The Good Mother - 1988
Director: Leonard Nimoy
"Can a court determine how we should live, how we should love, how we should raise our children?
Now Anna must prove that she is the Good Mother."
A recently divorced woman, played by Diane Keaton, faces problems when her attention becomes divided between her young daughter and a new man in her life, played by Liam Neeson.Matt has an uncredited role as an extra in this film. Parts of the film were made in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA and Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
-Images from the film-
NONE AVAILABLE YET
"The Good Mother" is available on VHS.
Mystic Pizza - October 21, 1988
Director: Donald Petrie
"A romantic comedy with the works"
Sisters Kat (Annabeth Gish), Daisy Araujo (Julia Roberts),
and friend Jojo (Lili Taylor) spend most of their lives slinging pizza in Mystic, Connecticut until their lives take a turn, some for better some for worse. All the while the pizza joint still grows in popularity. The movie is written around a real restaurant. Screenwriter Amy Jones chose Mystic PizzaŽ (The Restaurant) as the focus and setting for her story. This is Julia Roberts first major starring role in a motion picture. Matt's character is Steamer, younger brother of Daisy Araujo's boyfriend in the movie. He does only one scene with one only one line.
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-Links associated with the film-
The Mystic Pizza Restaurant Site: http://www.mysticpizza.com/
"Mystic Pizza" is available on DVD and VHS.
Rising Son - July 23, 1990 (a TNT Cable TV movie)
Director: John David Coles
Way back before Matt found himself amongst the top Hollywood contenders he did a movie for a the TNT Network called "Rising Son". He
plays Brian Dennehy and Piper Laurie's son, Charlie. Charlie comes home to break the news to his parents that
he is not only dropping out of pre-med but leaving college altogether. Matt was a sophomore at Harvard at the time.
He was 19, so was Charlie. Ironically, Matt drops out of Harvard later in life to pursue his acting career but still has
plans to finish one day. The director, John David Coles also did "Push, Nevada" last year.
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"Rising Son" is available on VHS.
School Ties - September 18, 1992
Director: Robert Mandel
"Just Because You're Accepted Doesn't Mean You Belong"
Matt stars in this movie about collage life along side his best bud, Ben Affleck, Brendan Fraser, and Chris O' Donnel. The film is set in Pennsylvania during the 1950's. Brendan Fraser plays David Greene a working class teenager who wins a football scholarship to a New England prep school. Later he is found out to be Jewish by one of his classmates. Matt's character is the preppy snob who frames him for cheating but loses from it. David ends up with his quarterback position as well as his girl. David is ridiculed and discriminated against but it only makes him stronger. He becomes more aware of who he is and his heritage.
NOTE: This is a re-release of the video. The covers have changed from the original since Matt has gained popularity. He is not on the original front cover.
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"School Ties" is available on DVD and VHS.
Geronimo: An American Legend - December 10, 1993
Director: Walter Hill
"His Name Would Never Be Forgotten."
The Apache Indians have reluctantly agreed to settle on a US Government approved reservation. Not all the Apaches are able to adapt to the life of corn farmers, and one in particular - Geronimo, is restless. Pushed over the edge by broken promises and unnecessary actions by the government, Geronimo and thirty or so other warriors form a attack team which humiliates the government by evading capture, while reclaiming what is rightfully theirs. Matt plays Lieutenant Britton Davis, a West Point graduate. Matt's co-stars include Jason Patric and Robert Duvall.
Matt dropped out of Harvard (with 12 credits to go) during shooting for this role. Listen closely as you watch because he narrates the film as well. I think this is the first film he narrates and stars in.
Later you get to hear Matt narrate other films.
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"Geronimo" is available in DVD and VHS.
The Good Old Boys - March 5, 1995
(TNT Cable TV movie)
Director: Tommy Lee Jones
"Older cowboy has trouble with a modern world"
Once again, Matt was cast in a TV movie for the TNT Network.
This time it was "The Good Old Boys" with Tommy Lee Jones (starred in, co-wrote and directed)
"The Good Old Boys", the novel, by Elmer Keaton was the winner of the "Western Heritage Award" from "National Cowboy Hall of Fame". The novel became a film for the TNT television network thanks to Tommy Lee Jones in 1995. Tommy Lee Jones' character Hewey Colloway goes to see his brother and his family finding them in financial trouble. He lends his hand in helping out the troubled family, and falls in love with a local lady, Sissy Spacek. Matt plays Jones' son, Cotton Calloway. Robert Duvall and Sam Shepard also star. During filming, summer of 1994, Matt was working on the script for "Good Will Hunting" with Ben Affleck in hopes to break himself out of these TV roles and on to the big screen.
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-Links associated with the film-
Elmer Keaton's Site: http://www.elmerkelton.net/
"The Good Old Boys" is available on VHS.
Glory Daze - September 27, 1996
Director: Rich Wilkes
"The Animal House for the 90's."
A movie about a group of twenty-something college kids facing their graduation and the end of fun times as they know it. This film also starred
Ben Affleck and Alyssa Milano (Who's The Boss). This was Ben Affleck's first
big starring role as Jack an angry, angry guy. Matt Damon is Edgar Pudwhacker. Brendan Fraser makes a cameo as somebody named Doug. French Stewart plays Dennis. Matthew McConaughey (Dazed And Confused) appears as the "Rental Truck Guy".
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-Links associated with the film-
The Glory Daze Site at limbo.com: http://www.limbo.com/glorydaze/
"Glory Daze" is available on VHS.
Chasing Amy - April 4, 1997
Director: Kevin Smith
A View Askew Production
"It's Not Who You Love. It's How"
This film is the third installment in Kevin Smith's New Jersey Trilogy which began with the Sundance and Cannes Film Festival award winner "Clerks", and continued with "Mallrats," Ben Affleck stars as Holden McNeil and Joey Lauren Adams as Alyssa Jones, a lesbian that just wants to be a friend. As the friendship deepens, so do Holden's affections for Alyssa. She falls for him as well. Banky Edwards played by Jason Lee is Holden's best friend and business partner. This causes friction for Holden and Alyssa because Banky knows best, or so he thinks. This is a film about love in the 90's. I think this is my favorite Kevin Smith film even though Matt is not really in it. Matt has an extremely small part in this film as "Executive Number Two". In other words if you blink you will miss it. Look closely!!
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Here are a few screen caps from the "O'Halloran and Damon - Snootchie
Bootchies!" movie clip on the "Chasing Amy" site.
CREDIT: Kevin Smith
-Links associated with the film-
Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy Site: http://www.viewaskew.com/chasingamy/
"Chasing Amy" is available on DVD and VHS.
Courage Under Fire - July 12, 1996
Director: Edward Zwick
"A medal for honor. A search for justice. A battle for truth."
The pilot of a rescue copter, Captain Karen Walden (Meg Ryan), died shortly before her helicopter crew was rescued after it crashed in Desert Storm. It first appears that she made a spectacular rescue of a downed helicopter crew, then held her own crew together to fight off the Iraqis after her copter crashed. LT Colonel Serling (Denzel Washington), who is struggling with his own demons from Desert Storm is assigned to investigate and award her the Medal of Honor. But some conflicting accounts from her crew and soldiers in the area, cause him to question whether she deserves it. Among the crew is Ilario, played by Matt, a soldier who has since become a heroine addict. Matt had to lose 40 lbs for the film and even had to take medication to get his sugar levels back up. It just goes to show the dedication he puts into his roles.
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"Courage Under Fire" is available on DVD and VHS.
Good Will Hunting - December 5, 1997
Director: Gus Van Sant
"Do you like apples?..."
This is the where it all started. This is the film that made Matt a star! Matt co-wrote and starred in this Academy Award winning film. He plays a troubled and rebellious
"Southie"(Boston) who works as a janitor at MIT. To his own surprise and everyone else's he discovers he's a
mathematical genius. He runs into trouble with the law but is spared if he
agrees to meet with a psychologist (Robin Williams). Robin won "Best Supporting Actor" for the role as the good doctor. The two become close friends as they unlock each others past revealing the good with the bad. Ben Affleck
also stars as Will's best bud, same as in real life. Minnie Driver plays Will's girlfriend Skylar. Matt had a girlfriend at Harvard of the
named Skylar who is now married to the drummer of Metallica.
"Like Will" by The Carpet Patrol
My buddy Rich sent me a song one day and asked me to take a listen. He and a band called "The Carpet Patrol" from Cambridge, MA did this song called "Like Will" about Matt's character, Will Hunting, in "Good Will Hunting". I listened to the song and they hit the nail on the head. The song makes me wanna be just like Will, too. The band has since has changed their name to "Model Kit". Check it out! Thanks, Rich
Click here to play "Like Will" - The Carpet Patrol
Visit the band's new site here:
http://www.modelkitmusic.com
Visit the band's site at mp3.com here:
http://www.mp3.com/thecarpetpatrol
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Click Here
-Downloads-
800 x 600 - 50 kb
Download The Original Movie Script
-Awards won for the film-
| Oscars (Academy Awards) | Golden Globes |
|---|---|
| Best Original Screenplay - Ben Affleck, Matt Damon | Best Screenplay - Ben Affleck, Matt Damon |
| Best Supporting Actor - Robin Williams | Nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama |
| Nominated for Best Picture - Lawrence Bender | Nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama - Matt Damon |
| Nominated for Best Actor - Matt Damon | Nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture - Robin Williams |
| Nominated for Best Supporting Actress - Minnie Driver |
-Links associated with the film-
Good Will Hunting, Boston Premiere Photos:
http://www.averstar.com/~milos/gwh.html
"Good Will Hunting" is available on DVD and VHS.
Saving Private Ryan - July 24, 1998
Director: Steven Spielberg
"The mission is a man"
Matt plays the title role in this film but does not appear until the second half of the movie. This almost three hour world war II epic is a fabulous one. The film begins with a half-hour sequence, the landings at Normandy on D-Day complete with all the brutality and explicit gore of war. It has been compared to "Shindler's List". Tom Hanks plays Captain Miller, the central character. The plot kicks in when Captain Miller and what's left of his small platoon receive orders to retrieve a private James Francis Ryan (Matt) from somewhere on the forward line in France. Ryan's three brothers have all died in combat in the last week, and General George Marshall (Harve Presnell) wants to bring the private back to the states, to spare Mrs. Ryan the heartbreak of having all four of her boys killed in action. The movie also features Giovanni Ribisi and Ted Danson. Saving Private Ryan was re-released for an Oscar run in February 5, 1999.
-Images from the film-
-Downloads-
800 x 600 - 47 kb
-Awards won for the film-
| Oscars (Academy Awards) | Golden Globes |
|---|---|
| Best Director - Steven Spielburg | Best Motion Picture - Drama |
| Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski | |
| Best Sound Effects Editing - Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom |
|
| Best Editing - Michael Kahn | |
| Best Sound - Ron Judkins, Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers |
|
| Nominated for Best Actor - Tom Hanks | |
| Nominated for Best Picture - Ian Bryce, Mark Gordon (II), Gary Levinsohn, and Steven Spielberg |
"Saving Private Ryan" is available on DVD and VHS.
The Rainmaker - November 21, 1998
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
"They were totally unqualified to try the case of a lifetime... but every underdog has his day."
An idealistic young lawyer named Rudy Baylor, played by Matt and his cynical partner Deck Schifflet, played by Danny Devito, take on a powerful law firm representing a corrupt insurance company. Rudy Baylor needs a job. An elderly couple, whose insurance company will not pay for an operation that could save their son's life, need a lawyer. In the film, Rudy also falls for a woman who is being abused by her husband and needs his help. Claire Danes appears as the young woman named Kelly Riker.
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"The Rainmaker" is available on DVD and VHS.
