The Flick Filosopher responds:
And you know what? She doesn't know and wouldn't care that you're defending her, either.
Thanks for a good laugh.

posted 09.17.99
Jeremy Wilcox writes:
Re: Your mindless dribble
I can't believe the things you've written about Julia Roberts. First of all, you yellow journalist you, She did not play a brat who didn't break up with people until the wedding, she just couldn't get married in front of all those people. 2nd of all, she didn't turn the teenager into a bitch in Stepmom, she taught her to stand up for herself and not be afraid to play dirty to win. Get your facts straight. I would've picked up more of your false facts had I finished the article, but I couldn't. It's just too wrong. It's people like you who give reviewers a bad name.
Long Story short, Julia is quite possibly one of the greatest actresses of the 90s, and I've seen them all. I think I'M going easy on you. Just wait for the rest of her fans' emails to show up on your computer. I hope you'll see the err of your ways. Oh, one more thing. Tell your buddy that she HAS jumped out of the Romantic Comedies, and done Conspiracy Theory, Mary Reilly, Pelican Brief, Hook (althogh that's a comedy, just not romantic) and Flatliners. Get your facts straight and then write a decent review.

The Flick Filosopher responds:
I refuse to take writing advice from someone who doesn't know the difference between "drivel" and "dribble."

posted 09.17.99
Rogelio P. Mendoza writes:
I just read your point/counterpoint article on the OFCS site and found it quite interesting. Your conversation at the end with your "debate partner" was even more interesting. There's a lot to be said about the type of people that Hollywood finds attractive, but unfortunately, I don't have room to say it here. I will say this much. . .

1. I'm glad I'm not the only one in the world who finds Janeane Garofalo attractive.
2. I'm also glad I'm not the only one who felt she got a raw deal being cast as the "ugly girl" in The Truth about Cats and Dogs.
3. Why does Hollywood seem to have such a problem with brunettes anyway? Sigourney Weaver doesn't exactly strike me as an unattractive woman. Nor does Linda Fiorentino, Carrie-Ann Moss, Jennifer Lopez , Ileana Douglas, Elizabeth Pena, Marisa Tomei or Selma Hayek. Is there some kind of ethnic thing going on here I don't know about?
4. Speaking of ethnics, who ever said America's sweetheart had to be white anyway? Talk about your reactionary attitudes.
5. As long as we're talking about reactionary attitudes, I can't help commenting on the number of people I've met -- black, white, Hispanic, etc. -- who kind of wished the two main characters in Jackie Brown went off into the sunset together like you-know-who in Pretty Woman. If nothing else, Pam Grier would certainly be a more interesting candidate for America's sweetheart than JR.
6. Seriously, a film establishment who finds Kate Winslet's figure more unusual than Calista Flockhart's has some serious image problems to deal with. By today's standards, many of the top stars of yesteryear -- Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Gable, and the early Elizabeth Taylor -- would be considered too fat to be attractive. Which might explain why movies are just so much duller than they used to be. It kinda makes you wonder what's next -- a declaration of war on all females who exhibit secondary sexual characteristics?

The Flick Filosopher responds:
Janeane Garofalo is awesome. I worship her.
I'd also add to your list of alternative sweethearts Alfre Woodard and Angela Bassett, who are two of the most talented and most gorgeous women working in film today.
While your typical Midwest, corn-fed, white-bread Mom might be upset if her son brought someone like Jennifer Lopez home for dinner, that hasn't stopped Lopez and all the other women you mentioned developing huge fan followings. The difference I think is not so much racial or ethnic (though that's probably a consideration), but the fact that the actresses we've both named tend to play "bad" girls, or at least smart and assured characters. They have not played girl-next-door throwbacks to the 50s, as Roberts has. Why audiences think the characters Roberts has played (in her most successful movies, anyway) are somehow "all-American" is beyond me. But until Weaver or Fiorentino or Woodard start playing ditzy, wacky, screwed-up little girls (and I hope none of them do), Roberts's title will remain uncontested.
Jackie Brown was a much more grown-up, realistic movie -- at least concerning the relationships in it -- than Pretty Woman could ever hope to be.
Newsflash: the "war on all females who exhibit secondary sexual characteristics" has been going on for years. Look at most models: they have no breasts, no hips, and look about 12 years old (Cindy Crawford is a rare exception).
The weird thing is, it seems to be only Hollywood executives who think skinny is better. I recently read results of a survey somewhere that said that one of men's chief dislikes when it comes to women is when they are TOO SKINNY. Who wants to go to bed with a bag of bones, anyway?
Perhaps the success of Titanic, with its gorgeous and relatively voluptuous star, will change that attitude a bit. I'm still waiting for evidence of that hope to show up at the multiplex, though...

posted 09.17.99
Cassia Van Arsdale writes:
I'm writing on behalf of my roommate Tony who wants to reassure you that you aren't the only person out here who loathes Julia Roberts. Tone doesn't find her charming and as for her looks, he always calls her 'the stick with the lips, real girls have hips.' Tony, who is male (I know this because like many of male roommates he has the habit of casually walking about the place quite starkers. Put it away, please.) Therefore your colleague who claims that her physical charms appeal to one and all of the male of the species is wrong.
Julia Roberts doesn't bother me so much in as her movies do. Her romantic comedies disappear from the mind ten minutes after one's seen them unlike say, old screwball comedies (Bringing Up Baby or The Lady Eve) or even more recent titles like The Truth about Cats and Dogs. I've had weeks when I've been very depressed when I've watched the above film daily, while I haven't seen any of Miss Julia things more than once. Feel good ending are all well and good but they should sap every iota of conflict from the story. Which is what happens in nearly all JR films. It's not that the stakes aren't high enough, it's that the stakes don't exist. When Kevin Costner's Crash leaves Susan Sarandon's Annie only to return at the end we all know it is all necessary -- he needs to do it to save his life. Why does Julia Roberts' Anna go back to Hugh Grant (besides the fact that he is Hugh Grant), because he has access to a nice garden?

The Flick Filosopher responds:
Thanks so much for your show of support. I knew I wasn't the only Julia-hater out there!

posted 09.17.99
Stephen Lewis writes:
Just read your comments about Julia Roberts (Menace II Society?), and I can't help wondering - do you actually enjoy many movies? Certainly a lot of her films are light hearted (and light headed) fluff, but that has always been the case with movies in general. Escapism is part of the joy of films, and Julia Roberts provides that very well.
Just because she's not turned in some incredible performance to whet you critical appetite does not mean she's incapable of it. Tom Cruise, Top Gun, Days of Thunder to Born on the Fourth of July, Eyes Wide Shut.
The main thing about your article that I didn't quite understand is what exactly are you getting at? Julia Roberts is not the moral guardian for the (any) nation. If you happen to consider that her characters are universally mean, spiteful, hateful, etc, etc. then fine.
It's the leap from that to complaining that other people don't see this, and then criticising Ms. Roberts for the fact that I don't understand. Fair play to the woman, she's making a very successful career for herself (and shows no signs of giving it all up for a man I might add).
Hope this didn't come across as too defensive of the woman (sorry, should that be 'Woman'), I just thought I'd have my two-penneth worth :)
Regards,
Stephen

The Flick Filosopher responds:
Frankly, I'm confused by your letter. You seem not to have read the article you're responding to, or else you didn't pay much attention while you were reading -- which is exactly the point I was trying to make about movie audiences: either they don't pay attention to what they're watching, or they just don't care.
You ask, Do I enjoy many movies? Are you basing this question merely on the fact that I trash several very similar movies in my article? How on earth can you extrapolate that I don't enjoy movies from my reaction to a tiny subset of movies? No, I do not enjoy highly contrived, sickly sweet romance movies. Movies in general are NOT fluff, though perhaps those are the kinds of movies you seek out. But if you visit my site, you'll find reviews of many, many movies that I do love.
If you read my article with even the slightest comprehension, you'd see that only in passing, in part of a single sentence, do I comment on Roberts's acting ability -- my article focuses on the characters she has played. (The dialogue with Joe Barlow does touch more on her acting, but even there I only suggest that her talents are limited.) I never suggested she was incapable of "some incredible performance," to use your words. But I'm certainly not going to praise her for her acting ability until she demonstrates it with "some incredible performance."
Nowhere in my article do I suggest that Roberts is somehow at fault for how her characters are perceived by movie audiences -- in fact, I praise her obvious business acumen in choosing roles that invariably increase her fame and fortune. The gist of my entire article is in pointing out the discrepancy between her image as "America's sweetheart" and the unlikable and immature characters she has played. I did not suggest that Roberts should be the "moral guardian" for anybody. But I do wonder what is wrong with audiences when they decide that she is the image of the ideal American woman. Again, this is not anything Roberts has control over. I was criticizing the American public, not Roberts.
I suggest you read my article again.

posted 09.17.99
Eileen Ly writes:
First of all, I would like to say I'm a 15 year old asian female and a huge fan of Ms.Roberts as well as my friends. As a young female and not a lesbian, I think Julia Roberts is one of the most beautiful woman ever and a perfect match for Benjamin Bratt but I'm just getting off track here so anyways I want to tell you guys that there's one thing you have to remember about her roles is that there all FICTIONAL okay. She didn't write her lines. There not all romantic comedy roles either. I enjoy her movies very much. I keep watching her movies more than once because she is very convincing as a person she's not and ain't that what acting is mainly about. And so what if the roles don't seem real they don't have to be. I believe I'm a fan of her's because she is adoreable espically in Runaway Bride, very funny, and just so natural in her roles I have seen so far. I don't know about you but if I don't like a certain actor I wouldn't waste my time watching most of that person's movies. She didn't do Shakespeare in Love and this was back in 92 because the movie just fell apart like most movies do. She came back to America to do something else. The screen play was also written differently from the one she have read. Who are you guys anyways? You guys are so mean. How would you feel if you had tried your best to entertain others and just get trash so harshly by others who probably couldn't do any better. I really don't like the fact that most adults say don't judge a person before you get to know them a little and yet they are the ones who do that impudently. Plus, I don't even think you explained how Julia is a threat to society. Theirs lots of actresses and actors out there that aren't very convincing as a person their not so why not trash them instead of someone I think can act and so do millions of others who continue to watch her movies.

P.S If your wondering how I found your article Steve posted in his unoffical website for Julia and ask fans to respond so I did. Next time think twice before you trash America's Pretty Woman okay. Bye.

The Flick Filosopher responds:
You illustrate my problem with Roberts's image perfectly. That anyone could find adorable a character like the one she plays in Runaway Bride appalls me. What is adorable about a woman who treats men like dirt then throws a fit when people accuse her of being an immature brat? Would you want a woman like that as a friend? Do you think that's an appropriate way to behave yourself? Of course the character is fictional, and was likely not even intended to be all that sympathetic. But audiences continually turn the nasty, immature characters Roberts portrays into icons of womanhood. That's not Roberts's fault -- that's a problem with audiences. And if you had read my article with the least bit of comprehension, you'd have understood that that was what I was saying.
"Don't judge a person before you get to know them a little," you say. So what makes you any more qualified to judge Roberts than I am? How do you know she's a perfect match for anyone? I guess last time you were hanging out with her, you had a little girly heart-to-heart in which she revealed why Ben is the man for her.
I will think twice before trashing Roberts again -- next time I'll be sure to dumb down my prose so that Roberts's fans will be sure to grasp what I'm saying.

posted 09.17.99
Runawaygir@aol.com writes:
What is up with you? why did you wright you HATE julia Roberts. She is the Best Actress arround Sweetie .. I dont see why you have to say that sort of thing. WE DON"T CARE ABOUT YOU"RE OPPINION SO DONT TELL US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A VERY concerned JULia Fan

The Flick Filosopher responds:
I'm sure Julia is quite touched by your concern for her.
If you think you're entitled to be protected from opinions contrary to your own, what makes you think I care to hear yours?
If you want to be taken seriously, at least learn how to spell.

posted 09.17.99
Runawaygir@aol.com's witty rejoinder:
excuse me i dont have to take this from you. Ither you know. No one wants to hear you're opinion just as much as no one wants to hear mine but i stand for all her fans wich there are many might i add, and how many fan's do you have? well i don't know so i cant judge you on that but i stil dont think you have a right Hating someone but if thats you're opinion then fine and i do know how to spell ok what do you acpect i am only 13but i can stand up for my rights JUST AS GOOD!

The Flick Filosopher responds:
I expect a 13-year-old to be able to express herself better than this. I weep for the future.

posted 09.17.99
Runawaygir@aol.com, who doesn't know when to give up:
who the hell are you to say " who wants to see a piece of crap from Julia Roberts" as one of her most Loyal fans i will stand for her in this. what makes you think that the highest paid, best dressed, most popular, actress in Hollywood is a piece of crap. How many movies you been in huh? well shes been in 24 all wich have been hits and let me see you think that you can just be such the brat you are .. who the hell would want you're crap? huh? name someone because to tell you the truth i am very very pissed that you would say that about an actress who quite frankly is the best their is.. yes i am intitled to my opinion just as you are to you'rse but i will not tolerate people who publish their opinion in a mean or un funny way becasue u say ur page is funny well i am laughing just so loud. i am so serious who the hell do you think you are? i mean worse then the haunting.. that stunk!.. so did wild wild west i saw runaway bride 7 times and i am so freeking proud of it too! the awfulest movie of the summer? not quite more like ur page is the awfulest!!!

The Flick Filosopher wearily responds:
Sorry, but you have no choice but to tolerate people who publish their opinion, at least not in the United States. The First Amendment is still in effect, though it probably wouldn't be for long if people like you had their way.
If you're shallow enough to think that the way someone dresses makes her immune from criticism, I feel sorry for you.

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MaryAnn Johanson.
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