example, or "pause here for laughter" bits that
    were longer than the laughter was, and some flying character-changes
    that seemed better suited to sketch comedy than a motion picture. But,
    heck, I enjoyed it, as "lite" entertainment with some amount of charm.]
    
    Re .12: 
    
    <possible surprise-cameos spoiler>
    
    
    The only one I spotted was Doug McClure; once I saw him I did look for
    other cameos, but didn't recognize anybody else by name. Hmmmm. Now I'm
    wondering whether it's worth seeing again. ;-)
    
    -b

[spoiler warning in reference to cameos]

	I wouldn't necessarly call it a cameo since he only seems to play
	bit parts anyways in movies, but the actor who plays Nick Tortelli
	(Carla's ex-husband on Cheers) was one of the 20 players in the
	big game.

	Also Robert Horton from Wagon Train.

    
    	Uncle Jesse - Denver Pyle
    
    	"Emergency" doctor - Randolph Mantooth, I think.
    
    
    	Why do I remember these things?
    
    							GTI

    
    This movie had a TON of cameos. Country-western singers and actors from
    old westerns. The credits were scrolling too fast to pick up all of
    them. 

    Was that Lois Lane (Margo Kidder) who got her wedding dress stolen?

    Paul

    re: .16 - nope, not Randolph Mantooth - he's on some soap now.  Darn,
    it's gonna bug me until I remember his name...
    
    Barb

    Robert something (doctor from "Emergency")  He was married to the lady
    who played the nurse (Julie...somebody).
    
    
    
    kim

    The "Emergency" doctor was Robert Horton (also of "Wagon Train").
    
    Clint Black played the gambler with the mechanical card feed up his
    sleeve.
    
    Henry Darrow was there ("High Chapparal")

    Isn't the "Emergency" doctor Robert Fuller?  Who was in "Laramie"
    as well as "Wagon Train"?  Robert Horton was in the earlier 
    "Wagon Train" episodes.
    
    Nancy 

    Fuller vs. Horton.
    
    Yup, got my Bobs mixed.
    

    This was entertaining, but I didn't really care for the voiceovers or
    the modern tone of voice.  In the end, I think they were more concerned 
    with having fun than making a good movie.
    
    Certainly worth seeing as a matinee.  Worth seeing at full price if
    you're with a group and in a silly mood.

    
    Just seen this, and was more than a little p*ssed off by the final
    poker game.
    
    In the UK, the trailer for this film shows Maverick throwing a certain
    card on the card table onto a pile of chips. 
    
    During the last game, as soon as he looked at the cards he'd got, I
    remembered the scene from the trailer, and so instantly knew which card
    he was going to get next!
    
    May only be a little point but I can never remember a trailer for a
    film giving such a large bit of the film away before!
    
    Steve.
    
    PS. Still thought the film was excellent!
    

    Re: .24
    
    >so instantly knew which card he was going to get next!
    
    What, you couldn't guess that before?  This being a movie, it would
    have been heresy for him to get any other card....

    re .-1
    
    Not really the point to me reply. I could have guessed the card, but it
    spoilt that bit of the film for me, as I *knew* exactly what was going
    to happen.
    
    Still think they were wrong putting something like that in the trailer
    advertising the film.
    
    Steve
    

    I noticed too lately that most of these films are so hyped before
    release that if you watch enough trailers, you can skip the price of
    admission!
    
    -s
    

    I agree with -2... that was pretty cheezy... even if it is only a
    movie... in the back of your mind is always the possibility that it
    would be the wrong card... that's why the suspense, you KNOW it will be
    that card, but it just might not be...
    
    Michael

    We caught this last night at the Elm in Millbury and both really
    enjoyed it.  Would have been worth full ticket price!
    
    I agree with all the previous notes - especially Graham Greene
    stealing the scenes he was in!  
    
    Jt

    A little late, but I just saw it on video and the frau and I enjoyed it
    and had a lot of laughs. Jodie Foster was beautiful and mucho sexy. Mel
    Gibson did a good job as a comedy actor and James Garner did a superb
    job. The scenes with Graham Greene were definitely the highlight, other
    than the Clint Black tune while the big game was going on. A lot of
    cameos by so many "old-timers" of the western T.V. shows. Excellent!