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Ganbatte ikimasshoi (1998)
Quiet Charm
I absolutely love this movie. Who can't identify with Etsuko, a teenager overshadowed by a brilliant older sister, ignored by her parents, and derided by her teachers? Yet nothing will crush her strong spirit. Even with anemia and back problems she manages to form a competent girl's rowing team in her school.
The other characters are not quite as strongly developed, but they all struggle and grow in the film. I was rooting for them all the way. The end of the movie was just perfect, too. There is nothing contrived or mawkish about this movie at all - it's simply wonderful!
The Simpsons (1989)
In it's prime it was the greatest TV show ever!
What more can I say? For about ten years nothing before or since could ever equal the quality of a "Simpsons" episode. I've known very few people who don't like the Simpsons, and they're not the sort of people I would ever get close to.
As of late, though, the quality of the episodes have deteriorated considerably. One friend of mine says all the best Simpsons writers were sent to "Futurama," that's why the writing has gotten awfully shoddy. I say, bring them back!! Or if not, then take the show off the air and release each season on a wonderful DVD set. Just don't put out inferior Simpsons episodes anymore, it's a sin to do that to such a great show!
Oleanna (1994)
Whatever you think, Oleanna is not an objective movie
In his review James Berardinelli explains the title of this movie: in a folk tale, Ole and his wife Anna buy swampland and sell it as farmland for a high price. As soon as the buyer finds out he's swindled the pair have disappeared. This is known as the "Oleanna Swindle."
So according to David Mamet somebody must have been swindled. Obviously John, since charges that are very obviously untrue have been leveled against him by a clever student twisting his words and actions. I don't see how any feminist can take Carol seriously.
As I see it there are two problems with this movie: 1) neither character is particularly sympathetic, which makes it hard to side with one or the other, and 2) as many others have noted, Oleanna looks like a filmed play. Mamet could have fleshed his characters out a little more for the screen and altered the dialogue a bit. The one good thing about this movie is it's good PR for the play ~ the play may be interesting to see.