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Tuna
"Rain Man"

Rain Man (1988) is #179 of the top 250 films at IMDB, rather 7.8 of 10, won Golden Globes for best picture and best actor, and 4 Oscars including best actor and best picture. Hoffman's portrayal of an autistic savant was an Oscar caliber performance, and the story was touching. Tom Cruise was typecast as a brash, self-serving hustler and LA wheeler-dealer who had long been estranged from his father. He is a nearly shady car deal that is falling apart and threatening to ruin him financially, when he learns that his father has died. His girlfriend, Valeria Golino, convinces him to attend the funeral. Once there, he learns that hsi father left him the car which had been the bone of contention that had caused their split, and some rose bushes, whereas his $3m estate was put in a secret trust.

Being a hustler, he is able to learn that the trust is administered by the head of a mental hospital, and finds that he has had a brother he new nothing about, who has inherited all the money, and doesn't even understand what money is good for. He decides to take the brother back to California and fight to win custody so he can get his hands on the money. Along the way, he and Hoffman bind, and his motives for wanting custody by the time they reach LA are not totally self-serving. One famous scene where Cruise was trying to get Hoffman on a flight to LA, and Hoffman refuses, reciting dates of crashes, airplane models, flight numbers, and fatalities for every airline Cruise names. Then Hoffman mentions that Quantas is the only major airline that has never had a crash. The airlines cut this scene for in-flight versions.

Golino shows a nipple in the bath, and then one breast dressing, as it peeks out of her robe. I enjoyed this film very much the first time I saw it, but, on second viewing, wasn't nearly as interesting with no surprises. If you haven't seen it, you should, but, if you have, the second watching might be a letdown. B.

  • Thumbnails

  • Valeria Golino (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

  • Johnny Web (Uncle Scoopy)

    Anna Kournikova

    What else is there to say? These are the pictures you have been hearing so much about. According to the PetMag, they are paparazzi pics of the tennis goddess, Anna Kournikova. They don't look much like her to me, but the accompanying article includes the photographer's explanation of how he stalked Anna and Alla (her mother), and finally got Anna away from mommy, on a stretch of beach not far from her apartment. Penthouse is convinced they are Anna. I guess we will be debating them for a while. Anyway, here they are, so you can join the debate. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

     

    Movies

    Until September isn't out on DVD yet, although it represents Karen Allen's best nudity, including a brief frontal and almost a major oops in the bathtub scene. (C'mon, I know I'm not the only guy who had a major crush on her.) For now, pre-DVD, we have some pretty nice caps from Mr Skin.

    I like.

    Interestingly, Until September was Richard Marquand's next film after Return of the Jedi. I suppose most people have forgetten that he did one of the Star Wars films. I know I always forget his name whenever the topic comes up. He died not long thereafter, still in his 40's.

    Karen Allen (1, 2, 3)

    -----

    Zabibah and the King was written by Saddam Hussein. Reviews in Baghdad were not bad. Surprised?

     

    In the News

    Scientists announced that they are able to calculate the age of the universe -  at 12-13 billion years.

    1) I'm no scientist, but I guess it must be 13 billion rather than 12, because it has to be older than Joan Collins.

    2) And yet it still claims to be 39.

    3) Kind of lends new meaning to the word "calculate" as "come within a billion". Use this to your advantage. "Mom, dad, I've calculated my GPA at 4.0"

    4) They would have a more precise date, but at one time the universe started lying about its age to buy beer.

     

    Links

    The Streakers' Hall of Fame

     

    Here are the latest movie reviews available at scoopy.com.

    • The yellow asterisks indicate that I wrote the review, and am deluded into thinking it includes humor.
    • If there is a white asterisk, it means that I inexplicably determined there might be something of interest.
    • A blue asterisk indicates the review is written by Tuna (or Lawdog or Junior or C2000 or Realist or ICMS or somebody else besides me)
    • If there is no asterisk, I wrote it, but am too ashamed to admit it.

    Variety
    Helena Bonham Carter
    (1, 2, 3)

    Topless in a love scene from the movie "Novocaine" (2001).

    Marie Gillain The Belgian actress topless and sorta frontal in scenes from "Harem Suare'" (1999), by Helvete.

    Clotilde Courau The French actress posing in an extreme down blouse shot. Almost a hint of nipple I think.

    Karina Lombard A great bare bum pose, although Scoop and I were debating whether or not this really was her. As a reminder, Lombard appeared nude in "Last Man Standing", "Legends of the Fall" and "Wide Sargasso Sea".

    Laetitia Casta The French supermodel wearing only body paint, and done up like a tribal warrior.

    Kelly Hu
    (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

    Hawaiian beauty and star of "The Scorpion King", barely dressed on the pages of the May issue of the US Maxim. Of course, the letters U and S automatically mean no nudity.

    Jo Guest The UK babe showing a little bit of nipple (and holding something furry) in the June issue of Front magazine.

    Kelly Brook
    (1, 2)

    Known to American audiences from her role on the show "Smallville", the UK babe and former TV presenter bares a very nice bum for Front magazine.

    Maria Schrader Breasts and bush from the German actress in scenes from "I Was on Mars" (1992), by DeVo.

    Stephanie Seymour A fantastic collage of one of my favorite supermodels.

    The Funnies by Number 6
  • The Clinton Presidential Library

  • Pat Reeder The Comedy Wire
    Pat's comments in yellow...



    Scoop's comment: wasn't this the plot of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome?

    HOMELESS MEN FIGHT TO THE DEATH OVER DEODORANT
    Who Knew Hygiene Was That Important To Them? - Monday in Palo Alto, California, a homeless man named Ron McKean was arraigned on a charge of murder for allegedly shooting another homeless man in a shelter in a fight to the death over a stick of deodorant. His defense attorney plans to argue that McKean shot because he thought his life was in danger, not just to get the deodorant.

    * Without the deodorant, EVERYONE'S life was in danger.

    * Plus, the stench had driven him temporarily insane.

    * This proves once again that "Life stinks, and then you die."

    * California gun control advocates are now demanding a ban on Ban.



    QUEEN ELIZABETH TO START OFF BEATLES SONG
    Ahem..."Gabba, Gabba Hey..." - Queen Elizabeth will depart from her usual image on June 3, when she will mark her Golden Jubilee by launching a nationwide singalong of the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love." It will be aired by the BBC and sung relay-style in 21 locations by musicians ranging from African drummers to the Turkish Beatles Orchestra. A spokesman said it's unlikely the Queen will sing; she might just press a button or give permission for it to start, but "it will be dignified."

    * She'll just scream, "ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!!!..."

    * William Shatner could teach her how to do a pompous, dignified rendition with no actual singing.

    * In the Queen's version, all you need is love, $3 billion, and a big, ugly hat.

    * She's practicing at home by leading her family in rounds of "Row, Row, Row Your Yacht."

    Scoop's comments:
    Personally, I like it when she leads the crowd in singing "Shout!". She is really great on that "a little bit softer now" part.

    Man, I love that song where she says "that's the way ol' Lizzy likes it now"



    Why guys put those damn subwoofers under their car back seats...

    Soap Star Likes Getting Down And Dirty
    LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) -- Soap star Patrika Darbo may be the only actress with a wilder sex life than her TV character.

    Darbo, who plays full-figured "bitch goddess" Nancy Wesley on "Days Of Our Lives," has just written a new sex manual, "365 Glorious Nights Of Love And Romance" (Regan Books), that she hopes will help spark up her female fans' love lives.

    Some of Darbo's saucier suggestions include....

    -- Going to a nightclub and sitting as close to the bass speakers as possible. Darbo claims she once had four orgasms in one night just from the rumble.

    -- Darbo also recommends ladies sit on a washer during the spin cycle for an "extra-special kick."

    -- Finally, Darbo says there's a pick-up line sure to get any guy excited: "My hand's the squirrel and it's looking for nuts."