| WHAT PASSES FOR GOTHIC THESE DAYS | WORD OF MOUTH RUN AMOCK |
| Kevin Spacey’s thoroughly enjoyable performance
sits uneasily beside Annette Bening’s Mary Tyler
Moore buffoon. And sure, the kids are fine. But even
AFTER extorting a year's salary from his boss, he goes
to work...at a hamburger stand? And what would the
moral for this story be, something like: “If you’re going
to drop out of your middle class suburban life, make
sure your daugher’s new boyfriend, your dope-dealer,
isn’t the son of a homophobe marine.” The
soundtrack, which tries to earn points by using
Dylan’s original “All Along the Watchtower,” is a
bantamweight mismatch between Mickey Sinatra and
the Guess Who. (AMERICAN BEAUTY) | His busty widow (Olivia Williams), of course, sits
around for over six months watching home videos of
their wedding day. Sara guessed the twist during the
hospital scene. (SIXTH SENSE) |
| PRAISE ALLAH | MERGERMANIA (VIACOM et al) |
| For WEST WING (except for the sentimental washes
of music dripping off Martin Sheen's President, and
the debut of a black character who gets killed off, but
surely not because he’s just gone around showing
everybody photos of his newborn son), and a new
season of SPORTS NIGHT. | The 70s weren’t the 60s, but the 90s ARE the 80s.
(Marc Crispin Miller in the Nation.) |
| FRESH DOPE | ACTION (Fox) |
| Robot Wisdom Web Log | We didn’t laugh, did you? Is there any reason illeana
Douglas plays a whore except for the obvious analogy
to Jay Mohr’s profession? |
| POST-MODERN PROPAGANDA EXPOSED | REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL |
| Deadpan Gap ads using Donovan's "Mellow Yellow"
and "I Just Can't Get Enough" are actually PD
recruiting videos for AOR and Oldie format stations. | Bell bottoms and chunky heels |
| CONTENDERS | UNDECIDED |
| Talking Heads STOP MAKING SENSE | Paul Cole Band AMEN (Imago)
Guided By Voices, DO THE COLLAPSE (TVT) |
| PIGS AT THE PASTRY TROUGH | BORN TO CLICK |
ROBERT CHRISTGAU (on Lemann’s THE BIG
TRUST), the Greil Marcus "Real Life Top Ten,"
KATHA POLLITT, HARRY SHEARER,
GARY TRUDEAU, GARY WILLS | FRESH MEAT, LETTERMAN ENTRAILS,
THE ONION, LEMON YELLOW, FEED,
ARTS & LETTERS DAILY, DRUDGE RETORT |
