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Reviews by Matt Heffernan <matt@filmhead.com>
This week my picks are
Cecil B. DeMented
(2000 - 
) and
Forrest Gump
(1994 - ).
The first film this week is the latest from writer/director
John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Hairspray). It's
a comedy about a rogue band of guerilla filmmakers who
kidnap a Hollwood star (Melanie Griffith), and force her to
star in their cinema verité assault on mainstream film.
The director is the eccentric Cecil B. DeMented (Stephen Dorff),
who is more like a cult leader than a studio head. Thoroughly
despised by some critics, found somewhat amusing by others,
Cecil B. DeMented was one of the funniest films I saw
last year. It's a great laugh for anybody who can understand
the struggle of independent filmmakers in a blatantly
commercial industry.
Full review from September 18, 2000
One of Cecil's targets is the set to the sequel to the second film, which stars Kevin Nealon as the title character since Tom Hanks refused to reprise his Academy Award-winning role. Waters obviously hated Forrest Gump, but many people loved it, including the Academy, who also gave it the Best Picture award. Director Robert Zemeckis takes the viewer on a tour of the second half of the twentieth century, through the eyes of a mildly retarded man from Alabama. I found it to be quite entertaining, with Zemeckis' joyful direction and use of the biggest catalog of classic pop songs since American Graffiti. Some people dismiss it as too far-fetched, but it is actually more down-to-earth than the novel by Winston Groom -- which does have a sequel, by the way.
For more information, visit the Internet Movie Database:
Cecil B. DeMented (2000)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Here's some merchandise for sale at
| Cecil B. DeMented (2000) | -- VHS |
| Cecil B. DeMented (2000) | -- DVD |
| Cecil B. DeMented: Soundtrack | -- Compact Disc |
| Forrest Gump (1994) | -- VHS |
| Forrest Gump (1994) | -- VHS Widescreen |
| Forrest Gump, a novel by Winston Groom | -- Hardcover |
| Forrest Gump, a novel by Winston Groom | -- Paperback |
| Forrest Gump: The Soundtrack - 32 American Classics On 2 CDs | -- Compact Disc |
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