Fast Forward
Damon-Affleck video collection more than just ‘Hunting’
By Randy Myers
Knight Ridder Newspapers
Before teaming up in the Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting, actor-screenwriters and longtime pals Matt Damon and Ben Affleck starred in a number of movies together and apart. Here is some of their work available on video.
MATT DAMON
School Ties: This thoughtful and impressive drama is about a high-school quarterback (Brendan Fraser) dodging anti-Semitism and snotty attitudes in a hoity-toity private school circa 1950. In addition to Damon (very good as a rich brat and eventual adversary of Fraser), are Chris O’Donnell and, in a small role, Affleck. Because of poor marketing, Ties slipped by critics and audiences when it was released in 1992. If you’re a fan of either Fraser or Damon, don’t miss it. (Rated PG-13 for shower nudity, language and bad behavior by rich boys.) *** (out of four)
Courage Under Fire: Damon took his supporting role as a guilt-plagued Desert Storm soldier a little too seriously and wound up with an eating disorder after filming this gem. Denzel Washington tries to root out the truth in the death of a captain (Meg Ryan) in a Desert Storm mission. (Rated R for violence and language.) ****
The Good Old Boys: Tommy Lee Jones co-wrote, directed and starred in this TNT film that’s as slow as a cross-country cattle drive. Damon plays the ambitious son of Frances McDormand. When his ne’re-do-well uncle (Jones) comes back to town, the family tensions flare up again. A noble film, illustrating the demise of the wandering cowboy. (Not rated; has some shaky language and violence.) **1/2
The Rainmaker: Damon aces his first major starring role in Francis Ford Coppola’s well-made adaption of the John Grisham novel. Damon plays Rudy Baylor, a recent law-school grad hired by an ambulance-chasing firm. When a no-win insurance case lands on his lap, he jumps at the chance to take it. Little does the idealistic lawyer know he has cast himself as David against the insurance company’s Goliath. Claire Danes plays Damon’s love interest. (Rated RG-13 for language.) ***
Good Will Hunting: The Affleck-Damon screenplay in this Gus Van Sant movie hits just the right notes, never too sweet or sour. Damon is outstanding as a janitor with as many brains as problems. Robin Williams convincingly plays a psychiatrist who tries to get Damon to confront and slay his inner demons. Affleck and Minnie Driver are good in supporting roles. (Rated R for graphic language.) ***1/2
BEN AFFLECK
Chasing Amy: Gen-X filmmaker Kevin Smith’s movie vividly brings to life every character, from the supporting cast to the two leads (Joey Lauren Adams and Affleck), in an unconventional romance between two comic-book artists. The hitch is that she’s gay and he’s not. Damon has a cameo as a squidly agent. (Rated R for frank language and sexuality.) ****
Going All the Way: Affleck’s good; this coming-of-age movie isn’t. It plods along without a purpose or a likeable lead character. (Rated R for nudity, sexual situations and language.) **
Glory Daze: As college graduation nears, four roomies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, perform stupid-boy tricks to mask the fact that the future spooks them. Affleck is enormously appealing, even if his character isn’t. (Rated R for language and nudity.) **1/2
Phantoms: Dean Koontz grabs us with a crackerjack set-up and then fails to deliver the goods in this dumb horror flick, based on one of his numerous best sellers. A slew of characters gather in a deserted town to figure out what happened to the vanished townsfolk. Affleck is wasted in the nothing role of the town sheriff. (Rated R for gore and language.) *

CHASING AMY: RACY, RAW & ROMANTIC

In the past two months, four women have asked my opinion of a relatively obscure 1997 film called “Chasing Amy”. With “Amy” making its premium-channel debut Saturday, August 15, on Starz! I rented a copy and screened it again. It is a picture worthy of comment, and after a second viewing, my answer to those women is: I continue to like it–a lot.

I must warn you up front that “Chasing Amy” is, appropriately, R-rated for its raw, explicit discussions of sexual practices. I wouldn’t let my teenager see it.

“Chasing Amy” is the story of a struggling twentysomething comic-book artist named Holden (Ben Affleck), who, during the course of the film, enters into his first serious relationship with a young woman (Joey Lauren Adams). Her character’s name is Alyssa; the film’s title refers in a generic way to the often tortuous pursuit of love.

The torture for Holden begins after he has really connected with Alyssa, only to learn that she isn’t the sexual innocent he thought she was. Both their courtship and possible breakup are replete with bold, memorable dialogue, written by director Kevin Smith, whose “Clerks” (1994) featured the same type of frank talk. Based on these two films, Smith, along with Quentin Tarantino, is writing some of the liveliest dialogue in movies today. Holden’s monologues of rapture pop off the screen with sincerity. “How seldom it is to meet that one person who gets to you,” he says. “I love you. Feel that longing?” Smith obviously believes that young people don’t necessarily have to talk like juveniles. I was so touched, I rooted for Holden and Alyssa to reconnect after their rift. In most movies, that’s not even an issue, it’s a certainty. But suffice it to say that in this movie, no path is obvious.

So yes, I like “Chasing Amy.” It has brighter dialogue and deeper emotion than you normally see on the screen with characters of this age.

By the way, send us your pics of the VA crew and panels from the con…We hope to have a nice wrap-up for you when the whole thing is over.

If all goes well on the production end, Armageddon should appear on DVD byyear’s end. In addition, Buena Vista is discussing the possibility of adding additional features to their DVD releases, including anamorphic (16×9) enhancement. Perhaps best of all, they are preparing to launch a new Miramax Collector’s Series of special edition DVDs. These will be released at a rate of about one (and occasionally two) per month, hopefully starting in December. All will be major Miramax or Dimension films (Miramax’s genre label). Specific titles are still under discussion, but look for Good Will Hunting, Jackie Brown and possibly a collector’s edition re-release of one of the Scream films.

Sounds good to us! We’ll follow the stories on DVD releases closely, since we’re very interested in owning the films in this format as well. If you don’t own a player yet, or at least a DVD-ROM, buying one is highly recommended.