ARMAGEDDON
**½ (PG-13/2:30/7-1-98) Armageddon
out of this theater while the geddon's good.
Nominated for: Sound, Sound Effects Editing,
Visual Effects, Original Song ("I Don't Want To Miss A Thing,"
written by Diane Warren).
BABE:
PIG IN THE CITY ***
(G/1:37/11-25-98) You can get your Daily helping of oversweetened
pork here.
Nominated for: Original Song ("That'll
Do," written by Randy Newman).
BELOVED
**** (R/2:52/10-16-98) A woman must
give up the ghost in order to stay alive.
Nominated for: Costume Design.
A BUG'S LIFE
***** (G/1:36/11-25-98) Several
sects of insecure insects intersect with success.
Nominated for: Original Musical or Comedy
Score.
BULWORTH
***½ (R/1:47/5-15-98) Ay,
yo, Warren: looky here, homie, you ain't black, so, like, stop
tryna be, cuz.
Nominated for: Original Screenplay (Warren
Beatty, Jeremy Pikser).
A CIVIL ACTION
**** (PG-13/1:52/12-25-98) Lawyers
battle for a small town's right to pure, clear leukemia.
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor (Robert
Duvall), Cinematography.
ELIZABETH
**** (R/2:04/11-6-98) Her first
year on the throne, captured in real time.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actress
(Cate Blanchett), Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration,
Costume Design, Makeup, Original Dramatic Score.
Won: Makeup.
HILARY
AND JACKIE ****½
(R/2:05/12-30-98) When I'm with you, my heart just turns to cello.
Nominated for: Best Actress (Emily Watson),
Best Supporting Actress (Rachel Griffiths).
THE HORSE
WHISPERER ***½
(PG-13/2:48/5-15-98) Maybe it would have been faster if he had
just yelled.
Nominated for: Original Song ("A Soft
Place To Fall," written by Allison Moorer & Gwil Owen).
LIFE IS
BEAUTIFUL ****½
(PG-13/1:54/10-98) Benigni makes many important points; gives
tanks for his award.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor
(Roberto Benigni), Best Director (Roberto Benigni), Original
Screenplay (Vincenzo Cerami, Roberto Benigni), Film Editing,
Original Dramatic Score, Foreign Language Film.
Won: Best Actor (Roberto Benigni), Original
Dramatic Score, Foreign Language Film.
LITTLE VOICE
****½ (R/1:36/12-25-98) A
Broadbent the rules while Blethyn raised Caine and got Horrocks
off.
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress (Brenda
Blethyn).
THE MASK OF
ZORRO **** (PG-13/2:15/7-17-98)
Good guys fight for justice while the bad guys catch some Z's.
Nominated for: Sound, Sound Effects Editing.
MIGHTY JOE
YOUNG **** (PG/1:54/12-25-98)
Disney's version does its best to ape the 1949 classic.
Nominated for: Visual Effects.
MULAN
****½ (G/1:28/6-19-98) I
may look like a China doll, but don't try to Shanghai me, Hun.
Nominated for: Original Musical or Comedy
Score.
ONE TRUE THING
****½ (R/2:07/9-18-98) Meryl
Streep and Renée Zellweger fight over some guy named Oscar.
Nominated for: Best Actress (Meryl Streep).
OUT OF SIGHT
**** (R/2:02/6-26-98) Making out
in the trunk with your armed kidnapper. You go, girl!
Nominated for: Adapted Screenplay (Scott
Frank), Film Editing.
PATCH ADAMS
*** (PG-13/1:55/12-25-98) Help me,
Doc — I can't stop crying and retching.
Nominated for: Original Musical or Comedy
Score.
PLEASANTVILLE
****½ (PG-13/2:04/10-23-98)
Colored people fight for their civil rights on the small screen.
Nominated for: Art Direction-Set Decoration,
Costume Design, Original Dramatic Score.
PRIMARY COLORS
***½ (R/2:23/3-20-98) A president
who overeats and has extramarital affairs? Preposterous.
THE PRINCE
OF EGYPT ***** (PG/1:37/12-18-98)
Let Your People Go--to this movie. You won't regret it.
Nominated for: Original Song ("When
You Believe," written by Stephen Schwartz), Original Musical
or Comedy Score.
Won: Original Song ("When You Believe,"
written by Stephen Schwartz).
QUEST FOR
CAMELOT **½
(G/1:25/5-15-98) This was more like a quest for cameos.
Nominated for: Original Song ("The
Prayer," written by Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster, Tony
Renis, & Alberto Testa).
SAVING
PRIVATE RYAN *****
(R/2:49/7-24-98) My Damon I sure used up a lot of Hanks.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor
(Tom Hanks), Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Original Screenplay
(Robert Rodat), Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration,
Sound, Film Editing, Sound Effects Editing, Makeup, Original
Dramatic Score.
Won: Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Cinematography,
Sound, Film Editing, Sound Effects Editing.
SHAKESPEARE
IN LOVE ***** (R/2:02/12-25-98)
'Tis folly to scorn such a noble effort, where'er it doth alight.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actress
(Gwyneth Paltrow), Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Best
Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Best Director (John Madden),
Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design,
Sound, Film Editing, Makeup, Original Musical or Comedy Score,
Original Screenplay (Marc Norman, Tom Stoppard).
Won: Best Picture, Best Actress (Gwyneth
Paltrow), Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Original Screenplay
(Marc Norman, Tom Stoppard), Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume
Design, Original Musical or Comedy Score.
THE THIN RED
LINE ****½
(R/2:50/12-23-98) This film meanders through the jungle of philosophy,
drawing fire.
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Director
(Terrence Malick), Adapted Screenplay (Terrence Malick), Cinematography,
Sound, Film Editing, Original Dramatic Score.
THE TRUMAN SHOW
**** (PG/1:43/6-5-98) Ever get the
feeling you're being watched? In syndication?
Nominated for: Best Supporting Actor (Ed
Harris), Best Director (Peter Weir), Original Screenplay (Andrew
Niccol).
WHAT
DREAMS MAY COME ****
(PG-13/1:53/10-2-98) Robin Williams paints himself right into
a coroner.
Nominated for: Art Direction-Set Decoration,
Visual Effects.
Won: Visual Effects.
(All reviews copyright John
R. McEwen and The
Republican)
OSCAR NOMINEES
