Beware: This filmography page contains long, drawn out tangents. You might be annoyed. Don't say I didn't warn you.
This page last updated: 06/05/08
Just click on the movie title to go to a page devoted to that film!!! You'll see pictures, still captures, reviews and more!!!
GRAND CANYON---USA 1991, Twentieth Century Fox
This was Jeremy's big screen debut at age 16. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan (SILVERADO, THE BIG CHILL)this is sort of a period piece set in early 1990s Los Angeles and it's about a group of people who are brought together in friendship while they deal with things like gangs, violence, abandoned babies, infidelity and lonliness.
OTHER TITLES: THE SOUL OF THE CITY (Spain); THE HEART OF THE CITY (France)
MPAA Rating: R for violence, strong language and very brief nudity
Genre: Mostly drama, some crime-drama, a smidgen of romantic comedy
When did I first see it??? Sometime in February 1997 on cable. It's the second movie I saw with Jeremy Sisto. I looked at him in his driving scene with Kline and said, "Hey!!! That's Elton!!!"
My grade: A+ Excellent
Cast includes: Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, Mary Louise Parker, Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard, Tina Lifford, Patrick Malone, Sarah Trigger and Marley Shelton.
Jeremy played: Roberto, the 15 year old son of Kevin Kline's character who is just learning to drive. He did a great job and was kind of a source of comic relief, especially while just learning to drive!!!
His look: Personality/Character Tidbits: Roberto spends a few weeks a year working as a counselor at a camp up in the mountains. Likes to watch basketball. Doesn't like to write letters to home all that much. Takes medications for allergies. He and his parents moved to LA from Michigan when he was little. All in all a good kid.
Best scene: The driving scene of course.
Best lines: "Ma, I'm going to camp, not the army!!!"
"Is this going to be about my hair again???" "You're lucky you got out of there with your life!!! It could have been CURTAINS, Dad!!!" I loved that one!!! I haven't heard that expression since Bugs Bunny cartoons!!!
Was there a love interest??? Yes, in the form of Amanda, a pretty blonde Roberto meets at camp, played by Marley Shelton.
Where and when does this story take place??? Lala Land, The City of Angels (Where a few halos have slipped), also known as Los Angeles, or Smogsville
What is the time frame of the story??? It takes place in 1991, from Summertime to around Thanksgiving. Debra, the kids and Simon all live in Inglewood, while Mack and his bunch live probably in Westwood or thereabouts.
Is there a book? Not that I know of.
What's my favorite scene??? I like the driving scene.
Soundtrack: Many songs from the late Warren Zevon, including "Lawyers, Guns & Money"; "F*ck Tha Police" from NWA, a group us white kids listened to back in 1989.
DVD Extras: USA/CANADA Region 1: A making of featurette, and trailer.
If you liked GRAND CANYON, you might just like these films too: PLAYING BY HEART,
WAITING TO EXHALE, THE BIG CHILL, SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK and now, I'm told, CRASH (the 2005 film)...these are all emsemble comedies and/or dramas.
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SOLOMON'S CHOICE---ABC TV 1992
A made for TV movie dealing with terminal illness. Cassie Robbins is a high schooler who finds out that she has leukemia. While she undergoes chemotherapy, her dad and step-mom find themselves tangled in a bitter legal dispute about whether or not to allow Cassie's little brother to donate bone marrow, which may or may not save her, and may or may not put the other child's life in jeopardy.
Other titles: DESPERATE CHOICES, THE FINAL CHOICE
TV PG for serious topics like death of a child, illness, and familial complications...
Genre: Family drama, medical drama, courtroom drama
When did I see this??? August 1999 on the FOX FAMILY CHANNEL.
My Grade: A, Excellent, except the ending left a big question mark with me. I wanted to know the outcome of the family's decision.
Cast includes: Reese Witherspoon, Joanna Kerns, Bruce Davison, Joseph Mazzello
Jeremy played: Josh, a friend of Cassie's who becomes her boyfriend after she is diagnosed. He was adorable in this movie. Josh seemed very drawn to Cassie's courage and strength.
His look: Tall and lanky, long, thick dark hair, jeans and football gear.
Personality/Character Tidbits: Josh is the quarterback of the high school football team. Rides a motorcycle. Likes to tease Cassie, but is very shy when he shows her a picture of the football team with "Get well" notes to her on it. Sweet kid.
Best scene: The kiss...awwwww!!!
Best lines: "You're the man!!!" "Fight, dammit, fight!!!" "I meant what I said on the picture."
Love interest??? Josh IS the love interest...
Where and when does this story take place??? A small foothill community whose name I'm not sure. Deer View is the name of the High School, but is it the name of the town??? Don't know which state either but it looks like Northern California or Washington or something. The story is pretty contemporary and could be any year in the 1990s.
What is the time frame??? This story appears to take shape over the course of a year, give or take a few months.
Is there a book? Not that I know of.
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THE CREW---USA 1994, Live/Artisan, Cineville, available on VHS only in the USA, avail on DVD in Nederland, Poland, Australia and other regions.
Other titles: LA TRIPULACION (Spanish); AN UNCERTAIN CRUISE; TERROR ON A YACHT, ZALOGA (Poland), RIOT ON THE HIGH SEAS (Brasil)
This is one of the most interesting films Jeremy has ever been in. Set in Miami, Florida and the Caribbean Sea, this is a psychodrama about a group of vacationers who are taken hostage by the two strangers they pick up at sea.
MPAA rating: R for strong profanity, violence and adult themes regarding sexuality, nudity (Jeremy's character has breasts, which you see in one scene), racism and hate crimes against homosexuals.
Genre: Psychological thriller, drama, and some surprisingly funny dark comedy now and then.
When did I see this??? March 1999
My Grade: A+ Excellent
Cast includes: Viggo Mortensen, Donal Logue. Pamela Gidley, John Philbin, Laura Del Sol, Sam Jenkins, Grace Zabriskie, and Ray Wise.
Jeremy played: Timothy Grant, a young man who recently became a woman (transexual) because he wasn't fulfilled just being the gay lover of George. He wanted to be a woman, so he had surgery and to pay for it, he hoped to get some money smuggling Camilla, a Cuban immigrant, into the U.S. Jeremy's performance in this film was so brilliantly solid that I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE IT WAS ONLY HIS THIRD FILM!!! This is a definite must see for any Jeremy fan.
His look:
Personality/Character Tidbits: Tim is really a mysterious character. Not much is offered about his background. He speaks in a thick Southern accent. He thinks Catherine Deneuve is a beautiful actress. He likes Cuban music. He is a desperately lonely and sad person who seems so focused on pleasing George that his whole existence is wrapped up IN George. He seems to have lost his sense of SELF, and doesn't have the first clue about how to be a woman without falling by the wayside like so many women do.
Best scene: There were plenty of candidates, but my favorite has to be when Tim and Phil scream at each other and Catherine Denueve is mentioned. A close second is the heartbreaking conversation Tim and Bill have about their late mothers.
Best lines: "Honey, honey, could you please watch your attitude???!!!" "Don't worry Phillip, my mama had a lot of sailor friends." "Hey you guys!!! Listen up, this is my fav-o-rite song!!!" "I look like my mother. She would freak OUT if she saw the new me."
Is there a book? I WISH!!! : )
Love interest??? Tim has an unseen lover named George, who has evidently taken up with Larry while Tim's been out trying to get a decent boat for his scheme. Also, there was a slight hint of attraction between Tim and Bill, which of course really upset Phillip!!!
Where and when does the story take place??? It's a pretty contemporary story, being that talk shows, AIDS, and Armageddon (not that awful Bruce W. movie!!!) are all talked about. It takes place in Miami, Florida and on the Caribbean Sea not far from the Bahamas. The character Tim's accent suggests he might be from Alabamy, Mizzippi, Kain-tucky, Jo-Ja (Georgia) or maybe he's from the same town as Sonny James!!! : )
What is the time frame??? The story takes place over a single day.
If you liked THE CREW, you'll probably love these films: BOYS DON'T CRY, SOLDIER'S GIRL, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE, BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE, NORMAL, TRANSAMERICA, and BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN...these are all films dealing with homosexuality/transgenderism and/or with crimes against the gay community.
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THE SHAGGY DOG---Disney/ABC TV 1994
A remake of Walt Disney's 1959 classic about a teenaged boy who is turned into a sheepdog by an ancient Italian ring.
TV G, no violence, language or sex to worry about
Genre: Family comedy and fantasy
When did I see this??? Sometime after I'd caught Sisto Fever in May 1997.
My Grade: C+ It's okay...Scott Weinger and Jeremy Sisto are both cutie pies, but this movie is really silly. I liked the old one better (with Tommy Kirk and Fred MacMurray).
Cast Includes: Sharon Lawrence, Ed Begley Jr., Jordan Warkol, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Sarah Lassez, and James Cromwell.
Jeremy Played: Trey, the "best friend" of Wilby, the poor kid who's cursed by the ring. Like Tim Considine in the old B&W original, Jeremy is a complete jerk...rude, crude, manipulative, scheming. This is probably the first of Jeremy's many loathesome characters. Reminds me of Elton's little brother!!! Some really great laughs come from Trey tripping over the Shaggy Dog and falling into the bushes!!! What a dork!!! : )~ Interesting memory: My mom got a glimpse of Jeremy and hated him!!! She liked the old movie and I think she was hot for Tim Considine and didn't wanna see anyone in his role!!!
His look: Very tall and lanky, tanned, well groomed, wears "preppy" styles on evening dates and looks hot in tank tops on hot summer days.
Personality/Character Tidbits: Trey thinks he's just too hot to handle (in a way, he's right, and I feel like a damn pedophile when I still slobber over an 18 year old Jeremy!!!), loves his car, teases and torments Wilby about Wilby's driving AND girl skills. Trey himself drives his car over curbs very carelessly. In short, a flake, beautiful, but still a flake.
Best scene: Many, but I LOVE the scene where Trey is knocked into the bushes by the pooch, and then falls into his car!!!
Best lines: "Anybody order a burger???!!!" "It seems a shame to waste all that affection on a dog..." {{{purr, purr}}} "Bonehead!!!"
Love interest(s)??? There were two girls in Wilby's neighborhood, Allison (Natasha Gregson Wagner) and the "French babe" Francesca (Sarah Lassez). Naturally the suave (in his own mind)Trey couldn't make up his mind which one he liked better.
Where and when does this story take place??? It's a fantasy, but otherwise contemporary. And it takes place in a small fictional town called Wheaton, Ohio.
What is the time frame??? Takes place over a few days to a week.
Is there a book??? Yes, THE HOUND OF FLORENCE by Felix Salten (author of Bambi!!!) But don't expect this book to be ANYTHING like the two Shaggy Dog movies!!!
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HIDEAWAY---USA/Canada 1995, Columbia Pictures/Tri-Star
A horror-thriller about a family man who dies of hypothermia and crosses supernatural paths with an evil young man on a killing spree.
Other titles: PREMONIZIONI (Italian); KILLER FROM BEYOND, MEMORIES OF BEYOND, PRINCE OF DARKNESS.
MPAA Rating: R for violence, strong language, blood/gore, one sex scene and themes dealing with Satanism and the Occult
Genre: Hard to really determine, there's elements of horror, psychological thriller, mystery and science fiction mixed up here.
When did I see this??? August of 1997. Fact: I did NOT wanna rent this movie (THE PROPHECY and THE EXORCIST are movies that scared the crap out of me) even though Jeremy was in it and I was at this point hopelessly hooked on him, but temptation got the best of me!!!
My Grade: B+ It was pretty scary. There was good acting. But I liked the book MUCH BETTER. The characters in the movie are not nearly as developed as in the book, but then, have Dean Kootnz's books EVER been easy to translate to the screen???
Cast Includes: Jeff Goldblum, Christine Lahti, Alicia Silverstone, Alfred Molina and Rae Dawn Chong
Jeremy Played: One of his most popular roles to date: Vassago, whose real name is Jeremy Nyebern, a boy who brutally murders his mother and sister and then stabs himself to death. A very frightening yet highly amusing performance.
His look: Personality/Character tidbits: Vassago drives a sexy, evil little black car!!! He is homeless, lives underneath a roller coaster, and sometimes stays in seedy motels where he can take showers!!! Girls really like him. Reptilian, yet irresistable.
Best scene: Many, but my fave is the nightclub scene. There was just so much chemistry/tension there.
A close second is the scene in the museum with the British lady.
Best lines: "I'm so right, that I know where you DO belong." {{{purr, purr}}}
"I work with bones too!!!" "What do I have to do, call 411???!!!" "You're invisible, and I'm INVINCABLE!!!"
Love interest??? I think we all know Vassago isn't CAPABLE of love, but there was some undeniable chemistry between him and Regina.
Jesus references/witticisms: Picture of Jesus on the cross on the wall of Vassago's home at the beginning; arranging Regina in a crucified position.
Where and when does this story take place??? It's contemporary and it takes place in the Seattle, WA area, although in the book, it's set in, where else??? LaLa Land???
What is the time frame??? Takes place over a week or two.
Is there a book??? Yes, HIDEAWAY by Dean Koontz. I loved the book and wished they had been more faithful to it while adapting it to screen. The character of Regina was a young girl with disabilities, not a blonde teenie queen. Also, Vassago ate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and drank warm root beer in the book. I'd have liked to see Jeremy doing that!!!
Soundtrack: You can buy it at amazon.com. There is music from FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY, FEAR FACTORY, KFDMF, GODFLESH, MIRANDA SEX GARDEN, and composer Trevor Jones.
My pet peeves about the film: Should have been more faithful to the novel...I agree it's hard to put Koontz's degree of writing into film, but the daughter Regina in the film was an annoying bore...they could at least have had the little handicapped girl. Much more interesting.
DVD Extras: Making of featurette, multiple language options, among them French, Spanish, Chinese and Thai, audio commentary by Brett Leonard.
A movie you HAVE TO WATCH and compare HIDEAWAY with: THE BAD SEED (1956), a killer classic. Maybe a little hokey as far as the Hollywood-ized "happy" ending tacked onto the shocking "real" ending, but an awesome, original thriller. Sometimes, I think Rhoda is scarier than Vassago, but Vassago's sexier, so hey!!!
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CLUELESS---USA 1995, Paramount Pictures
A huge hit by director Amy Heckerling (FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH), CLUELESS is a clever comedy about a spoiled teen princess named Cher who on the outside appears to be shallow, self centered and unconcerned with the world around her, and in her attempts to redeem herself in the mind of her serious, studious step brother Josh, she bumbles and fumbles and makes messes all around herself.
Other titles: NO WORRIES and I WAS A TEENAGE TEENAGER; WAS SONST? (Germany); GIRLS IN BEVERLY HILLS
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for adult dialogue regarding teen sexuality, some profanity, and comedic would-be violence (the scene where Cher is mugged at gunpoint for her cell phone, for example).
Genre: Comedy and romance, satiric teen high school comedy
When did I see it??? Oct. of 1996 on Max or HBO
My Grade: A Excellent!!! CLUELESS is certainly one of the "new classics" and will always be remembered as the movie that triggered the tidal wave of the good, bad and ugly teen movies in the past six, seven years!!!
Cast Includes: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash, Dan Hedaya, Breckin Meyer, Brittany Murphy, Elisa Donovan, Donald Faison, and Twink Kaplan
Jeremy Plays: Elton, ahh...Elton. I didn't watch CLUELESS until October 1996, over a year after it was in theatres. But when I saw Elton, I was suddenly a believer in teen movies having some potential to find their way into my collection of movies with characters long since out of high school. It's funny, Elton is one of my least favorite characters of Jeremy's, but somehow I thought he was so cute that I wanted to tape the movie. I didn't realize that soon enough, I was going to be a full on fan of Jeremy Sisto!!!
His look: Some echoes of "Trey" from "The Shaggy Dog" here; preppy clothing, fancy car, well groomed and attractive.
Personality/Character tidbits: Elton loves music of all kinds, alternative, rap, ska, etc. Likes to floss his teeth in public, ewww!!! Helps out at the Malibu disaster relief drive. You can see him in the background talking to Ambular. At first he is very likeable, very affectionate towards Cher. He later shows some snobbishness and arrogance toward both Cher and Tai. My verdict: A normal guy. Jerk at times, but redeemable.
Best scene: The bad car ettiquette scene of course!!!
Best lines: "Cool picture!!!" "I knew it when you kissed me." {{{purr, purr}}}
"Can you do this??? Rollin' with the homies...alright let's do it, you're ready!!!" "My foot hurts, can I go to the nurse???"
Is there a book??? Yes, Heckerling based CLUELESS on Jane Austen's EMMA. There is also a surprisingly good novella by H.B. Gilmore based on the screenplay.
Where and when does this story take place??? It could be called contemporary, but those fashions that Cher, Dionne and Ambular are wearing are already dated, though they are cute. You could say this is a period comedy set in '95 the way Emma is a period comedy set in 18whatever!!! And of course, Clueless is set in 90210-ville!!!
Love Interest??? Elton has a big crusher on Cher, but she didn't share his feelings, and wanted him to be with Tai. Later he is seen with Ambular!!!
What is the time frame??? From the moment Cher is trying to force Vitamin C down Daddy's throat to the time she kisses Josh for the first time seems to be a school year.
Jeremy once said that he and the cast didn't think anyone would see CLUELESS. "Maybe if someone was really depressed and wanted to see a comedy," Jeremy said.
My pet peeves: Jeremy wasn't on screen long enough, and in spite of many opinions, Elton is not a dick because he didn't magically fall in love with Tai. Tai was pretty darn annoying at times. Elton wasn't a dick for misreading Cher's purposely mixed messages to him. He only became a dick when he drove off and left her alone in the parking lot.
Soundtrack??? Yes, and it has a mix of genres like ska, alternative and rap...even the Beastie Boys' song "Mullethead". It's an okay CD, but not one I'd recommend running right out and getting. Besides, "Turn awayyyy" isn't even on the soundtrack!!! Foul!!! And another song I loved from the closing credits, "Tenderness" by General Public, did not make it onto the soundtrack. The infamous "Rolling With My Homies" by Coolio is there.
DVD Extras: The "Whatever" version, released last year, is like a 10 year reunion of sorts. There are lots of cast interviews, behind the scenes footage with a still gallery sort of thrown in, and lots of featurettes, including the delightful "Suck N Blow: A Tutorial"!!!
There aren't many high school teen comedies on my "good enough to watch list" but here are the few: CAN'T HARDLY WAIT, AMERICAN PIE (the original is best), BETTER OFF DEAD, SIXTEEN CANDLES, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE, and LUCAS.
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MOONLIGHT AND VALENTINO---USA 1995, Polygram, Working Title Films
An utterly charming dramedy set in New York, about a woman struggling to deal with the sudden death of her husband.
OTHER TITLES: WOMEN BENEATH THE MOON (Spain); MOONLIGHT LOVERS (China); THE MOON (Russia)
MPAA Rating: R, although I can't really understand why!!! Only two uses of the F word, a glimpse or two of nudity and no violence to speak of!!! Any sex is offscreen!!!
Genre: Romantic drama...it was labeled as a comedy and it certainly has a few funny moments, but the overall effect is drama, and yes, you can call it a chick flick. Thankfully, it's a chick flick my stomach can sit thru.
When did I see this??? July 1997 at my Dad's house. I was suffering with the first symptoms of Sisto fever by that time and this was the first movie in a string of Jeremy Sisto movies I would torture my dad with!!! My Grade: Well, when I first saw and reviewed this, I only gave it perhaps a B. 12 years later, I believe it deserves a B+ or an A-. The performance of Elizabeth Perkins is a subtle tour de force. I didn't mind the rain and all that, but what about Lucy and Steven!!!???
Cast Includes: Elizabeth Perkins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Bon Jovi, Whoopi Goldberg, Peter Coyote, Josef Sommer and Kathleen Turner.
Jeremy played: One of MY personal favorite roles for him: Steven. What a breath of fresh air!!! A wonderful transition from the total jerks Jeremy'd been playing lately!!! Steven is a sullen poetry student who is just a tad sensitive when people give his recited poetry less than a rave critique. I thought Jeremy looked really beautiful in this movie, even though he dresses in black clothes and wears that hat that everyone BUT ME didn't like!!! : ) I just thought it was a slice of heaven watching his scenes where he first meets Lucy. I could go on just gushing all day but then you'd puke and ruin your keyboards!!!
His look: Very quirky at first, with a cute hat and kooky clothes. Later becomes almost like Elton...more color in his wardrobe, tossed the hat.
Personality/Character tidbits: Steven smokes a little, though you never see him light up OR inhale. Hates haiku. Loves the Breeders. Affectionate and even-tempered.
Best scene: As stated above, the scene where Steven and Lucy meet and talk about their "blind date". A close second is Steven talking to Lucy's answering machine. "I'm looking foreward to tonight...I really can't wait..." {{{ULTRA purr, purr!!!}}}
Best lines: "We were in HELL!!!" "How unhappy are you???" "Lucy no en la casa, bye bye!!!" "We don't have to do anything...we can just...snuggle..." {{{purr, purr}}} "Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy..." {{{PURR PURR PURR!!!}}}
Is there a book??? I don't think so, but there is a stageplay written by Ellen Simon (daughter of Neil Simon) and it's reported to be based on a real event where her own husband was suddenly killed.
Love interest??? Jeremy plays the love interest of Lucy.
Where and when did the story take place??? It seems to be in a beautiful area of upstate New York, maybe in Syracuse or Albany??? Like Clueless and perhaps even Hideaway, the grungy music and apparel that is worn by the college age characters might seem a bit dated to be considered contemporary, so this too might be considered a '90s period piece.
Soundtrack??? There are some cool songs in the movie, like "Cannonball" by the Breeders!!! The song by REM, "Strange Currencies" playing whilst our lovely one was wasting all that affection on Lucy (just kidding, I love Lucy!!!) was good too!!! I really love the instrumental themes by Howard Shore. I can't find any kind of soundtrack.
My Pet peeves: Honestly, this movie is rather slow at times, and the constant whining of Rebecca and Sylvie can be grating. I can only watch this film about every 2 years. If I do that, it's a moving drama about a woman who comes to terms with her loss. If I watch it too often it is a slow and boring chick flick and I only fast forward to Jeremy's scenes. Also, I didn't like the movie ending without really knowing what happened between Lucy and Steven.
Kathleen Turner's character is said to be based on Marsha Mason (Ellen Simon's real life ex-stepmom).
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WHITE SQUALL---USA/UK 1996, Disney/Hollywood Pictures, Largo Entertainment, Scott Free Entertainment
Based on a true event in May 1961, WHITE SQUALL is the story of an ill fated ocean voyage. An all boys school on board a windjammer is the setting for this tale of courage and friendship.
OTHER TITLES: TORMENTA BLANCA (Spanish); FAME DE MOND (French); BILA SMRST (Hungary); ALBATROSS: BEYOND THE STORM (Alternate Spanish)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense frightening sequences, some profanity and adult dialogue, partial nudity (or just plain nudity if you consider guys without shirts nude), and some violence directed at animals.
Genre: Adventure and drama, family drama
When did I see this??? May 1997!!! This film is THE ONE that got my attention FOCUSED on Signor Sisto!!!
My Grade: A- Almost a perfect movie!!! My only gripes to this day are the fact that some of those 13 boys on board were nothing more than extras and no story was told about them. Also, in one scene it was October and in the next it was suddenly Christmas. That always bugged me even though it didn't really hurt the movie.
Cast Includes: Jeff Bridges, Scott Wolf, Caroline Goodall, John Savage, Ryan Phillipe, Eric Michael Cole, Ethan Embry, Baltazar Getty, David Lascher, and Camilla Overbye Roos (in a very small role).
Jeremy played: Frank Beaumont, perhaps one of THE most misunderstood roles Jeremy's ever had!!! At first glance, a spoiled brat cat!!! But as I watched, I saw plenty of things that lead to that infamous dolphin sequence!!! (A friend of mine watched WS with me and said, "Hey!!! He killed Flipper!!! Poor Flipper!!!") I was so astounded that THIS was the same pretty dude who played snooty Elton that I couldn't stop talking about it on message boards to whoever would listen (or read!!!) One of the most awesome moments in WHITE SQUALL is when Jeremy is laying there in his bunk, listening to Ryan Phillipe tell Scott Wolf about his brother being killed and about how his parents hate each other. Jeremy's eyes, his face, the best in non verbal acting!!!
His look: Tall and almost alarmingly thin, semi-short hair with Bryl-Creem, dresses in typical early '60s boy apparel.
Personality/Character tidbits: Frankie smokes a little too, though we don't see him light up or inhale either!!! Gets embarrassed and angry when his parents are on the scene. Loves Roger Maris. Even though Frankie is taller, he gets teased, beat up, and tormented even more than Dean Preston. Yet jumps in to help Dean pass his exams. I think Frankie is a disturbed kid, yet has a very lovely place somewhere under all that trouble.
Best scene: Lots of great ones. I loved the close up of Jeremy's beautiful troubled face when Jeff Bridges grabs him and shoves him and asks "What the hell is WRONG with you???!!!"
Best lines: "He's suicidal man!!!" "She was older than Moses!!!" "I feel so much better now because Lughead over here is gonna think of something!!!" "I just don't cut the mustard...I don't hold up under scrutiny."
Is there a book??? Chuck Gieg wrote some memoirs and there is a book called THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE ALBATROSS (don't know the author, sorry). But the character of Frank Beaumont was very loosely based on someone who was aboard the ship and many of the moments in the movie were fictitious...I'm not sure if that dolphin business was fact or fiction.
Love interest??? Not unless you consider an "almost hooked up with one of those Dutch gals but Dad spoiled everything!!!" a possibility!!! Well, look at the bright side, Frankie didn't catch the clap like poor Tod did!!! LOL
Where and when does this story take place??? Gieg lived in Mystic, CT. He flies to several locations and I think the ship was based in Florida somewhere. Captain Sheldon and crew traveled all over the Atlantic. The boat started out in October 1960 and the voyage came to its tragic end in May 1961.
Soundtrack: It's mostly instrumental stuff by Jeff Rona, like the limbo song and "Yellow Basket". Late '50s, early '60s stuff from Chubby Checker and other people. I like the song "Valparaiso" by Sting a lot.
DVD Extras: A making of featurette.
My pet peeves: There were several boys on board that you didn't even get to know. Why have 13 boys on board when you were only going to know like 10 of them? Other than that, I love the movie. There is a little bit of amateurish acting, but I attribute that to inexperienced actors who today are much better. Sisto, by the way, did NOT give an amateurish performance. His was like a high wind ripping apart a jib sheet! Razor sharp.
Movie to watch and compare WHITE SQUALL against: THE PERFECT STORM. My own opinion??? Although LA TORMENTA PERFECTA has bigger "star power" and more "action" and special effects, its emotional content can't hold a candle against LA TORMENTA BLANCA.
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SUICIDE KINGS---USA 1997, Live/Artisan Entertainment, Eyes N Rice Productions, Dynamo Entertainment
This is a dark, dark comedy made in the tradition of RESERVOIR DOGS, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, and BEST LAID PLANS. It's the story of five college preppies who desperately kidnap Don Corleone (oops, I mean Carlo Bartolucci), a New York ex-mafia boss in hopes that he'll use his expertise to find a sister who's been abducted and taken for ransom. This is the first film by director Peter O'Fallon and I must say he did wonderful!!!
OTHER TITLES: NEROVNA PARTIE (Czech Title); THE KIDNAPPING (China)
MPAA Rating: R for very strong profanity (especially from Mr. F Word himself, Denis Leary!!!), violence, blood/gore, and brief nudity.
Genre: A rather fun mixture of crime drama, grim comedy, and film noir.
When did I see it???I read about it in a little article in Teen magazine in Oct. 1997. I got to see it with a friend at the theatre in May 1998!!!
My grade: A- Excellent!!! Pure Morbid Fun!!!
Cast Includes: Christopher Walken, Denis Leary, Jay Mohr, Johnny Galecki, Henry Thomas, Sean Patrick Flanery, Laura San Giacomo, Laura Harris, Frank Medrano, Brad Garrett, Cliff DeYoung, Nina Siemaszco and Joseph Whipp
Jeremy played: Ooooohhhhh, T.K. also called Teek, or Dr. Mangler!!! To this day I just melt into goo when I watch Jeremy bring this delightfully fiendish character to life. What IS it about this T.K.??? I mean, he chopped off Walken's finger!!! He's as nutty as a fruitcake and as inept and incompetent as his silly ass co-kidnappers!!! Yet there is SOMETHING irresistable about T.K. I can't explain it. Is it those scrubs???!!! The hair???!!! What???!!!
His look:
Personality/Character Tidbits: T.K. has obviously been trained in IV therapy/maintenance. He knows about alcohol's effects on liver function. Has no queaze or qualms about removing body parts from live people, as long as he's got some morphine around nearby. Low key, even-tempered and kind of shrewd. Smokes, yet still, no actual inhalation is seen. Likes to play poker. A very intelligent young man, which adds tons to his sexiness!!!
Best Scene: Lots, too many to mention. My fave is probably when Charlie Barrett penetrates T.K.'s mind and plants seeds of doubt therein. Sort of a justified cerebral rape, if you will.
Best lines: "You think Carlo's just gonna sit there, like that ridiculous doll???!!!" "An injection of Haldol into the jugular will put him away definitely!!!" "Hasn't
anyone here ever heard of a bedpan???!!!" "Bathroom, and SHIT!!! I gotta call Chickie!!!"
Is there a book??? There is a short story by Don Sanford called THE HOSTAGE. I can't find it, otherwise I'd have read it a zillion times by now.
Love interest??? T.K. has a gal-pal named Chickie, who keeps him on a beeper and (grrrr!!!) has a long kissing scene with him!!! (Grrrr again!!!)
Where and when does this story take place??? On Long Island, mostly at Ira's house near the tiny vacation community of Mantauk. The story is very contemporary. It doesn't feel dated at all.
What is the time frame??? Suicide Kings is another thriller that takes place over a single night and into the early morning hours.
Soundtrack??? There are good songs featured in SK, but I've never been able to find an actual soundtrack. "Shattered" is a good song. I heard it was done by Remy Zero but I couldn't find it on any of their album lists. Back when I first saw a trailer for SK, it seemed "Loser" by Beck was playing, so I've always associated that song with the film. And long before I ever saw the film, the song "Low" by Cracker always made me think of T.K. because it talked about a "junkie"!!! Songs that are definitely on the soundtrack are "Gun" by GusGus (opening credits), "Tape Loop" by Morcheeba (Lono's golfclub scene), lounge tunes like "Martinis At Eight" by Johnny Reno (Charlie's first scene), "Grandma's Hands" by Bill Withers, "Marlene" by Joy Eden Harrison, and "Sling Shot" by Reverend Horton Heat.
Pet Peeves: Believe it or not, I do have a few for SUICIDE KINGS. There was some bad editing and continuity issues. I'm sure many of you noticed that TK removed his scrub top and wore a grayish long sleeve shirt underneath. There was a couple of scenes where he had "removed" the scrub top long before he "actually removed it". I didn't mind the ending where Max and Elise get their comeuppance, but I was bothered when I didn't get to learn what happened to the other guys in the long run. Did Carlo have them all killed or what?
DVD Extras: Audio commentary by Peter O'Fallon, 2 or 3 alternate endings, cast info.
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A black and white indie film about a group of friend's having a night out on the town.
OTHER TITLES: DON'S BAR (Asia); YOU NEVER SAY WHAT YOU'RE REALLY THINKING (Spanish)
MPAA Rating: Unknown, most likely R for strong language and adult content, including at least one or two scenes of sexuality.
Genre: Supposed to be a comedy. I didn't see any spoofing or lampooning. Hard to describe it as romantic comedy. I'm not sure, I'll have to watch it again!!!
When did I see this??? In the summer of 1999 on a bootleg tape a friend got from another friend who got it from another friend and so on and so forth!!!
My grade: Oh, I'm so sorry, a big fat glaring red F!!! Why??? Because it was boring for one thing and for another thing, Jeremy had about ten seconds of footage!!! His sister Meadow has a larger role but this movie was boring, filled with pretty good actors doing boring things, like talking and fighting and drinking. Pitui!!! I'm actually willing to give it another chance though.
Cast Includes: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Amber Benson, Meadow Sisto, and Marissa Ribisi (who also had about ten seconds, maybe a little longer)
Jeremy played: Someone's boyfriend, name of Bernard. We see him kicking the girl out of the car quite rudely. This might be even worse car ettiquette than the Elton/Cher incident!!! Then he drives away, never to be seen again. Bye Bernie!!!
I believe DON'S PLUM is still only available across the Atlantic. The whole legal problem, I guess, is that DiCaprio and Maguire agreed to do this film because director RD Robb told them it was a personal project, not intended for public release. When the fame of the two actors soared, Robb went ahead and attempted to market the film, and DiCaprio and Maguire got upset. Still no word on when the film is coming out.
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THE DAY LINCOLN WAS SHOT---USA Robert Greenwald Productions, Turner Network TV, 1998 available on VHS only
A fact based account of the events leading up to the shooting of President Lincoln in 1865.
MPAA Rating: TV-14 for violence
Genre: Historical drama
When did I see this??? In April 1998 on TNT.
My grade: A, excellent!!! Jeremy's role is small, but this film is still WORTH WATCHING!!!
Cast Includes: Lance Henriksen, Rob Morrow, Donna Murphy, Jaimz Woolvett, and Wil Wheaton.
Jeremy played: What an interesting role, although it was kinda small. He played the son of Secretary Of State Seward. When his father is injured, Frederick acts as the Assistant, and is seen arguing a lot about whether or not to hang Confederate Soldiers!!! I had but one complaint about this movie, that you never see Jeremy on screen again after his character is attacked and pistol whipped by one of Boothe's co-conspirators and left suffering with serious injuries. Luckily, you find out that the man recovered, but STILL...COME ON!!!
His look: He has a typical 1860s hairdo, and those Amish looking sideburns that were so hot in their day, LOL!!!
Is there a book??? Yes, THE DAY LINCOLN WAS SHOT by Jim Bishop. It was written years ago and is not a dramatic story but rather an analysis, so some might find the book boring.
Love interest??? Seward was married, but we don't see his wife.
Where and when does this story take place??? This might be considered one of Jeremy's first historical period pieces. It takes place in Virginnia and Washington D.C. in 1865.
What is the time frame??? Although a month or so is afforded to explain Lincoln's emancipation of slaves and Boothe's gradual decent into the mindset that lead to the fatal shooting of the President, most of the movie is dedicated to the day Lincoln was actually killed, hence, THE DAY LINCOLN WAS SHOT...
Pet Peeves: I didn't like the movie ending without letting you see Frederick Seward again. The last shot you get is him having been beaten by one of Boothe's buddies.
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SOME GIRL---USA 1998, Nu Image, Millenium Films, Virile Productions
A fairly obscure indie movie, a charming dramedy, about one young woman's desperate search for love and committment in committment-phobic Los Angeles. This film turned out to be one of my favorite Jeremy movies and opened my eyes to the talent of actress Marissa Ribisi.
Other titles: SOME GIRLS (Alternate USA title; France); MEN (Original USA title); GIRL TALK (another original title); SUM GIRL (Phonetic Japanese title); SOMETHING ABOUT THE GIRLS (Russia); THE GIRL (China); FETELE AU CHAVANTUL (Romania)
MPAA Rating: R for strong profanity and adult dialogue, brief violence, brief nudity and adult themes dealing with sexuality.
Genre: Romantic comedy, a bit of heartfelt and non-nauseating drama. Has enough edge in the writing and testosterone in the casting to keep it from becoming a "chick flick".
When did I see this??? When it was released in Blockbuster in September 1999.
My Grade: A- excellent!!! My only gripe is of course the ending. What happened to Chad???!!!
Cast Includes: Marissa Ribisi, Juliette Lewis, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Rapaport, Adam Goldberg, Kristin Datillo, Pamela Segall, Trevor Goddard, and Christopher Jaymes.
Jeremy plays: Chad...oh Chad...what was going on in that mind of his???!!! What was he thinking??? I asked this when he dumped Claire. Later, after further analyzing this wonderful little film, I asked this after he ASKED CLAIRE OUT!!! First I sided against Chad, then I sided with him. Only an outstanding story can make you so confused about who to root for!!! WHY did I change my tune and not "blame the guy"??? Because Claire had a serious drinking problem. Nobody, not even Chad, needs that added to their problems.
His look: For the first time, Jeremy has his hair on the very short side, and it becomes him!!!
Personality/Character tidbits: Chad sings lead for a group called "Bruc Lee". Doesn't much like Claire's brother Jason. Likes poetry as much as Claire does. He's cheerful and low-key, but can get easily annoyed by rude brothers or clingy girlfriends.
Best Scene: The BB gun scene, no question!!!
Best lines: "Ah, yes, Spike Lee, what a character!!!" "Can I smell your hair???" "I wanna make love to you, no fucking!!!" "BBs do hurt actually!!!"
Is there a book??? No, this movie was scripted by Marissa Ribisi and Brie Shaffer. Interesting factoid: This story began as a murder mystery, and Crazy Claire was in the original story!!!
Love interest??? Chad was the love interest of Claire and the pawn for spiteful bitchiness for April!!! A willing pawn, but a pawn nonetheless!!!
Where and when does this story take place??? In LaLa Land of course, and it still feels contemporary, not dated much at all.
What is the time frame??? It takes place in the two weeks preceding Halloween night.
Soundtrack??? There is no official soundtrack, just lots of great tunes like "Beautiful Freak" by the Eels (April is picked up by Claire), "She Silenced You" an awesome duet from Giovanni Ribisi and Juliette Lewis (End Credits), "Fire Water Burn" by the Bloodhound Gang (Hilarious Arson Scene), "That Summer Feeling" by Jonathan Richman (April picked up by Neal), "Sad, Sad Me" by The Nixons (Claire and Neal talk about April in the bar), "What A Man" by Renee Goldsberry (Jason's "date" with Jenn), "Heads Or Tails" by Baby Lemonade (a song I've really come to love lately...the scene where Claire and Chad are talking and eating their takeout dinner); "Mercedes" by Joseph Arthur (another lovely song playing during the scene where April and Jason scream at each other in the bar); and three songs by the Murmurs, who until this moment, were thought by me to be a fictitious band created for the film. I guess they've been around for a while, and I really like them. Their songs on this film are "Squeeze Box Days" (Claire cries in her room), "Washed Up And Left For Dead" (The 1st song Jenn sings at the Hollerween party) and "Smart Sexy Hardass" (Claire and April have their falling out over Chad).
Juliette Lewis and Giovanni Ribisi, whose characters HATED each other in SOME GIRL, went on to star in THE OTHER SISTER, where they played a pair of adorable, mentally challenged college students who fall in love!!!
Pet Peeves: For the most part, I think this film is tops, but in the end, I was frustrated not to know whether or not Chad was inside that house when Claire set it on fire. I also felt a little let down that you never know if April and Claire could be friends again. I suppose I could go on to say that I wish Chad had been better developed, to where we could see his motives in breaking up with Claire. Was he really just a dog in heat, or did Claire's drinking scare him away, or did Claire's clinging dependency on him scare him? Perhaps all of the above?
DVD Extras: A trailer and a few cast bios.
If you like chick flicks with attitude, chick flicks that you don't have to be EMBARRASSED to like, you might like these: HYSTERICAL BLINDNESS, SLIDING DOORS, BEAUTIFUL GIRLS (acutally a dude flick and a chick flick combined), CHERRY, SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS, CHASING AMY, and 100 GIRLS.
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BONGWATER---USA 1998, First Look, Basement Films, Gin Lane Films
A surprisingly charming (am I beginning to OVERUSE this word???) and funny movie about the would be romance between a pot dealer and a flighty chick who doesn't like drugs.
MPAA rating R for drug use, some profanity, some nudity and some raunchy lookin' paintings, along with one very disturbing scene of rape.
Genre: Mostly good ol' slacker comedy, but has the one scene where things are anything but funny.
When did I see this??? August of 2001 on Pay Per View
My grade: B above average, but has flaws (see pet peeves below)
Cast Includes: Luke Wilson, Alicia Witt, Amy Locane, Jack Black, Andy Dick, Brittany Murphy, Patricia Wettig, Jamie Kennedy and Scott Caan.
Jeremy played: Robert, a dorky looking yet adorable gay guy who loves to sit around with Luke Wilson and Andy Dick and smoke weed!!! Jeremy was quiet in this movie compared with other movies, but I got a kick out of him. Oh those glasses!!! They were too big for his face!!! LMAO just thinking about it!!!
His look: Cutely dorky, with dark rimmed glasses.
Personality/Character tidbits: Likes to watch Spanish language comedies with his friends, also likes to watch Tai Chi with Tripp!!! Hates Serena, though not quite as passionately as Tony does!!! Eats Lucky Charms cereal. Loves Devo. Likes gay porn. Seems to be the "female" half of the gay couple. Easy-going, laid back, but sometimes seems fidgety and nervous.
Best scene: the 80's party scene was classic!!!
Best lines: "That's so sweet, Davey!!!" "Would you go with great???" "Davey, welcome home, come sit and watch some porno with Robbie!!!" "Sooooo gooooood, sooo tiiiiiight!!!"
Is there a book??? Yes, BONGWATER by Michael Hornburg. The book is similar to the movie, but it's way darker. In the book Robert was more flamboyant and liked to dress in girl's pajamas with the feet in them!!! Whoohoo!!! Let me get a mental picture of this!!! : )~
Love interest??? Robert is the gay lover of Tony, but it was pretty evident to me that Robert had a THING for David!!!
Where and when does this story take place??? Mostly in Portland, OR. Serena moves to the Big Apple for a short while. Devlin the Pot Farmer lives in a tiny place called Selma, in Southern Oregon. The story is either contemporary or just slightly dated to the late '90s.
Is there a soundtrack??? There isn't one available that I can find, but there's good music by Devo "Jerkin' Back N Forth" (the 80s party), Bad Company "Burning Sky" (when Tommy shoots his gun), Sonic Youth "Sunday" (opening scene with the stripper), Morcheeba "Shoulder Holster" (the party Serena and Jennifer went to), Roy Ayers "Searching" (Serena and Bobby talking in the cafe), The Treacherous Three "Feel The Heartbeat" (Serena wakes up after being assaulted), and Fountains Of Wayne "Sink To The Bottom" (the alien encounter).
Pet Peeves: This is probably one of the most flawed of Sisto's movies. The story does indeed seem to be floundering in a sea of confusion, the plot going nowhere special. None of the acting is bad at all, but the "love story" just doesn't ring true. The Serena character is too unlikeable for a likeable pothead like David to fall in love with. It's a film that I somehow enjoy anyway, thanks to Jack Black, Luke Wilson, Amy Locane and Jeremy Sisto. But it doesn't really have much else going for it. Now if they had been faithful to the book, well things might have been altogether better.
DVD Extras: The DVD was reissued in March 2007 with MUCH COOLER COVER ART (no more buttocks staring you in the face) and an interactive trivia game. There is also a deleted scene with Serena and Jennifer continuing their argument on the plane from New York to Portland, but this honestly doesn't add anything new or enlightening to the original version.
If you liked BONGWATER, you will probably like DAZED AND CONFUSED, THE STONED AGE, HOMEGROWN, HALF-BAKED, GROOVE, KILLER BUD, and GO...all films about the drug culture, pot, XTC, acid, etc.
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WITHOUT LIMITS---USA 1998, Warner Bros., Cruise and Wagner Productions
The fact based biopic from director Robert Towne (PERSONAL BEST, CHINATOWN)about running legend Steve Prefontaine.
Other titles: PRE! or PRE
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for profanity, adult themes, very brief nudity
Genre: biography, drama, sports
When did I see this??? When it premiered to video in Feb. 1999
My Grade A+ Excellent...one of 1998's best movies
Cast Includes: Billy Crudup, Donald Sutherland, Monica Potter, Billy Burke, Gabe Olds, and Matthew Lillard
Jeremy plays: Pre's friend Frank Shorter, an Olympic runner who won the gold in the 1972 Munich Olympics for long distance running. Jeremy gives another quiet subtle performance, but it's just as much fun to watch as when he plays some loudmouth psycho!!!
His look: Personality/Character tidbits: Frank speaks a bit of French (ooh la la!!!), likes to run on the beach, is kind of a schemer during a race toward the end of the film. Quiet, even-tempered.
Best Scene: Toss up between the French scene and the Toothache scene!!!
Best Lines: "What asshole is that???" "Misieur Prefontaine blah blah blah blah..." Can't remember all that French, but it sounded good!!! "Pre, I'm dying, you gotta take me home!!!"
Is there a book??? I think there are several...I know there is at least one book, called Pre!
Love interest??? Nope, but hey, that scene with the toothache got me all hot and bothered for some reason...hearing him moan perhaps??? (Okay, I've finally reached the ultimate level of shallow)
Where and when did this story take place??? Steve Prefontaine lived in Coos Bay, Oregon and went to school at the University of Oregon, Eugene. Most of the movie is set at the U of O, but there is one scene where they go to Finland and another that takes place the Olympics in Munich, Germany. Pre was killed in 1974 and the movie spans from his high school days in 1969 until his death.
Frank Shorter was the last person to see Pre before his fatal car crash. In preparation for the movie, Jeremy trained with an Olympic running coach.
Soundtrack??? If there is, I've never been able to find it. Lots of good stuff by Cream, Traffic, Elton John, and my favorite, "Country Fair" by Joe Walsh.
DVD Extras: cast information and a trailer.
Compare WITHOUT LIMITS to PREFONTAINE, the docustyle drama with R. Lee Ermey, Amy Locane and Jared Leto as Pre. Leto is a good actor, but his Pre left me cold, whereas Billy Crudup's Pre came across as a very sensitive soul, very multi-dimensional. That's my take. You decide.
Pet Peeves: None...this film was just about perfect.
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THE '60s---USA, Lynda Obst Productions, NBC TV, 1999
A colorful, musical portrait of a very tumultuous decade in America, and how it affects two all American families, a black family from Mississippi and a white family from Chicago.
MPAA Rating: TV14 or PG-13 for violence, a couple of sexual scenes and just a few bad words.
Genre: Mostly historical drama, could also be half-musical
When did I see this??? When it premiered on NBC in Feb. 1999
My Grade: A- Excellent. My only gripe to this day is the fact that Emmett and his family were kind of ignored while the Herlihy family had most of the screen time.
Cast Includes: Jerry O'Connell, Josh Hamilton, Jordana Brewster, Julia Stiles, Bill Smitrovich, Annie Corley, Leonard Roberts, Charles Dutton, Kimberly Scott, Carnie Wilson, Donovan Leitch, and David Alan Grier
Jeremy plays: Need I even remind you all??? He STOLE the darn show!!! Kenneth R. Klein...the R standing for RADICAL???!!! I LOVED this performance!!!
His look: Typically mod...reddish brown hair just past the "moral" standard length for men, kind of macho and brawny. Later, he gets that classic "radical" look, complete with bleached strawberry hair, drugged-out pallor.
Personality/Character Tidbits: President of the SDS at Columbia University, likes Chinese food and brownies, loves Bob Dylan, wears glasses sometimes, likes to experiment with different hair colors. Passionate, outspoken, downright loud at times, definitely a Democrat. Sometimes arrogant and arguementative.
Best Scene: I found the scene where he has different hair very interesting to watch. Also liked the daring troop train scenes!!!
Best lines: "Smoke with us....smoooooke with us!!!" "Cherry, darling!!!" "Oh so we do nothing and let the Vietnamese wake up to another day of napalm and carpet bombing???!!!"
Love Interest??? Sarah Weinstock (played by Jordana Brewster) is a budding revolutionary who falls in love with Michael's (Josh Hamilton) pacifist passion...but as soon as she witnesses the daring Kenny nearly get mowed down by a troop train, you hear the Lovin' Spoonful singing "Do You Believe In Magic???" and you know Sarah's a goner, and you see Sarah and Kenny working side by side for the next four years, trying to put an end to the War.
Is there a book??? Not unless you wanna go to the library and check out your history section.
Where and when did the story take place??? The Herlihy's lived in Chicago. Michael Herlihy, the younger son, met his girlfriend Sarah in New York City at Columbia University, where Kenny also went to school. The Taylors started out in Greenwood MS and moved to Los Angeles, CA, the infamous Watts district some years later. Brian, the older son, spends a lot of his screen time fighting in Vietnam.
Soundtrack??? Among some of my personal faves that appeared in the film are "All Tomorrow's Parties" by Nico and Velvet Underground, and "Season Of The Witch" by Donovan. There is an official soundtrack CD, but it has only a fraction of the songs found in the movie.
Pet Peeves: Well, I am about 8 years older than I was when this miniseries first came out, and I am beginning to see some things about it that caused the critics to pan it. The black family was given a fraction of the screen time of the white family. I don't mind Kenny Klein getting his screen time. Sisto mined gold every time, chewed up the scenery, what other euphemism can I use? But the white family? The Dad was a cliched 50s monster and it got old fast. Mom was okay. I liked her scenes. Katie's story could have completely been left on the cutting room floor. Pregnant hippie girl. Who cares? Michael? He is the hero. The way this material is written, you are really not allowed to have your own opinion of him. He preaches peace and love and sticks flowers into guns, and hates Kenny Klein because he thinks Klein is irresponsible, glory seeking and selfish in his motives. Michael good. Kenny bad. You are TOLD what to think of these characters. I say, Kenny did more than run his mouth and play with flowers. I believed him sincere from the first time the show was on and it always pissed me off big time that he was forced to become the villain. If you don't wanna get hurt, don't go to protests. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Go home, Michael! LOL
DVD Extras: Cast information with pix, text features like "'60s Speak".
Other movies I like that dealt with the '60s/Vietnam: FORREST GUMP (go ahead, laugh, jeer, call me an idiot, I don't care!!!), FULL METAL JACKET, STEAL THIS MOVIE, PLATOON, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, and THE BOYS IN COMPANY C.
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TRASH---USA 1999, Cleopatra Productions, Dancing Babies Entertainment, 2 Left Shoes, Todd Feldman Productions, Artist View Entertainment
A story inspired by the director's own life, the tale of two "country boys" in rural Florida who are growing up and facing difficult decisions while struggling to deal with the loss of a childhood friend.
Other titles: NOBODY'S CHILDREN, NO FEAR (Europe)
MPAA Rating: It said Youth Restricted Viewing, but there is nothing that merits an NC-17 rating, only an R rating. There is a great deal of profanity, a lot of bloody, bloody violence, and very brief nudity/sexuality. Nothing that's going to traumatize anyone over the age of 13.
Genre: Almost 100% drama, and I guess semi-autobiographical.
When did I see this??? It premiered to video on March 13, 2001, and I ran right out and rented meself a copy.
My grade: A excellent!!! An intense, involving and emotionally gripping story by all accounts!!!
Cast includes: Eric Michael Cole, Jaime Pressley, Charles Venturi, Marisa Ryan, Grace Zabriskie, and Brian Krause.
Jeremy played: Sonny James, the loudmouth, hard headed, beer guzzling, hot tempered, grease smeared teenager who also helps his sister with her kids, helps his friend Anthony pay his rent and can't make up his mind whether or not he wants to leave Keystone Heights and go to college.
His look: Personality/Character Tidbits: Works as a mechanic, shoplifts booze from the local mini-mart, smokes (and you DO see him inhale in this film), hates his parents, loves his sister's kids and sort of just tolerates his sister. loves cats, loves little kids, hates dogs!!! Thick Georgian accent. Temperamental, volatile, emotional.
Best scene: Definitely the one where he talks with his sister about the SATS, followed by the talk he has with Anthony about college being a waste of time.
Jesus references/witticisms: Sonny was seen by some film critics as a "Christ" type character, the sacrificed, the martyred...well I don't know about that. I did find him to be a very good, giving soul on one hand, and a wretched fiend on the other; the teacher analyzing the "Last Supper" painting; and the hilarious line from one of the cops during Sonny's interrogation: "What are you some kind of immaculate conception, boy???!!!" LMAO!!!
Best lines: "We OWN this shitty little town, yahoo!!!" "No, don't get up, he ain't worth it!!!" "You're so busy worrying about your precious little college application, I'm worried about my shit right now, so just get your ass behind this wheel!!!"
Love interest??? Sonny and Anthony are described as "chasing girls" but the only girlfriends you see are C.J. (Jaime Pressly) who takes a liking to Anthony and Alex (Marisa Ryan) who you see attached to Sonny like a leech. Horny little toads, ain't they???!!!
Is there a book??? I don't think there is. But as I said, this story is based on director Mark Anthony Galluzzo's own life in Florida.
Where and when does this story take place??? In Keystone Heights, a tiny community in central Florida, not far from Ocala and Gainsville. The main characters are poor and wear torn, dirty clothing, but the story still feels very fresh and contemporary.
What is the time frame??? The story takes place in the three or four weeks following the death of a character at the beginning.
Soundtrack??? Good rockabilly and blues from local musicians like Joey Peters and Josh Young's "Little Town" (Opening credits); "Hard Times" by Alfred Snuff Johnson (Sonny and Anthony in auto shop); "Better Off Dead" by Barefoot Servants (I am not sure, but I think it's the song on the radio in Alex's Daddy's Caddy!; "Double Down" by Five Horse Johnson (The kids drive wildly thru the streets of Keystone Hts. and run over the dog); "Well Runs Dry" by Peter Case (Sonny and Anthony play invisible baseball); and "Nobody's Children" by Tom Hoe (closing credits).
Pet Peeves: There was something missing in the final commentary where Anthony talks only Sonny. I thought there should have been a summation on all of the characters. It just didn't feel right. The only other pet peeve I had was one where I giggled and said Oh brother! Where in the hell did Sonny get those candles in the graveyard scene? Otherwise, this is a brilliant film that never gets old, even after 6 years.
Other films about friendship that I adore: THE OUTSIDERS, STAND BY ME, and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, SLEEPERS...they just don't make enough good movies about boys/guys BEING FRIENDS.
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JESUS---Italy/Germany/USA, Five Mile River Films, TriMark, CBS
A powerful, uplifting, heartwarming retelling of the story of Christ.
MPAA Rating: TV-14 or PG-13 for some extreme violence and just a glimpse or so of nudity.
Genre: Historical drama and biography
When did I see it??? When it came on CBS in May 2000. It first premiered in late 1999 in Europe...and they got MORE!!! Ours was cut up!!! {{{grumble}}}
My grade: A+++ Beyond Excellent!!! Oh sure other people listed some flaws. Forget those people and listen to me!!! There are no flaws!!!
Cast Includes: Armin Muehler-Stahl, Jacqueline Bissett, Gary Oldman, Claudio Amendola, Stephania Rocca, David O'Hara, and Debra Messing, as well as a whole bunch of Italian dudes (as the Disciples) whose names I can't remember!!!
Jeremy played: If I have to remind you who he played, you need some Ari-cept...BADLY!!!
His look: Pristine, pure, benevolent, long flowing strawberry blond hair, almost grayish colored eyes, walks with grace.
Personality/Character tidbits: Smiles, laughs, enjoys weddings and dancing, changes water into wine, doesn't like people selling birds in the Temple of Jerusalem, able to walk on water and calm stormy seas. Kind of the most superior portrayal of Jesus I've ever hoped to see. The sweetness and purity of his face when he appears to Mary Magdalene after the resurrection was the most powerful moment in the movie.
Best scene: All of them.
Best lines: "It's all in the hands." "I am the resurrection and the life." "Do you believe I can help you???" "Woman, why do you weep???"
Love interest??? The ultimate proof that Jesus was very human. He loves Mary of Bethany, and has to tell her he can't marry her. So many people got bent out of shape over this. Jesus was a human being and they tend to have emotions and temptations, right???
Is there a book??? I give you two guesses...
A good book you might wanna try out and associate with the movie: a novel of the boyhood of Jesus, "The Gifts" by Dorothy Clarke Wilson (who also wrote THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, on which the movies THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and the 1998 animated film are based). Another great book is "I, Judas" by Taylor Caldwell with Jess Stearn, a facinating work of fiction which tells the story of Jesus from the viewpoint of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who is known for assisting the Romans and the Jews who were against Christ in their efforts to arrest, try and kill him. It is told in the first person, and offers an option to ponder Iscariot's remorse and possible atonement/forgiveness for his deeds.
Where and when does the movie take place??? It was filmed in Morrocco and maybe some other places, but it is of course, the cities of Nazareth, Bethany, and Jerusalem in Judea, Israel. A lot of the movie involves flashbacks to Jesus' childhood in Egypt and also a voyage to Jerusalem, considered a "holy city", but mostly the film spans three years from the time Joseph passes away and Jesus finds his calling, through his three year traveling ministry to his Crucifixion, Death, Ressurection and Ascension.
Behind the scenes stories: People are gonna get so sick of hearing about THE CAT!!! But I'll forever associate this story with this movie...I have to tell the story just one more time, or else it will be lost to history along with all the disappearing websites!!! While filming JESUS Jeremy found a sick stray kitten and took it home with him. He named the cat "Misha" and nursed it back to health before taking it back to the States. The kitten ran away soon after. Jeremy told this story during an interview on the TV Guide Channel promoting the JESUS miniseries. He also talked about how he bought some tomatos from a street vendor and how they made him sick. He was sick the day he went up on the cross for the crucifixion scene, and added that being sick helped him really get into the scene!!!
Soundtrack??? There are 2 CDs that are buyable: an instrumental one by Patrick Williams, and one consisting of "inspired music" by groups like 98 Degrees, DC Talk and Hootie and The Blowfish. Patrick Williams instrumental stuff is majestic, very beautiful. I also love "Pie Jesu" by Sarah Brightman. "I Need You" by LeAnn Rimes is pretty.
Pet Peeves: None, except CBS's decision to deprive USA/CANADA of the wonderful alternate ending!
DVD Extras: Letter from Pope John Paul II, LeAnn Rimes Music Video.
Other Biblical Epics you might like: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, NOAH'S ARK, and THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, and the recent megahit, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.
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MEN NAMED MILO, WOMEN NAMED GRETA---USA 2000, Atom Films
A short film about a guy who is stood up by his date and is stuck spending the evening getting to know her dad and sister.
MPAA Rating: I think it was PG-13 or TV-14 for a few cuss words and a picture of a woman's boob covered with chocolate fudge sauce...I'm not CRAZY, it's true!!!
Genre: Hard to say...definitely a wry comedy, perhaps satire??? Shakespeare tribute??? Shakespeare parody???
When did I see this??? A pal of mine (Hi Lynn!!!) taped it off of Sundance for me in November 2000!!!
My grade: I just watched this the other day and I am upgrading it from a D+ to a C+ just because the characters are so adorable. The story is still really weird and hard for a simpleton like me to follow (maybe this is why I also didn't get THE AUTEUR THEORY, but...) Not long ago, I retaped it and my new copy has CC, so I understand it better. We hearing impaired really have a hard time without captions, so be kind, won't you??? Anyhoo, TV guide said it was a, updated Shakepearean play. Which one??? Hell, how would I know??? I couldn't tell you the diffences in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW (even though they forced me at gunpoint in the 9th grade to read the damn thing!!!) from THE MERCHANT OF VENICE from OTHELLO if my life depended on it!!!
Cast Includes: Allen Garfield, Poppy Montgomery, Devon Odessa, Devon Gummersall, Meadow Sisto and the voice of Jonathan Silverman.
Jeremy played: Deke Masters, a really cute guy with a convertible, nice clothing and some five o'clock shadow. In spite of all this, his date rudely stands him up!!!
His look: A hint of Kenny Klein's look, but much more modern and preppy. Maybe a mixture of the Kenny and the Elton looks???
Personality/Character tidbits: Likes coffee, thinks girls who suck their thumbs are kinda sexy, doesn't much like to watch TV. Is totally annoyed with Mr. Noodleman but is polite for everyone's sake.
Best scene: All the banter between Deke and Jackie was funny!!!
Best lines: "Monsters???" "Not one word!!!" "Your head is right there, and it's bald!!!"
Love interest??? Deke came over to pick up Emily, but soon found himself in an awkward situation involving Barri. I think Barri was prettier anyway. I wish I could see Jeremy and the actress who played Barri (Poppy Montgomery) in THIS SPACE BETWEEN US!!! They seem to have great chemistry together!!!
Is there a book??? I doubt it. But if there was, I'm sure I wouldn't get it either!!! Update: Obviously, I'm wrong, there IS a book!!! But it's a SHAKESPEARE book, and I don't know which one.
When and where does the story take place??? Don't know where...could be anywhere...could be next door for all I know. An updated Shakespeare tale, it feels pretty fresh and contemporary to me. I like Jeremy's clothes anyway.
Pet Peeves: I don't think I have any. I never truly understood the film, but somehow still like it.
Other movies based on Shakespeare's works: O, OTHELLO, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, the many versions of HAMLET, ROMEO AND JULIET, and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.
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THE OUTER LIMITS: A NEW LIFE---USA SciFi Channel TV 2001
This is an episode of the newer version of the popular science fiction series. It's about a group of yuppie friends who join a religious cult that requires them to leave Western society behind and live kind of like the Amish live!!!
MPAA Rating: TV-14 for violence and scarey images, including being burnt alive!!!
Genre: Pretty much 100% science fiction
When did I see it??? It came on the Sci-Fi channel in March 2001.
My grade: A+ excellent!!! Reminiscent of the OLDER Outer Limits shows!!!
Cast Includes: Brad Rowe, Michelle Beaudoin and Nick Mancuso
Jeremy plays: Tom, who, along with his friend Danny, works as a trader or broker or something really stressful, because they seem really relieved to be leaving the rat race behind, although Tom has some reservations. When they first get on the Bus, he looks really nervous!!!
His look: At first, he is baby faced, clean shaven, with very dark, semi-short hair. He changes into another Kenny Klein ad-mixture with reddish hair and scruff, and wears kinda sexy Luke Skywalker-ish clothing!!! : )
Best scene: All of them!!!
Best lines: "Let's just say I won't be drinking the Kool-Aid!!!" "Come on, life without Big Macs???"
Jesus references/witticisms: "Father" is regarded and respected as an holy man, a diety even. Calls himself the Shepherd and his cult the Flock.
Love interest??? On the bus to The Promised Land, Tom meets one of Dan's girlfriend's friends, Heather. Later, you see they hit it off and are about to start a family.
Is there a book??? I'm getting tired of asking this silly question because the answer yet again is No. At least I've never heard about one...
When and where does the story take place??? It feels modern and contemporary. It could be the Rockies, it could be the Sierra Nevadas, it could be The Great Smokeys or the Appalachians, or it could be a 20 mile long flying saucer!!! Ay, Chihauhaua!!!
DVD info: This episode is available on DVD as part of a huge collection of OUTER LIMITS episodes.
What is the time frame??? They get on the bus and two years later, they are all expectant parents and it's at this time when they find out that their "New Life" is not what it's cracked up to be!!!
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ANGEL EYES---USA 2001, Warner Bros., Morgan Creek, Franchise Films
A romantic drama about the relationship between a cop (Jennifer Lopez) and a strange loner (Jim Caviezel)and how their tragic pasts put their relationship to the test.
MPAA Rating: R for violence, strong language and adult themes, and sexuality.
Genre: NOTHING mystical, supernatural or sci-fi about it. It's simply a romantic family drama about fucked up family dynamics.
When did I see it??? Well it's a fine choice for a date movie and my date wanted to see friggin' PEARL HARBOR. So I ended up going alone on the sly on a fine balmy Thursday afternoon.
My Grade: A+ excellent!!! In spite of negative reviews, this is a far above average drama with a very strong cast. I was very surprised at how much I was impressed with everyone's acting!!!
Cast Includes: Jennifer Lopez, Jim Caviezel, Sonia Braga, Victor Argo, Monet Mazur and Terence Howard.
Jeremy played: Although he has played characters we haven't liked much in the past, this is a whole new breed of unpleasant person here!!! I was very impressed by his performance as Larry, a man who was beaten by his dad as a child and is now hitting his wife. A frustratingly sympathetic character, just like the characters of the Mom, Dad and wife.
His look: Traces of Kenny Klein at the beginning (facial expressions) but later takes on an overall sad, hostile and beaten look.
Personality/Character tidbits: Works in construction, has a nasty temper AND a nasty mouth!!! Arrogant and antagonistic towards Sharon. Poor impulse control and in need of anger management.
Best scene: His role was so small, but I did like the first scene he was in.
Best lines: "He's got his mother's looks and my strong back." "You know what, it's not too cool, you coming around here in your COP uniform!!!"
Love interest??? She wasn't gettin' too much love, but I guess the love interest is the wife, played by Monet Mazur.
Is there a book??? I don't think so.
When and where does the story take place??? In Chicago, and the story feels contemporary.
What is the time frame??? It seems to be spanning over several weeks as the relationship between Sharon and Catch develops.
Pet Peeves: I believe there are some Jeremy scenes on the cutting room floor, and I would have LOVED more Jeremy. Seems to be a scene where he is talking to Sharon outside at the wedding.
Is there a soundtrack??? With J-Lo in the picture, why of course!!! I like the title song "Angel Eyes" by Tamara Walker and the instrumental music by Marco Beltrami is very good.
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SIX FEET UNDER---USA HBO TV 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005
This is the critically acclaimed and very popular series on HBO about a Los Angeles family who owns and operates an independent funeral home.
MPAA Rating: TV-MA for lots of cussing, nudity/sex, adult themes regarding homosexuality, sexuality in general and of course, death in all its forms.
Genre: Mixed grim comedy with profound drama, family drama, debateable fantasy elements (talking to the dead and whatnot).
When did I see it??? I've been a fan since its debut in June 2001.
My grade: Season #1: A+, a quirky, trippy, clever and powerful start; Season #2: A+ still very strong, consistently dark and funny; Season #3, A or A- seemed to flounder a little, dragged down considerably by Nate's unhappy marital situation and the presence of the directionless character Arthur...picked up again when Billy came back into the picture and seemed to gain momentum when Lisa went missing and George Sibley showed up; Season #4: B or B-...IMO, the weakest season. Nate's in mourning over Lisa's drowning death; Ruth is in a bad marriage with George; David and Keith are separated by Keith's new job as a security guard to the stars; Claire experiments with lesbian sex; and Brenda relapses into her sex addiction and drug abuse. Storylines were interesting, but at the same time seemed tedious and irritating. The strongest episode was the shocking one in which David is abducted, beaten, forced to do crack, and tortured. Billy makes another welcome return toward the mid/end of the season. Season #5: A or A-...A huge improvement on S4, stronger than S3 too. Nate and Brenda finally tie the knot and Brenda is expecting their first child and being surrogate mom for Maya; Ruth finally succeeds in ditching George, who is about as mentally stable as our pal Billy; David and Keith have finally survived the tests on their relationship and are now anxious to start their family; Claire has dropped out of LACArt College to persue her own direction after her successful gallery showing, and is hoping that at long last she has found her lifelong love with Billy. The final season, S5 proved to be a satisfying one, with a good ending.
(The ever growing)Cast Includes: Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Freddy Rodriguez, Mathew St. Patrick, Rachel Griffiths, Richard Jenkins, Ed Begley, Jr., Robert Foxworth, Joanna Cassidy, Aysia Polk, Justina Machado, Eric Balfour, Marina Black, Ed O'Ross, Lili Taylor, Kathy Bates, Rainn Wilson, James Cromwell, Peter Macdissi, Ben Foster, J.P.Pitoc, Justin Theroux, Melissa Marsala, Veronica Cartwright, Mena Suvari, Peter Facinelli, Michelle Trachtenberg, and many others!!!
Jeremy plays: Billy Chenowith, brother of Brenda, a photographer who happens to be afflicted with manic/depressive (bipolar) disorder, a mental illness that has dominated his life since around age 14. Because the show is long running, this is probably Jeremy's best work so far and the character is highly developed and has gone through various stages, as have all the characters on this show.
His look: Season #1: Wild, long, somewhat curly hairdo, biker shorts, and the occasional gorgeous suit, like the one he wore at the art show. Season #2: Short, cropped hair, well groomed, much more mentally stable of course. Season #3: Grew his hair out a bit and made his first delicious appearance wearing a very fine outfit (at Brrrnerd's funeral). Later seen in some more yummy duds picking Brenda and Margaret up for the art benefit show. Season #4: Filled out (even after a bout with amoebic dysentery!!!), clean shaven, pleasant and calm, with new confidence it seems. Season #5: Good looking, clean cut, calm and visibly happy for the most part, except for one huge area of his life. After he flushes his pills down the toilet, he becomes wild-eyed and wild-haired again, grows a beard, and wears those 2 famous shirts way too often.
Character tidbits: Season #1: Likes to eat OLIVES, Barges into Brenda's home without calling OR KNOCKING!!! Likes to drink beer and tea. Loves to photograph abnormal subjects, not supermodels. Is noncompliant with his medication regimen for bipolar DO treatment. Season #2: Still eats olives, must be an Xmas tradition, Wants to disengage himself from Brenda, on his doctor's advice. Still likes beer and tea. No longer wants people to see him as "dark and ghoulish". Is not shy about posing nudie for Claire to photograph his scarred butt. Is compliant with his meds. Season #3: Wants to help Brenda with her problems, always offering a sympathetic ear while she talks about being a "watered down, boring version of" herself. Likes peanut butter toast for breakfast and likes ice cream. No longer photographs hookers with tumors but rather makes abstract color collages. Seems, and I repeat, seems compliant with his meds, but what about that meltdown he had during the cartoon???!!! Season #4: Finally seems to be establishing his own sense of identity, takes his meds, dresses in cute outfits for his job as a sub-teacher at LACArts and even cuter jeans and layered shirts when he is spitting out vile hospital food with Brenda. Season #5: Should have been on the road to a great life...he had a good job, a real love relationship, and above all, a stable and safe mood, thanks to those meds. But as happens all too often for many with this complex and difficult disorder, the side effects and the lack of "feeling" and the zombie-ish feeling of being "too level" cause Billy to once again skip taking his pills until he becomes so unstable and manic that he alienates Claire to the point of no return.
Best Scene: Season #1: The tatoo removal scene, for sure!!! Season #2: A toss up between the nudie scene and the scene where he tells Claire she is beautiful. Season #3: The incest kiss scene!!! Season #4: Reunited with Brenda at the hospital. Season #5: The leather pants scene and the scene where Billy has manic fits at Nate's birthday party.
Best lines: Season #1: "She's my sister, she's my mother, she's my sister!!!" "I just have to take a shower." {{{PURR PURR}}} "Hurry, it's on a timer!!!" "Good morning, Nate!!!" "Bring out your dead!!!" Season #2: "They pumped so much electricity thru me that I could light up the Eastern seaboard!!!" "I thought it (wedding) was sweet." "I wanna know you as long as I can without fucking it up, which seems to be my special superpower." Season #3: "No, I went crazy." "It was a sex thing, not a gay thing." "You could stay here, if you've seen enough of Mom's pussy for a few days." Season #4: "Do you think I should tell Mom that I slept with Olivier once when I was in school???" "We are THE two most sexually inappropriate people of all time." Season #5: "Let's stay in bed all day, talking and fucking." "I'm tired of living my life inside a giant Xeroxed fucking cotton ball!!!"
Love interest??? It seems to many of us that poor Billy has never had much love in his life. His parents are the two biggest flakes since Tony The Tiger and The Kellogg Rooster!!! His sister Brenda has been looking after him since they were children. In an episode in Season #2, Billy talked about how Brenda was always so protective and strong for him and declared that "I've never even had a real girlfriend!!!" There is still that nagging possibility that their twisted, coey relationship even included incest, simply because they're both warped and fucked up beyond human comprehension (quoting Nate of course). The latest development is a friendship with Nate's sister, Claire. True she is several years younger than Billy, but with Claire's staggering level of maturity, and Billy's staggering level of immaturity, I see a possible match made in heaven. But every character on this show has shitty luck, so chances are, it will end badly. Season #3 shed a bit more light onto the cryptic character of Billy. He seemed to be functioning properly at last, but leave it up to Alan Ball to toy with our minds!!! Billy shocked the shit out of us at least three times!!! First he told Claire that he was Olivier's teacher's pet one year. Second, he had a meltdown while watching a cartoon based on the NATHANIEL AND ISABEL books...ended up trying to kiss his own sister Brenda with TONGUE!!! Third, he tearfully confessed that he is "in love" with Brenda!!! Love interests indeed!!! This poor guy's love life certainly isn't enviable!!! At the end of Season #4, and after much anticipation and speculation, Billy and Claire finally got together for more than just a jealous mind game like in Season #1. As I figured, the affair between Billy and Claire ends on a sour note, and during season 5, Billy describes Claire as the great love of his life, even into old age. At least we can say he no longer felt that way about his sister, right?!!!
Is there a book??? There is a tie-in/variety book for the show, called BETTER LIVING THROUGH DEATH. Authored by the many screenwriters for the show, along with creator Alan Ball, BETTER LIVING is available from Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other retailers. It consists mainly of fictitious anecdotes, letters, notes, emails, IMs, and other personal writings of the characters, and gives further insight to their lives. There are even cool sections about the fire Billy started in his folks' house at age 14, his subsequent diagnosis with manic-depression, and his hospitalization at Clarendon (between S1 and S2 on the show). The nagging thing about the book is that it ends with Lisa's disappearance and there has been no additional books (to my knowledge) continuing with the aftermath of her murder or seasons 4 and 5.
Jesus references and witticisms: I thought it was funny when (in S3) Brenda was reading the Nathaniel and Isabel book and when she gasped, "Jesus!!!" Billy muttered, "Hmmmm???"
Where and when does the story take place??? It is trying its best to be right along with reality. Dad is killed at the tail end of 2000 and since then, the series has successfully caught up with time and everything is happening "now." Oh yeah, the story takes place in...yes, LaLa Land. The Fishers reside in the Pasadena area. Brenda and Billy Batty live in Venice, where all those surfer dicks are!!! LOL I think Rico and family live near Sherman Oaks, Mr. and Mrs. Chenowith live in Westwood Village, and I'm not sure where Keith or Nikolai live.
Soundtrack??? Yes...I got my copy at Barnes and Noble. It has some pretty good stuff: The Theme Song by Thomas Newman, "Heaven" by Lamb; and other good songs by P.J. Harvey, The Classic IV and others. There is a new soundtrack, called EVERYTHING ENDS, as of Summer 2005.
Pet Peeves: There are some soapy moments, and some bad storylines, and even a few moments of being a little overly self conscious about how "cool" and "edgy" and "daring" a show it is, esp. in Season 4. Other than that, it's a show that many of us will love forever.
DVD Extras: So many, on each season set, including audio commentary by various members of the production team, anamorphic menus, behind the scenes featurettes and deleted scenes.
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THE AUTEUR THEORY---USA/UK 2001
An independent film about...independent films, set at an "absurdly self indulgent" film festival. A documentary filmmaker named George Sands stumbles onto a murder mystery that proves far more interesting than the festival.
MPAA Rating: R for just a couple of bad words and some pretty tame violence in my opinion...
When did I see this??? On Showtime in April 2002.
Genre: Supposed to be a dark comedy, parody/send-up of independent filmmaking. Eh.
My grade: I give it a D for now. I thought it was really a boring film about boring/bad films. Maybe I'll change my mind as time goes by. I've done that a lot.
Cast Includes: Alan Cox, Natasha Lyonne, Armin Shimmerman, Garrett Wang, Dana Lee, Ian McNeice, Angeline Ball, Rachel True, and Eric Michael Cole.
Jeremy played: The role was too small, dammit!!! He played Jules, a guy who apparently is starring in a really terrible little film about two guys bargaining with God. Jeremy spends most of his precious little time on screen weeping and wailing, and the acting is AWFUL, but it's ON PURPOSE!!! So don't panic!!! I can't believe some people said, "Oh my god, he can't act!!!" It's ON PURPOSE PEOPLE!!! Eric Michael Cole (his role is too small, dammit!!!) plays Jules' friend Igmar (huh???) and HIS acting ain't much less laughable!!! If they had devoted this whole film to Jules and Igmar screaming and wailing, I might have given this film a better letter grade!!!
His look: High school or college babe in a letterman jacket!!!
Personality/Character tidbits: Makes faces, screams and cries on camera, and that's about all I know.
Love interest??? None.
Best Lines: "God is a totally righteous dude!!!"
Is there a book??? I haven't the foggiest...
Where and when does this story take place??? It feels contemporary for the most part. As for the place??? I'm not sure at all.
Pet Peeves: Well, I think I've already covered this.
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MAY---USA 2002, Lions Gate, 2 Loop Films
A twisted, psychotic modernization of FRANKENSTEIN, a sweet-natured, darkly comic, undeniably violent story about a lonesome young woman who searches for someone to love her and not think of her as a freak.
MPAA rating: R for violence, gore, language, two scenes of sexuality, and sexual cannibalism!!! LOL
Genre: Dark comedy, dark romance, horror, psychodrama...
When did I see this??? I saw it Feb. 7, 2003 in Visalia, CA while it was in "very limited" release!!!
My grade: At least an A...an A- if I could find anything to bitch about, which I can't really!!!
Cast includes: Angela Bettis, Anna Faris, Merle Kennedy, James Duval, Nicole Hiltz, and little more than a cameo from Rob Estes.
Jeremy played: Adam, a mechanic and amateur filmmaker whose beautiful hands and freakishly gory film about cannabalistic love-birds give May the wrong idea about him, a guy who proclaims himself to be weird, but really, has NO IDEA what weirdness truly is!!!
His look: That long, wild, tousled hair, and mostly black clothing. I saw hints of Vassago, and lots of people remarked that there was an eerie Jim Morrison vibe too.
Personality/Character tidbits: smokes cigarettes, likes chips and salsa, has underpants with racecars on them, likes to wear lots of black. Pleasant, easy-going, believes himself to be "unique". Love Dario Argento films.
Wacky film connection: Adam dressed as "Julius Caesar" for Halloween!!!
Love interest??? Adam is May's love interest. It was apparent to me upon first screening that May really really adored Adam. She followed him around, hiding behind bushes and telephone poles, like a lost puppy. Even when she hooked up with Polly the sexy lesbo at her job, she was still pining for Adam. Hey, I can't blame her, what's not to love???!!!
Best scenes: The laudromat scene, the park scene, the love scene...
Best Lines: "You wanna smoke a smoke with me???" "I used to be a hand model." "Disgust me, please!!!" "You're on to me...I'm a psycho!!!"
Is there a book??? I wish there truly was, but the closest thing I believe is Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN. I've never read it, and I think I will, just to find the parallels.
Where and when does this story take place??? I believe it's pretty contemporary and although it's not clear where May's origin is, she is living alone, in Los Angeles!!!
Soundtrack??? The soundtrack is available to buy. Go to Poperratic.com. Poperratic is the band of Jaye Barnes Luckett, who also headed the band Alient Tempo Experiment 13. Some of my favorites of theirs include "Prowler", "Frox", "Son Of A Pitch", "Made To Love You", and "New Years Evil". In the film, there are also some GREAT Breeders' and Kelly Deal songs, "Oh!", "Where Did The Home Team Go?", "When He Calls Me 'Kitten'", and "Do You Love Me Now?" Unknown indie groups like H Is Orange and Thrill My Wife (!!!???) also appear in this film.
Pet Peeves: None that I can think of.
DVD Extras: 2 audio commentaries, and the original trailer (lurking behind an Easter egg Lions Gate logo).
Did you love MAY??? If you did, watch CARRIE, in which Angela Bettis again plays a petite, sweet, angelic KILLER!!!
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THE TWILIGHT ZONE: THE EXECUTIONS OF GRADY FINCH---USA Paramount UPN TV 2003
The only episode I have bothered with from the new series, because of Jeremy of course. I loved the original series from the '60s, but the new one lacks something, and it's been cancelled, so oh well. This one episode was a very entertaining half hour!!! It centers on Grady Finch, a man convicted of murder and sentenced to die by lethal injection. We meet him just as he is about to take the Dead Man's Walk. His lawyer, Liz, is his only source of comfort and the only one fighting for his clemency.
MPAA rating: TV-14 for a couple of bad words and frightening scenes involving needles, guns, electric chairs and statues!!!
Genre: What genre IS Twilight Zone anyway, LOL!!! Creepy sci-fi/unexplainable phenomena mixed with some fitting comedy at times.
Cast includes: Alicia Witt, host Forrest Whitaker (off screen) and a few familiar faces I can't name.
Jeremy played: Grady Steven Finch, the main character!!!
His look: Sweaty and scared shitless at first. Later, looks completely cute in a knit cap!!! Looks even better in the suit when he gets out of the car to go to trial!!!
Personality/Character tidbits: likes cigarettes and chili dogs together. Is a great sketch artist. Charming, charismatic. Overly confident and gets worse as the show progresses!!!
Jesus references/witticisms: Grady contemplates starting his own "religion" and mission to exonerate other "innocent" people on Death Row. "The righteous shall be set free."
Best scene: The scene where Grady faints, or the chili dog scene!!!
Best lines: "I hate needles!!!" "Oh, waiter??? These are all beef, hmmm???" "Anyone else wanna take a shot??? Go ahead!!! You can't kill me!!! No one can!!!"
When did I see this??? May 7, 2003 on UPN.
My grade: A- and the minus is because it should have been a whole hour at least!!! You can't tell a truly complete story in half an hour!!! The original series was a whole hour long, why did the new one have to put two stories into an hour timeslot???!!! I loved the story but wanted to know more about Grady's past. Where's his family??? How did he get convicted based on the testimony of a "junkie"???
Love interest: None, although Jeremy Sisto and Alicia Witt have pretty good chemistry, their relationship is pretty much limited to lawyer and convict. I liked Witt a LOT better in this than in BONGWATER by the way!!! There was some good rapport between them, and some good comedy too.
Is there a book??? Nah...
When and where does this take place??? It's not clear where, it could be any place with a prison in town. When??? It's contemporary.
Pet Peeves: Should have been an hour long, for more story background and stuff. Otherwise, a good show.
Cool music: That song that played after Grady gets aquitted!!! "I got a way with women, I got away with words, I got away with murder!!!" That was a nice touch!!!
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WRONG TURN---USA 2003, Twentieth Century Fox, Constantin Films, Summit Entertainment
Jeremy's fourth horror movie (the others were HIDEAWAY, MAY, and the upcoming DEAD AND BREAKFAST), WRONG TURN is an ultra-violent, good ol' hard core slasher flick about three grossly deformed inbred hillbillys who love to eat people!!! And to their extreme delight, there are six people lost nearby that would make for some mighty fine eatin' vittles!!!
MPAA Rating: I'm surprised it didn't get an NC-17 because of all the controversy over the trailers, but it got an R for extreme gory violence, weapons, horrifying images of human remains, grotesque amputations, decapitations, mutilations with barb wire, and some F words.
Genre: Pure non-spoof horror and some great comedy, thanx to Jeremy!!!
Cast includes: Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Lindy Booth and Kevin Zegers, and Julian Richings
Jeremy played: Scott, a smart, funny, cute guy who has the best comedy lines.
The look
Personality/Character tidbits: Easy-going, tries to be a peace-maker, finds humor in almost anything. Reads Time and Newsweek, wants to elope, really adores his fiancee!!! Being that none of them had Southern accents, I would say that Scott and his vacationing friends were from some nearby state, like Ohio or Pennsylvania. Chris Flynn's destroyed license plate was a PA one.
Best scenes: The scene where Scott tests Carly's "fear of heights".
Speaking of funny lines: "I think you killed my bike too!!!" "My voice is fairly low and normal speed!!!" "A faux James Brown is really quite intolerable." "My Grandma would be shocked but also facinated in a completely disturbing way!!!" "Limber tongue, got it!!!" "Can I get a whoo-whoo???!!!" "Trespassing, West Virginia...not a good combination." "Okay, who LIVES here???!!!" "It's the garage sale from hell!!!"
When did I see it??? June 17, 2003 in Elk Grove, CA.
My grade: either an A- (because Jeremy wasn't in it enough) or A (because I was STILL VERY HAPPY with the movie!!!)
Love interest: Jeremy and Emmanuelle Chriqui played an engaged couple who (sniff!!!) never made it to the altar!!!
Book??? I doubt it. I think Alan McElroy wrote the original script.
When and where does this story take place??? It's contempo, being that Miss Dushku is in low-hipped jeans!!! It takes place in the gorgeous Appalachian Mountains in Greenbriar County, West Virginia. Yes, the scenery is very lovely to behold, but the locals aren't!!! I still shudder when I think about Yuck Mouth (the one-tooth guy Harrington's character meets at that "service station")!!! I think I could safely say he was uglier than the three killers!!! LOL!!!
Most unforgettable moment and image in WRONG TURN: When Carly gets killed...it's chilling to see a life that was so happy in the beginning of the story become so shattered emotionally, and then ending in such a gruesome way.
Soundtrack??? I haven't been shopping to the music store yet, but I'm guessing one might be buyable. There is good stuff by Queens Of The Stone Age and others. Mostly I love the instrumental stuff by Elia Cmiral. It captures the mystique of Appalachia without getting too bluegrassy or twangy.
DVD Extras: Trailer, audio commentary, lots of behind the scenes featurettes.
Pet Peeves: In spite of Jeremy getting killed off early, the movie continued to keep my attention. So nope, no pet peeves. Unless you want me just to say I wish he hadn't died the way he did!!! : (
If you liked WRONG TURN, you really MUST watch that infamous film to whom WT pays homage: DELIVERANCE, a harrowing story of four friends who become victimized by the crazy locals along a wild Southern river.
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CAESAR---USA/Italy, Five Mile River Films, TNT TV 2002
A meticulously researched and well executed docudrama about the most famous leader of the Roman Republic.
Other titles: JULIUS CAESAR, JULIO CESARE
MPAA rating: TV-14 or PG-13 for war violence, some scarey images and adult content.
Genre: Biopic, historical drama, family drama, war drama, romantic drama...
Cast includes: Richard Harris (to whom this film was lovingly dedicated. This was his last role before he passed away in Oct. 2002), Chris Noth, Christopher Walken, Valeria Golino, Heino Ferch, Samuela Sardo, Nicole Grimaudo, Iab Duncan, and lots of others whose names I cannot recollect, but some looked mighty familiar...
When did I see this??? When it aired on TNT June 29 and 30, 2003.
Grade: A- (because it should have been longer) or A+ because it was good anyway and they can't help that TNT has commercials!!! LOL
Jeremy played: the title character, Gaius Julius Caesar. They always used a number, the surname, and then the first name in those days. So today, we would call him Caesar Julius the...fifth??? There was a Sextus Julius Caesar sometime in Roman history, and that number of course is 6, but what is gaius???!!! Help somebody???
The look: Very short hair, wears those trendy ancient Roman garments, including body armor and those Marvin the Martian brush helmets!!! Confident, somewhat macho, stubborn, ambitious.
Personality/Character tidbits: Jeremy adopted a British vibe for this role. Caesar speaks in an elegant British accent. Even has dry British humor. Not funny or goofy or cheery in the least. Very serious and very ambitious, loves his little girl Julia, has epilepsy, has a price put on his head, married twice but commits adultery!!! Finally has his second child at the age of 55!!!
Best scene: My favorites were: When Caesar stood up to Sulla; the seizure at Pompey's Triumph, the "I'm hungry too" speech in Gaul, the assasination scene (Jeremy can really do the last gasping breath stuff!!!)
Best lines: "She's cleverer than I am, she's more honest than I am, she's a more compelling argument than I am or you are." "I assure you, whoever is responsible will be punished severely!!!" "What hour would you call this???" "It shames me."
Love interest...Ohhh boyyy!!! Love interests...well, lemme see...geez...there was Cornelia, who was Caesar's first wife while they were youths. At this point, we know Caesar as a very devoted husband and father to Julia, and he obviously adores the woman. He describes her to Sulla thus: "She is more clever, honest, and a more compelling arguement than I am or you are." Whoa!!! Say no more, my good man...you've got my respect. After Corney dies, Caesar meets a woman named Calpurnia. I liked Callie from the beginning all the way to the end!!! I liked her better than I liked Corney even!!! They meet as Caesar is suffering an epileptic seizure. Callie is a woman not only of astonishing physical beauty, but of genuine kindness and warmth, and soon she and Caesar are in love. After the marriage of Pompey to Julia and Caesar to Calpurnia, Caesar is assigned by Pompey to go to Gaul. The husband and wife are separated for EIGHT years!!! Wow, woohoo!!! Exciting marriage, eh??? Callie is alone for practically the entire marriage, and is enraged to find out that while in pursuit of Pompey to Africa, Caesar has taken up with the young queen Cleopatra.
Is there a book??? Well, Shakespeare wrote a play that I have not read. Austrailian author Colleen McCollough (sp???) has written a series of books about the rise and fall of Rome, and the ones I know of, in order, are: THE FIRST MAN IN ROME, THE GRASS CROWN, FORTUNE'S FAVORITES, THE OCTOBER HORSE, CAESAR, and CAESAR'S WOMEN. I saw THAT title and said, "WHAT???!!! YOU MEAN THERE WERE EVEN MORE!!!??? WELL THANK GOD THEY DIDN'T HAVE ALL THEM WOMEN IN THAT MOVIE OR I'D HAVE HAD A BIGGER COMPLEX THAN I ALREADY DO!!!" There are more book in McCollough's MASTERS OF ROME series, but I don't know the titles yet. I do plan to begin reading this series soon.
When and where did this story take place??? In ancient Rome, centuries after Alexander the Great did his thing, and decades before the birth of Christ Jesus and the political power of Caesar Augustus. The life of Gaius Julius Caesar is depicted from 82 BC (when he was young) through 84 BC (when Sulla died, though in many historical sources, it is said that Sulla decided to RETIRE from his reign of terror and died in 87 or 88 BC!!!) and continues through the fifth decade BC when Caesar was at war with the Gauls, and concludes with the conspiracy of members of the Senate to assasinate Caesar on the Ides of March (March 15th) 44 BC.
DVD Extras: Behind the scenes featurette
Pet Peeves: None that I can think of.
Soundtrack??? Probably not available, but the music in the movie is very pretty, lots of mandolins.
If you liked CAESAR, you may like these movies: CLEOPATRA (both the Liz Taylor and the Leonor Varela versions), GLADIATOR, and the many many many versions of JULIUS CAESAR.
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INSiDE---USA 2001, Quality Filmed Entertainment, Hypnotic Entertainment, Vanguard
An 8 minute short film about a doctor's interesting interview with a prisoner/psych patient suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder, a.k.a. Disassociative Personality Disorder.
MPAA Rating: TVPG or PG for really intense moments that weren't violent, but were kinda scarey.
Cast includes: Reedy Gibbs, Michael Bailey Smith, and Meghan Perry.
Genre: Here's another strange one that's hard to explain. It's been compared to the Twilight Zone, so I guess that's why!!! Creepy drama??? Psychological drama??? Dark comedy???
When did I see this??? Sometime in 2002 I caught the internet version. I saw the complete version on Starz Mystery in November 2003.
Jeremy played: The main character, a man who is both criminally and psychologically insane. His real name is Daniel. But he has lots of other names too!!!
The look: Bigtime resemblance to Billy Chenowith of 6FU's 1st season...long, unruly hair, unstable, agitated demeanor.
Personality/Character tidbits: Well...he talks to himself all the time!!! Has VERY pretty eyes. There is an underlying feeling of the main character being immobilized and silenced by his other, more outspoken personalities. The layers of complexity are as fun as a 7-layer taco!!!
Best scene: The film is almost one continuous scene, and it's all good!!!
My grade: A. I would give it an A+ but I think it should have been longer, like 10 or 15 mins. because the more Jeremy the merrier!!!
Where and when does the story take place??? It's contemporary, and could be in any psych ward or prison anywhere!!!
Is there a book??? No, but psychiatric publications everywhere talk about the disorder that afflicts Daniel.
Love interest??? Nope. And I wouldn't have touched the guy, even though he had that Creepy Jesus/BattyBilly look that makes me drool. As Bill Murray said in a fave movie of mine, "Sounds like you have at least two people in there already...might be a little crowded!!!"
Pet Peeves: The only pet peeve I could possibly think of is that this would have been all the more awesome as a feature length, but then again, it said what it had to say in 8 incredible little minutes. It is just an amazing little piece!!
DVD info: As of April '06 I don't yet have the DVD, but INSiDE is part of a short film collection called SHORT FUSE, now buyable on DVD.
If you like INSiDE, you might like these movies too: Sybil and The Three Faces Of Eve.
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THIRTEEN---USA 2003, Antedote Films, Fox Searchlight
A docu-style drama about the friendship between 2 adolescent girls, a friendship that leads one of the girls into self destruction.
MPAA Rating: R for language, sexual situations, drug use, self-inflicted and other violence, full frontal nudity, and wayyyy adult content, even though it's all happening so fast, to teenagers!!!
Genre: Definitely drama, very little comedy. Teen drama, family drama...
When did I first see it??? Not long after it came to DVD in Feb. 2004.
My grade: A, excellent, even though it's almost agonizing to watch it more than once.
Cast includes: Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed, Brady Corbett, Jenicka Carey, Charles Duckworth, D. W. Moffett, and Deborah Kara Unger.
Jeremy played: Brady, the much younger boyfriend of Hunter's character, Mel. Brady is a young man who has a history of crack cocaine addiction, and has been in several rehab programs, but always seems to relapse. He has returned to the lives of Mel and her kids once more, and who knows if this is just another brief period of sobriety before he drops the ball again???
Love interest??? Brady and Mel are lovers, although Mel is 40-something and Brady only 20 or 30-something!!!
His look: Slightly strung out, slender, barefoot, and laid back.
Personality/Character tidbits: Likes chickens, smokes cigarettes, doesn't talk a whole lot, likes oatmeal with chocolate chips!!! Does not appreciate Tracy's disrespect to Melanie, tries to be a peace-maker.
Best scene: My personal favorite was the one where Tracy called him "fucking cokehead". More supreme nonverbal acting from Jeremy: He looked like he was either gonna cry or slap the tar out of Tracy before he left the room.
Best lines: "Could I put this in your garage???" "Chickens are cool."
Where and when does this story take place??? Contemporary as all hell, especially that our young ladies are dressed in low-hipped pants, have tongue and navel piercings, and love rap music. The place is L.A. yet again, and the kids have access to buses that take them to the popular Melrose Ave. shopping district.
What is the time frame??? Tracy meets Evie at the beginning of school (usually Aug. or Sept.) and in about four or five months' time, Tracy has metamorphosed into a foul mouth, defiant, pierced, slutty brat who engages in "huffing" while she and Evie try to see who can beat each other up the worst!!!
Book??? No, but the story is somewhat based on actress Nikki Reed's own experiences as a young teen. She and director Catherine Hardwick have been friends for a long time, and they both wrote the very realistic script.
DVD extras: Very cool audio commentary by Catherine Hardwick, Nikki Reed, Evan Rachel Wood and Brady Corbett, behind the scenes featurettes, trailer and anamorphic menu
Pet Peeves: The only one I can remotely come up with is that Jeremy wasn't in it enough, and none of us ever object to seeing more of him!
Soundtrack??? I'm not sure. I hate rap (okay, I hate most new rap!!!), and there were quite a few rap songs, but there were also a few rock/alternative songs by groups like, well, THE LIKE!!! My personal faves music-wise are: "Explain Them To Me" by Liz Phair and "Lemon" by Katy Rose. "Equalizer" by The Clinic (the sprinkler scene) is cool too.
If you liked THIRTEEN, you might also like these films of high school teens from hell who are so adult that they give you the willies: BULLY, KIDS, LIFE AS A HOUSE, and HEAVENLY CREATURES!!!
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TRACK DOWN---USA/Germany 2002, Dimension Films
Other titles: TAKEDOWN, OPERATION TAKEDOWN, HACKERS 2: TAKEDOWN and CYBERTRAQUE (French title)
Based on the book by John Markoff and Tsutomu Shimomura, this is the story of the FBI's hunt for Kevin Mitnick, a parolee who has violated his parole by continuing his "hacking" career.
R for profanity, some violence, brief nudity, and adult content.
Genre: Adventure, chase thriller, biopic
When did I see it??? April 2004...Thank you to Jeanette, for making me a precious copy of this film on DVD!!!
Cast includes: Skeet Ulrich, Russell Wong, Donal Logue, Angela Featherstone, Amanda Peet, Christopher MacDonald, Ethan Suplee and Tom Berenger.
My grade: A or A+. It was unpredictable and full of twists. Or A- because the women in the film were kind of just...there...wasted talent.
Jeremy played: Lance, a guy who approaches Kevin offering new technology to hack into. He calls himself the "Icebreaker" and declares, "I am the SHIT!!!" In reality, Lance is a federal informant. The role is small, but pretty amusing.
His look: Love interest??? None for Lance.
Is there a book??? TAKEDOWN by Tsutomu Shimomura (the fellow hacker) and John Markoff (a reporter).
When and where does this story take place??? It happened from about 1991 to 1993 or 94, and Mitnick is chased to different parts of the country, including LA, Seattle and the South Carolina.
Pet Peeves: The silly love triangle between Kevin, Alex and Shelly (whose presence in this movie is simply pointless) and the misuse of the talents of Angela Featherstone and Amanda Peet. And of course, I would have love to have seen more of Lance!!!
DVD extras: Behind the scenes featurette
Soundtrack??? There are some great tunes from bands I am not really familiar with, including Grindverk, The Silos, Red Star Belgrade, Kill Hannah, Fisher, FibreHevy Brain, Celldweller, and Mark Verbos. My fave song is the techno one that plays during the chase scene in Seattle with Tsutomu and Kevin and then again at the end of the film, just before the end credits roll. Does anyone know who did this song and where I can find it??? I love it!!!
In 1994, Donal
Logue starred in THE CREW with a barely 18 year old Jeremy!!!
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DEAD DOG---USA 2002, Prosperity Electric, Regent Entertainment, Skouras Films, Ventura Entertainment
A wacky, whimsical, weirdly funny story about how the loss of a beloved pet drives a man temporarily insane!!!
Other titles: THE DOG KILLER (Nederland), OBSESSIVE CHASE (Brasil)
MPAA Rating: R for strong language, adult content, brief violence at times, and brief nudity.
Genre: I still haven't really figured it out: Dark comedy??? Psycho-comedy??? I know it's mainly a comedy, but there are elements of thriller, crime drama, and romance. I didn't really see any satire or spoof, though I could be wrong.
When did I first see it??? April 2004...Again, I owe my eternal gratitude to Jeanette. Like TRACK DOWN, DEAD DOGGIE took forever to be released.
My grade: A+++++++!!!
Cast includes: Paige Turco, David Thornton, Isaac Hayes, Jay O. Sanders, Adrienne Shelley, Julianne Nicholson, Christopher Cousins, and the adorable doggies, Maxwell and Ollie!!!
Jeremy played: The lead character, Tom Braeburn, a radio advertising executive whose dog is hit by a car and killed. He devises one of the most devilishly clever strategies for revenge that I've ever seen on screen. He identifies his prey, seduces the prey, sets up some alluring bait, and then gives the prey a taste of his own bitter medicine!!! There was such wit and skill and perfection in timing that I was dazzled!!!
The look: Very yummy (damn that buzzcut!!! PANT, PANT, PANT!!!) Wears gorgeous business suits on the job. And wait, there's more!!! He also looks pretty arresting in a plain ol' tee shirt and worn jeans!!! Whether he's making big bucks selling airtime or throwing away dead baby piggies, this Tom-boy is a hottie and a half!!!
Personality/Character tidbits: loves dogs (duh!!!), has a Southern accent, voices his opinions about the legal system, faux fur, and people who don't love dogs!!! Shrewd, low-key, and subtle. Dry sense of humor.
Best scene: I just can't decide...all of 'em!!!
Best lines: "I try not to dip my pen in the company ink!!!" "You know what??? That was MY fuckin' dog!!!"
"After a few hours of bonding at a titty bar..." "Your dog's name is Tampon???!!!"
Love interest??? Tom and Perri have been together for four years. Their relationship is pretty solid, but then again, they haven't really faced a "crisis", have they??? LOL
When and where does this story take place??? Tom and girlfriend/fiancee Perri live in New York City, but Tom is from Savannah, GA. I love his accent, "I'm gonna take Sophie home. I'll meet y'all." After his pooch is foully murdered, Tom does some genius/foolish things and ends up in Cairo, GA and then on the hog farm in "Bumfukt, MS" (as Thornton's character calls it). The story seems contemporary.
What is the time frame??? Begins sometime in the month of June and concludes maybe a few weeks to a month later.
Is there a book??? Shucks, no. At least I don't think so, but I'll be happy to read it if it exists somewhere!!!
Pet Peeves: I am in the minority when I say that DEAD DOG is really an overlooked gem. My only pet peeve is I hate that song in the titty bar scene and end credits. It must be some low price song they scrounged up. That's it. Otherwise, I have no complaints.
You know what's weird??? There are a lot of films about animal lovers, and a lot of movies about obsessions, but I can't think of a single movie to suggest in the IF YOU LIKED DEAD DOG, TRY THIS ONE OUT DEPT.!!! That must mean that DEAD DOG is an original!!!
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DAWSON'S CREEK: ALL GOOD THINGS...---USA Warner Bros./WB TV 2003
The series finale of the teen drama which premiered in 1998.
MPAA Rating: TV14 for adult content
Genre: Teen drama/soap, family drama
When did I see this??? I had to work the night it was aired on the WB network (sometime May 2003) but I managed to get a glimpse or two of Jeremy having a discussion with Joey Potter about how much he detests a certain teen soap/drama. Later, good ol' Jeanette sent me a DVD of this show, and again, I thank you, Jeanette!!! You're a doll!!! : ) I have not been much of a Creeker. I watched the show way back when it first came on, when they were all young, virginal and walking their dogs on a regular basis. But I watched the series finale and enjoyed it, even the non-Jeremy scenes!!!
Cast includes: James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams.
Jeremy played: the very hot Christopher, who has been Joey's boyfriend for a while in New York City. He writes books, and Joey, a book editor, assists him. He is planning to take Joey to a cabin by a lake for the weekend, and you'd think Joey would be ecstatic, but she's sad that she won't be in Capeside for a wedding.
His look: More of the slightly long hair and everyday clothing.
Personality/Character Tidbits: Cynical, wickedly funny, genuinely fond of Joey.
Best scenes: He wasn't in very many, so all of them!!! If there had to be an absolute best, well the towel scene, naturally!!!
Best lines: "Don't worry, I'll be your fire!!!" followed by a clicking and a winking. PURR PURR!!!
Love interest??? Christopher is Joey's "brooding beau", and Joey is shocked to discover a clue that he wants much more than to be her boyfriend.
What is the time frame??? Interesting, this ep takes place in 2008, five years after the preceding episode. Joey and Chris live in NYC, and then Joey makes a nostalgiac trip back to Capeside, MA., where a sentimental/sad reunion occurs.
Pet peeves: Okay, I just watched this again the other day, and man, it really is a teen soap. The acting has all the earmarks, as does the writing. I will never be a fan of this kind of stuff. It's too pretty, too neat, too perfect. As he was in the YOUNG AMERICANS pilot, Jeremy Sisto is like an alien marooned on some Pretty People Planet. His natural ease as Christopher just clashes in the world of Kevin Williamson.
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METHOD---USA/Romania 2004, DEJ
Another "mixed genre" film...a thriller, a mystery, a romantic drama, about a beautiful, troubled actress and her return to the big screen in a role of a lifetime, the role of infamous 19th century killer Belle Gunness, a widow who slew over 40 men and took their money.
Other Titles: DEAD EVEN
Rating: R for language, violence and gore, and two scenes of sexuality.
Genre: Thriller, romantic drama, a bit of biography perhaps
When did I see this??? In October 2004 when it premiered to video/DVD.
My grade: A- ...it was pretty confusing in some spots, but part of its fun is watching it several times and piecing the puzzle together little by little.
Cast includes: Elizabeth Hurley, Carmen du Satouy, John Barrowman, Oliver Tobias, and Hannah Yelland
Jeremy played: Jake Fields, a big movie star, the former boyfriend of Rebecka, the main character. And since "Jake" is an actor, there is another role, the role of Ray Lamphere, the man who lived with Gunness and witnessed the many slayings that occured in her home.
His look: Jake: Like any big name star, designer clothes that look yummy on him, walks with a swagger of confidence bordering on arrogance; Ray: Overalls and suspenders, a cute hat.
Personality/Character tidbits (Jake): smokes, doesn't like interviews, gets pretty pissed when being pumped for personal information for gossipy tabloids. Can be kind of an arrogant jerk but obviously cares very much about Beck and doesn't like the way Mum treats her. Ray: Has a sort of Arkansas/Oklahoma accent. Rides a bicycle, smokes, plays the harmonica, is very smitten with Belle, foolish, naive and jealous of all of Belle's beaus.
Best scene (as Jake Fields): Gee, er...{{{blush}}} I think the alley scene is...er...great!!! I also love the scene where Jake and Beck walk down the street together with their heads on each other's shoulders. Best scene as Ray Lamphere: The scenes where he is topless and working out in the yard are pretty watchable!!! I also liked the whitewashing scene for some reason!!! In deeper territory, I really liked the scene where Ray is struggling to force himself to help bludgeon that guy in the bathtub!!! And what about that scene where Jake wakes up and Beck pulls him back to lay down with her again??? What was that look on his face??? He looked a little scared of her to me!!!
Best lines: "Does my ass look big in this outfit???" "There's a little black kernel in it, but I guess it's safe...Romanian cuisine." "I think you're being a little melodramatic!!!" "You just reminded me of that horrible movie!!!"
Love interest??? What a love triangle!!! Times 2!!! Beck used to be involved with Jake who is now married to Bethany who is not happy with Jake because she believes Jake still has the hots for Beck and it turns out she's right so she packs her stuff and leaves so that Jake can be with Beck again much to Beck's mother's dismay...whew!!! Meanwhile, Belle Gunness meets Ray Lamphere who falls head over heels with her 'cause she's so purty an' all, even though she kills these guys she pretends she wants to marry and Ray's glad 'cause why would she marry any of those ol' geezers when she can have a healthy young'n like him in her bed and even though she's off in the head, lurin' men to her homestead and a-killin' 'em and a-stealin' their money, Ray's glad to help her 'cause she's so purty an' all!!!
Where and when does this story take place??? The Beck/Jake story is in the present, in Bucharest, Romania, where the movie BELLE is being filmed. The Belle/Ray story, which is the movie BELLE, takes place in LaPorte, Indiana, in 1908, and is fact based.
What is the time frame??? The MAKING OF story captures what appears to be a few weeks in the life of Rebecka Fairbanks. BELLE takes place over about two years, in which Gunness murdered 42 men.
Book??? I'd love to find a book about Belle Gunness, and I'm sure there are plenty in the library.
Trivia: Ray Lamphere was not hanged for murder, as the film BELLE depicts. He was not even named an accomplice or suspect in the murders Gunness was involved with. He died years after his friendship/employment with Gunness ended, of natural causes.
Pet Peeves: The story can be quite confusing as it shifts between the 2 worlds of Belle/Beck. I was stymied by the ending, and will always wonder if Beck killed Jake or herself. Oh, and I just have to say it. Those scenes of John Barrowman in his tighty whities? WTF??? Was there a point?
DVD extras: trailer
If you liked METHOD, here are some other movies about femme fatales who kill men: MONSTER and BLACK WIDOW.
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IN ENEMY HANDS aka U-BOAT---USA/Germany 2004
An above average World War II drama about a group of Americans held as POWs aboard a German Uboat, and how both the American and the German crews have to put aside their differences and work together to avoid a catastrophe none of them could foresee.
Rating: R for strong language, some war violence, and scarey images.
Genre: War drama, historical adventure
When did I see it??? Around Nov. 8th on DVD.
My grade: The first time I watched it, I gave it a false grade of C, but upon the second viewing, I gave it a massive upgrade to A-. If you give it a chance, it's just as good a film as the ones I'll mention in a bit.
Cast includes: William H. Macy, Til Schweiger, Scott Caan, Thomas Kretschmann, Ian Somerhalder, Rene Heger, Sam Huntington, Xander Berkeley, Chris Ellis, and Lauren Holly
Jeremy played: Jason Abers, one of the crewmen of the U.S.S. Swordfish, a submarine out in the Atlantic.
Personality/Character tidbits: Doesn't like skimpy helpings at mealtime, has a sister who died after drinking from the well at home, has a calm, levelheaded personality.
His look: Best scene: I liked the scene where the Germans marched their little band of prisoners through the sub naked as baby jaybirds!!! Why??? I dunno...just because... Also liked how Abers got all frustrated and terrified and snapped at the guy for speaking German.
Best lines: "Come on, don't be stingy!!!" "Shit!!! What???!!!" "Yeah, Chief, big crack!!!"
Where and when does this take place??? In the mid-Atlantic, heading toward the Eastern Seaboard, in August 1942 I believe it was.
Love interest??? Nah!!!
Time frame??? Seems to span over about one or two weeks in August as the prisoners languish aboard the German submarine.
Pet Peeves: I had none. My mom had some. She's the one who noticed slightly low rent special effects and production design. Go away Mom, ya bother me! I give a shit about that stuff. This movie kicks U571's ass. U571 has "splashers" cool! So? In Enemy Hands had a unique story where those "dastardly" Nazis and those "good" Americans were forced to put aside the bullshit of war and work together to save themselves from long horrid deaths. How dare anyone make a movie about Nazis showing their humanity! The nerve!
Did you like IN ENEMY HANDS??? If so, you might like these films: CRIMSON TIDE, THE ENEMY BELOW, DAS BOOT and U571!!! No promises, but you might!!!
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ONE POINT O---Romania/USA/Iceland/Japan 2004, Armada Films/Velocity Home Entertainment
A dark mix of science fiction and drama, with a little bleak humor thrown in, about a lonely, isolated computer coder who, along with his strange neighbors, becomes mixed up in a sinister corporate conspiracy.
Other titles: Virus 1.0, Paranoia 1.0, PARAN0.1A
Rating: R for violent images, gore, nudity and sexuality.
Genre: see above
When did I see it??? On Jan. 18, 2005 when it premiered on DVD.
Grade: A, it's a very authentic and fun film, and one of those you won't figure out at first sight!!!
Cast includes: Lance Henriksen, Deborah Unger, Udo Kier, Bruce Payne, Emil Hostina, Ana Maria Popa, and Eugene Byrd.
Jeremy played: Simon J, the focal character, who spends most of the film being terrorized while trying to unravel the corporate mystery.
His look: Personality/Character tidbits: Likes milk, feels vulnerable and threatened CONSTANTLY, hardly ever leaves his home, and certainly has no sex or social life...a human amoeba basically. Becomes more suspicious and paranoid as time goes on.
Best scene: There are quite a few, but my favorites are when Simon is crying on Trish's shoulder, and later when he is crying on her answering machine because he can't even talk without the damn nanites short circuiting his brain!!!
Best lines: "You should probably stay away from me, I think I'm getting sick." "I'm full of bugs." "Trish, it's me, NATURE FRESH MILK!!!"
Where and when does it take place??? The place is not truly named, although you see the name "Montevideo" on a newspaper Simon reads. The time is the very near future {{{shudder}}}!!!
Love interest??? At first, Simon regards Trish with suspicion and fear, but eventually, he falls in love with her. It's sad, shortly after they make love, she kind of coldly ignores him, or it might have been a hallucination. Simon seemed happy and content when he went on his shopping "spree" too!!! Well!!! Just when you think things are gonna be okay!!!
Time frame: Appears to take place over a few days.
DVD Extras: A "making-of" video by Gio Shanger called 5.1, 2 trailers, audio commentary by directors Martein Thorsson and Jeff Renfroe, lots of deleted scenes that SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT IN!!!
Pet Peeves: I'll continue about the deleted scenes. Too many good ones and they should have been left in the film. Thankfully we at least get them on the Region 1 DVD. There is a scene where Simon looks into the apartment of the recently deceased garbage man (the guy in the elevator at the beginning) and finds that Garbage Man's addiction is to FARM fresh eggs; There are 2 scenes with a character known as The Alley Woman, and WHY did someone think that the vomiting blood scene had to go? It makes you feel all the sorrier for Simon and his neighbors. Those nanomites are getting into their blood and tearing up their insides and they end up bleeding internally!
Soundtrack??? There is lots of good music, much of it from bands out of Iceland: "Hun Jord" by Sigur Ros (the song that plays during the nightclub scene); and my favorite, "Glands" by DIP (plays during the end creds); "Mir" by Murcof plays during a another deleted scene that sh
Young, fresh and baby faced, semi-long dark brown hair, dresses in practical wash & wear styles. Led Zeppellin T-shirt. Black rubber bracelets.
Vulnerable, sassy, feminine, with loose fitting garments, little size A boobs, and a walk like he belongs on some runway. His lack of make-up and wigs was proof that the filmmakers weren't interested in tranny stereotyping.
Young and baby faced but at the same time dangerous and seductive, wears dark shades and black leather, has longish, unruly (and therefore sexy as hell) hair!!! His skin is milky white, luminous, ghostly. He wears lip gloss and has very black eyes because his pupils are constantly dilated.
Extremely hot, beautiful wavy hair, those damn scrubs and those fine clothes he wears at the Atlantic City Casino aren't bad either!!!
Very beautiful IMO...I've always just slightly preferred longish hair over shorter hair for him. His hair is lovely, kind of long and wavy. He has a slightly mysterious presence in this movie, that gorgeous athlete you were dying to talk to in high school, but was too shy...etc.
Hair is semi short and really curly in this one. Wears comfortable summer clothing.
Jeremy had a very interesting "look" in this film. His hair is bleached, his nose is pierced, his nails are painted blue/black, and he wears bracelets and rings. Never seen Jeremy like this, a punk, a bizzare fashion plate, pretty hot if you ask me, in a completely different way than he is hot in his other films!!! To be honest, he has a delightfully "skanky" look, like a rent boy on Hollywood Blvd. The tattoo of a gun on his left shoulder was a great touch, and just one more ingredient to this terrific recipe!!! Another amazingly different character than the rest.
Grimy, unshaven, sweaty, unbathed...like POWs are supposed to look.
Hair on the short side, thin and frail, layers of sweaters probably because he's cold in that dank apartment building.