Well, yes, this is a frivolous question, as I am the main movie buff in the group. But I'd like to reserve this space for your comments on recent films or videos. Please include a date. I'll keep them up for three months.

-- tippi comden (tcomden@aol.com), January 18, 1999

Answers

CITY OF ANGELS -- a rather fanciful story, but I liked the concept of angels as men in black with sad eyes (doesn't that describe Nicholas Cage to a T?) Hanging out in the library, reading readers minds, sitting in pairs on top of billboards, gathering on the beach at dawn to hear celestial music. Those are powerful images.

WHAT DREAMS ..... (Why does Robin Williams star in films with such hard to remember, obscure titles? I'm lucky to remember the first two words). The images of heaven and hell tap into our social consciousness. Especially the heaven/hell of the depressed wife; If you viewed the world that way when alive, why not the same once dead? We make our own heaven, we make our own hell. The daughter had exactly the kind of heaven a 13 year old would construct. BTW I'm convinced the accident took place in the Liberty Tubes.

-- tippi comden (tcomden@aol.com), January 18, 1999.

As I said, I'm the only real movie buff in the group ---- This week's flicks: "A Perfect Murder" was the perfect adventure/mystery film. I was on the edge of my chair for the entire showing. Was she going to escape? No, no way! I really identified with the young woman and was very impressed with her linguistic skills. My husband was not so enthralled. "I know how it will end" he said, "this is 'Dial M for Murder' all over again. Remember, he grew up in a Movie Theater. He knows all the films of the 50s and 60s. The next night we rented "Dial M for Murder". He was right. But what a difference! And Hitchcock is supposed to be one of the best. But such stilted dialogue, such cardboard characters. The only one I could care about was the police inspector.

-- tippi comden (tcomden@aol.com), January 25, 1999.