Virginia Woolf. I thought The Hours was fine -- better than the book. The music was intrusive and thoughtless.

Most movies I am supposed to like I don't, but I am often surprised at how good the educated public taste can be. Nevertheless, to answer McGrath's question, I think there are movies that are designed so that you are supposed to think they are good, arty, or whatever. Those are the ones to watch out for.

A current example of this is "WhaleRider", which has everything: whales, girl striving for recognition, mysticism, exotic Maori dancers, compelling story line -- but everything about it seems fake. It won all kinds of audience awards, standing ovations, etc. but it seems to me to be manipulative in very obvious ways.

There are films you are not supposed to like, and which are clearly obvious trash, but grab you. Terminator 2, which is full of hideous things that on an ordinary day I would flee from, car crashes, stupid violence, etc., is an amazing film. Sometimes there is a very fine line, hard to make out. "Sleepless in Seattle" is complete trash, but works perfectly; a very similar film, "You've Got Mail" which even has the same people in it, and made a ton of money, is dreary. Everyone in it is unlikeable.

There are some films that even with their manipulative obviousness still work. Dances With Wolves is a good example. It is a complete fantasy, ridiculously manipulative, but it is a wonderful film.

Who knows? The gods of cinema are fickle.

yours,

Peter T.