tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post6657328950159964134..comments2024-03-28T16:52:10.619-04:00Comments on Radiator Heaven: Reality BitesJ.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11823190634186509982noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-64092891821893104552010-09-07T11:44:48.646-04:002010-09-07T11:44:48.646-04:00christian:
Thanks, my friend! I look forward to y...christian:<br /><br />Thanks, my friend! I look forward to your piece on SLACKER. Wow, has it really been 20 years?<br /><br />I know how you feel re: REALITY BITES. At the time, I certainly identified with elements of it and actually knew someone who resembled Hawkes' character to a certain degree.<br /><br />I would really like to hear that story about Winona! And next to Diane Lane, she is one of the most beautiful women out there, 'tis true. I also agree with about her in SCANNER DARKLY, a film I hope to do a write-up in the near future.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-73009367261128675012010-09-04T02:10:03.410-04:002010-09-04T02:10:03.410-04:00Good stuff and timely as I'm wrapping up a pie...Good stuff and timely as I'm wrapping up a piece on SLACKER. <br /><br />REALITY BITES depressed me when I saw it, mainly because some of it was my life in bits and spurts, though RB is too MTV and therefore anti-subversive. <br /><br />But Winona. The only female movie star whose photos I ever put on my wall. And I'll tell you someday the story of how I ended up sitting across from her one glorious night. For me, she's still the most beautiful woman on Earth. And her work here and in A SCANNER DARKLY is perfect.christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-28398353576239560202010-08-25T09:55:06.252-04:002010-08-25T09:55:06.252-04:00John Kenneth Muir:
As always, thank you for the k...John Kenneth Muir:<br /><br />As always, thank you for the kind words and great observations!<br /><br />You are very correct about this film feeling like a time capsule and for me that is a large part of its allure. Watching it takes me instantly back to the early to mid-1990s and all the pop culture that was prevalent back then.<br /><br />That's interesting about how the whole Dr. Zaius Planet of the Apes figurine sticks in your mind in particular. I do remember that scene well and am always amazed that Stiller's character takes it so well when Ryder smashes it. Of course, if it was her I probably wouldn't mind either...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-82077222339353116952010-08-24T19:21:00.022-04:002010-08-24T19:21:00.022-04:00A great retrospective, J.D. of a misunderstood 199...A great retrospective, J.D. of a misunderstood 1990s film. <br /><br />Today Reality Bites feels like a real time-capsule, and the moment I always remember most vividly from the films involves that Dr. Zaius Planet of the Apes figurine bank on Ben Stiller's desk.<br /><br />I know I'm crazy, but the scene with the Dr. Zaius figurine front and center (and even mentioned...) gets to the crux of the Generation X experience and perspective in some way. <br /><br />Anyway, great piece, as is usual, my friend!<br /><br />Regards,<br />John Kenneth MuirJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-41108845814788056122010-08-24T16:07:30.637-04:002010-08-24T16:07:30.637-04:00Edward Copeland:
I agree that Ryder and Garofalo ...Edward Copeland:<br /><br />I agree that Ryder and Garofalo make this film so enjoyable to watch and, to a certain degree, Steve Zahn despite his limited screen time.<br /><br />To be fair, it's been ages since I've read Copeland's book but you're right, I didn't think it was all that.<br /><br />Another good Gen-X book is ROUTE 666 by Gina Arnold which uses the rise of Nirvana to examine the history of American alternative rock music in 1980s and 1990s. She also does touch upon Gen-X since she is from that demographic and her writing style is quite engaging.<br /><br />Hah, good call about critics attack REALITY BITES about getting the locale wrong. Makes you realize that some critics were predisposed to hate the film from the get-go. Austin was quite the hub/nexus for Gen-X stuff from REALITY BITES to SLACKER to AUSTIN STORIES...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-27447739578706882842010-08-24T12:00:46.986-04:002010-08-24T12:00:46.986-04:00A funny thing I forgot. It was amazing at the time...A funny thing I forgot. It was amazing at the time how many older critics used as an argument against Reality Bites that it was a lame satire about young suburbans in Los Angeles when the film was clearly set in Houston. The generational aspect felt so much like an attack on them they couldn't even focus on the basic facts of the film (or be bothered to read the press kit).Edward Copelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-21097703016026788072010-08-24T11:57:34.549-04:002010-08-24T11:57:34.549-04:00I loved Reality Bites from the first time I saw it...I loved Reality Bites from the first time I saw it, thanks to the writing and the performances, particularly Ryder and Garofalo. It wasn't as great as Slacker, but I felt it was more authentic than Copeland's novel which I hated, which didn't even have the birth years right and which the media just latched on to even though he was a Canadian cynically trying to define an American generation. A much truer look was the nonfiction look at all American generations by Strauss & Howe which chose to call the post-boom generation 13ers, for the 13th generation to know the American flag and found that American generations, with the exception of the Civil War period, tend to run in four specific types and put the start of the 13rs at 1961 and guessed the end would be those born in 1981 with the next group called the millennials. The lazy media of course just wants to call them gen Y after the lousy novel by a Canadian.Edward Copelandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12463676135131274426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-29088354200969709252010-08-23T11:05:35.307-04:002010-08-23T11:05:35.307-04:00le0pard13:
Thank you so much for the kind words. ...le0pard13:<br /><br />Thank you so much for the kind words. And yeah, isn't that weird how you had just written a piece about SCANNER DARKLY with Ryder and then I did something on REALITY BITES with her? Very weird but cool.<br /><br />Anyways, I hope you enjoy the film!<br /><br /><br />Tim Speaker:<br /><br />Thanks for the encouraging words.<br /><br />I agree with you about Ryder being THE manic pixie dream girl of our generation. She really was and it's interesting to see how her career has evolved and she's gone on to do more interesting indie films as of late.<br /><br />Thanks for clarifying that bit about SINGLES. You're right, of course. The film was supposed to come out before the whole Seattle scene broke but the studio didn't know what to do with the film and sat on it until Nirvana, et al broke out into the mainstream and then it looked like Cameron Crowe's film was cashing in on the hype. What a shame.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-53586263285663308072010-08-21T16:52:32.055-04:002010-08-21T16:52:32.055-04:00JD -
Always love your posts and this is another o...JD -<br /><br />Always love your posts and this is another one I connect. It seems that to guys of our generation Winona Rider is THE manic pixie dream girl forever. I too, really like this movie, and feel totally nostalgic about it while I rejected it out of hand back when it came out. One things though - Singles was not created to capitalize on Gen X - Crowe already finished the film before Seattle broke.<br /><br />Great stuff as usual.Tim Speakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06595728455977227263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-56803620997367609102010-08-20T17:05:47.933-04:002010-08-20T17:05:47.933-04:00Another of your great reviews, J.D. I never did se...Another of your great reviews, J.D. I never did see this, but will now. I love how the planetary bodies align sometimes and point back to a talented and somewhat star. For both of us, it seems that it is one <i>Winona Ryder</i>. Here in REALITY BITES (and for me in A SCANNER DARKLY), the actress really shines. I'm headed to my Netflix queue as soon as I click the <i>Publish Your Comment</i> button, my friend. Thanks very much for this.le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.com