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in 1912 , a ship set sail on her maiden voyage across the atlantic for america . this ship was built to be the largest ship in the world , and she was . she was also build to be one of the most luxurious , and that she was . finally , she was built to be unsinkable and that unfortunately she was not . to get a ticket for this voyage you either : spent a life 's savings to get to america to start life anew , were part of the upper class and had the money to spare , or finally were lucky enough to have a full house in a poker match by the docks like jack dawson . jack dawson makes the trip , and happens to be at the right place at the right time . rose dewitt bukater , a first class passenger , climbs the railings at the aft of the ship with thoughts of jumping . thus is started a tale of romance and intrigue , and a tale of death and tragedy . .. this movie is about a tragic event that took place a great many years ago , an even that should not be taken lightly as any other bit of historical trivia . the movie titanic shows what happened , maybe not with a 100 % degree of accuracy , but it still shows it very realisticaly . now the titanic is both a story on its own and a backdrop for a story . it serves as both admirably , brining forth an interesting story that although simple in its most simple premise is very captivating . this movie is very emotional simply because of what it is , but that alone is not enough . the story is brought out with a certain style that makes is so much more emotional and so much more effective . movies such as this will not be forgotten all too quickly and unfortunately then are not something that is produced by hollywood with any great frequency . the attention to detail that was paid is remarkable . the whole premise for the telling of the story is interesting , with the showing of brand new footage from the wreck of the titanic adding much flavor to an already good movie . part of the magical chemistry behind this story is the acting , and for this movie its extremely good acting from the whole cast . the performances put in by the main stars is something to be admired . the characters were played out so memorably that both leonardo dicaprip and kate winslet should receive at the least nominations for their roles . looking at the acting done in the movie it seems as if they are n't acting but are actually the characters in the movie . the casting for the movie could really have been better , in my humble opinion that is . one character that will most likely not be mentioned by any other review or commentary about this film is that of the ship itself . yes , you read correctly , the ship is a character . how is the titanic a character ? you ask well simple , a ship had a certain character about it and as most sailors and boats men will tell you . this character is everything about the ship from its specifications to its luxuries and the titanic was no stranger to this . mr . cameron brings the ship to life in an almost literal sense . all this adds to the movie in a certain way that most hollywood productions ca nt seem to grasp . now , to produce the effect that i mentioned above and to sink the ship itself are feats that are accomplished by special effects wizards . the effects in this movie range from marvelous costumes to beautifully rendered scenes of the ships sinking . in some respects you can not tell that the effects are there , you simply think that what you see is what happened or what is happening ( if your imagination is good ) . the technical wizardry done in this movie is just spectacular and actually getting new footage from the wreck of the titanic is unique . the movie will leave you amazed at the effects , and that is a feat since there is no monsters or aliens in this movie , just humans and an oversized ship . the movie will amaze you and it will pull on your emotions , the theater that i went to had a few people leaving with tears in their eyes . now that is not a feat accomplished by most movies , now the fact that the tragedy actually occurred is brought home with something of a punch , i wo nt spoil the ending and say what happens regardless it is an interesting movie from beginning to the very end . the historical value of this movie is quite high , and honestly is something that should be watched for the sake of seeing it and seeing the tragedy , for it is extremely well done . the method of telling the story is also good , maybe not totally unique but effective none the less . regardless of anything mentioned above this movie is a grandiose production and the sheer size of the project undertaken is something to be marveled at . the simple fact that the movie is smashingly successful at what it aims to achieve is just astonishing . if you get the chance to see this movie go ! ! ! it might not be the best movie in the world . . but it ranks fairly highly and is well worth the time spent watching it . during none of the 3 hours and 13 minutes of the movie are you bored nor does your attention wane from the movie .

1POS

the start of this movie reminded me of parts from the movie stargate . people are looking around in an egyptian temple reading about some dangerous thing that is going to destroy earth in the future . after a sort of confusing bit involving fake - looking cyborg things , the movie jumps into the future and the movie improves by leaps and bounds . the basic idea behind the movie is that every once in a while ( make that every 1000 years or so ) an evil force comes to destroy earth . the things needed to defend against this menace are the four elements of nature plus the fifth element . the plot in this movie really is n't that important to the thing though . this movie has very good special effects , for the most part . the techno - ish music in the background fits the mood very well . bruce willis is an illegal taxi - cab driver in a futuristic new york city . one day a lady draped with a few bandages drops down into his trunk . this movie is about what happens . the plot twists are interesting and the movie never fails to present the viewer with a variety of different locations . also there is a fair bit of action in the film , particularly towards the end . some characters are just plain strange including a highly - energetic deejay in drag . bruce willis does his normal job of blowing things away like he always does . the movie is definitely watchable and rarely slows down . it is one of those sci - fi films where you 'll be saying " cool " followed by a " what the hell ? ! ? ! " . i give the fifth element .

1POS

note : some may consider portions of the following text to be spoilers . be forewarned . james toback 's return to directing after a eight - year layoff , two girls and a guy , is a film which is comprised , more or less , of just that : one guy , blake ( robert downey jr . ) ; two girls , carla ( heather graham ) and lou ( natasha gregson wagner ) ; one primary setting ( blake 's absurdly spacious bachelor apartment ) , and a great deal of dialogue . embracing a near real - time approach , this is a highly theatrical feature that completely hangs upon the performances of its three actors and the quality of the dialogue written by mr . toback for his bantering characters . fortunately , the film 's cast is up to the challenge , and the wordy exchanges between the triad of characters , while admittedly variable , are occasionally wickedly amusing . the film 's setup is fairly generic in nature , and opens rather unpromisingly . we meet self - possessed blonde carla and feisty brunette lou , both waiting outside a soho loft . as they engage in idle chatter , it is revealed that they 're both waiting for their respective boyfriends to return from the airport , and it does n't take long for them to come to the realisation that they 're being two - timed by the same guy . more indignant with him than catty with each other , the duo break into blake 's loft and await his arrival for a confrontation . it 's when blake returns to his abode where the film hits its stride . played with magnificent bombast by mr . downey jr . , blake is a cad , all right , but a captivatingly dynamic , blusterous , and stealthy piece of work that bursts onto the scene and raises the stakes to new heights . it 's fascinating to watch this character in his natural habitat , and perhaps the film 's best choice was to have his two girlfriends scamper off into hiding upon his return , allowing us to size up blake not with his interactions with others , but by his own innate behaviour . whether he 's flamboyantly behind his piano in a rollicking rendition of vivaldi , or on the phone leaving messages to his beloveds ( carla , lou , and his unseen sickly mother ) , it 's never less than wildly entertaining and insightful . though at this point i almost hoped the film would transform into a one - man show -- a typical afternoon in the life of blake , if you will -- carla , and then lou , reveal themselves , and the sparks begin to fly . ( one of the great touches in the film is how blake , when startled by carla 's unannounced appearance , begins to both verbally and physically backpedal even before he realizes that the cat 's out of the bag . ) double - teamed by the understandably aggrieved women ( who are more smirkingly inquisitive than ferociously vengeful -- they want a justification for his ongoing hypocrisy ) , an increasingly - flustered blake weakly defends himself with apologetic and even self - righteous declarations against their verbal jabs . surprisingly delightful in the waltz of scathing witty banter shared by its trio of characters , two girls and a guy concludes its first sequence with an unexpected apoplectic act of such outrageous audacity that it seemed nothing was off - limits for this film . however , it 'd be unfeasible to attempt to string along carla and lou 's outrage to full feature - length , and it 's as the movie gradually transforms into the sharing of exploratory profundities on the nature of fidelity and relationships that it slowly but surely begins to unravel . the dialogue becomes less and less engaging and clever , the film 's tempo loses its liveliness , the dynamic between the characters evolves in unconvincing fashion , and several sequences fall flat . subtle and not - quite - subtle allusions are made ( a poster of jules et jim hangs prominently on the wall ) , and secrets are revealed which barrel the film toward an uncompelling weepy finale . one key turning point in the film is the kinky sex scene between blake and carla . two girls and a guy was embroiled in a bitter , long - running dispute with the mpaa with regards to this scene -- contractually - obligated to deliver an r - rated film , mr . toback was forced to resubmit fourteen scaled - down versions of the steamy interlude before the mpaa withdrew their nc-17 rating in favour of an r -- and while admittedly titillating , the net effect of the vignette on the film 's thematic narrative is rather dubious . if anything , two girls and a guy serves as a showcase for the phenomenal talents of mr . downey jr . , whose versatility is put to the test in this film . he plays the gamut from indignant to humbled , from self - assured to disconcerted , yet his acting gears shift so smoothly as to not be registered . it 's a wonderful performance in a role custom - tailored for him ; mr . toback wrote the screenplay in four days shortly after mr . downey jr . was arrested on drug charges , and it 's hard not to see echoes of reality seeping into his character -- in a monologue to his mirrored reflection , blake 's self - chiding to " get [ his ] shit together " is disquieting in its resonance . while mr . downey jr . 's showstopping performance is undoubtedly the primary strength of the film , both actresses are solid in more broadly - observed roles . ms . graham is quickly becoming one of america 's more daring actresses , involving herself in three successive risky projects -- two girls and a guy and boogie nights are both quite sexually frank , while lost in space has a screenplay penned by akiva goldsman . she 's quite appealing here , playing a character at once both dainty and sultry . meanwhile , ms . gregson wagner initially portrays lou with such an unwarranted spunk that audiences are likely to find it either annoying , or , like me , endearing . she tones it down substantially as the film progresses , but i found her more fun to watch as the artificially excitable chatterbox . the film was reportedly shot in eleven days , filmed mostly in sequence , and the resultant artifacts of this rapid shoot are evident throughout . two girls and a guy has an agile , spontaneous sort of feel , and one senses that mr . toback encouraged a good deal of improvisation from his three actors . while the film could be transposed directly to the stage more or less intact , it does n't feel constricted ; the expansive apartment setting is well - used to vary the background , and mr . toback allows his camera to wander and linger on his characters in an effective manner . two girls and a guy falls short of its potential , but thanks to some stellar work by mr . downey jr . , it 's still often an enjoyable , bitingly funny romp , particularly as we watch the surprisingly - resilient blake evasively try to rationalize his behaviour and even turn the tables on his girlfriends . " i 'm an actor , " he tells them at one point , using the ol' tried - and - tested occupational - hazard defense . " actors lie . " but not , they all seem to agree , denzel washington .

1POS

robert altman 's cookie 's fortune is that rare movie that does not depend on sentimentality to be uplifting and to make its viewers feel good . it is a sunny , delightful , dreamy comedy , filled with lovely performances , skillful direction and topped off with an understated , clever , extraordinary script . as this is an ensemble piece , it is forced to start of slowly as it introduces us to its characters , all of them residing in a southern town called holly springs . first we meet willie ( charles s. dutton ) , an honest man with a slight drinking habit . we then see that willie takes care of an elderly lady nicknamed cookie , who is slowly losing her grip on sanity and is being filled with loneliness , despair , and want of her dead husband . we cut to camille ( glenn close ) who is obsessively directing a play with her sister cora ( julianne moore ) . then we briefly get acquainted with emma ( liv tyler ) , an apparent relative of cookie , who is a down - but - not - out teen outcast , still full of love and hope even though she has no real place to live . we also fleetingly see emma 's lover jason ( chris o'donnell ) , an ambitious but far too excitable young cop . we are now about one quarter through the two hour picture , and robert altman decides that it is time to set the plot in motion . we see the ecstatic cookie stare hopefully at a picture of her husband . she exclaims " here i come ! " and then puts a pillow to her face and shoots herself . soon after , her niece camille stops by to get a fruit salad bowl , comes upstairs , finds cookie dead and flips out . convinced that suicide is a disgrace and that she will have none of that in her family , she eats the suicide note and convinces her slightly slow ( yet sweet ) sister that it was a murder . she makes sure that she stages it like a murder as well ; scattering jewelry all over the floor , breaking a few cabinets , windows and doors , and then throwing the gun out in the back yard . the only reasonable suspect is willie , who immediately gets taken into custody , and put in a jail cell ( they all know he did n't do it , so the cell stays open and he plays scrabble with the sheriff and the faithful emma ) . meanwhile , the unperturbed camille continues her none - too - subtle manipulations trying to further cover up for the murder while at the same time making her easter play a success . so begins cookie 's fortune , a film aptly described by critic scott renshaw as " a southern spin on fargo , " except that this one is far funnier and much more enjoyable than the coen brothers ' darker , somewhat disturbing and slightly overrated escapade . robert altman 's slight picture is in some ways reminiscent of something like midnight in the garden of good and evil as well , in that both films focus ( on and off ) on the eccentricities of the residents in a southern us town . indeed , most of the characters in cookie 's fortune are loads of fun to observe , and a portion of them are fascinating and surprisingly multi- dimensional . glenn close turns in an insubstantial ( in terms of her career ) but magnificent performance as the conniving camille and is also the source of a good portion of the many laughs that we enjoy in this movie , and she is perfectly cast as the prolific " aunt alexandria " character , endlessly obsessed with family dignity . the equally essential role of willie is handled with an intangible grace by veteran thespian charles s. dutton ( mimic , a time to kill ) there is nothing like a movie which leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside hours , even days after the film ends . cookie 's fortune is such a movie . i loved the light , kindhearted approach altman ( whose last project was the dark , intense drama the gingerbread man ) took towards the tricky subject matter . i enjoyed the talented ensemble cast . i even liked the trite " in the south everybody is related to everybody " cliche that is inevitably employed by the time this movie draws to a close . i 'm not sure why cookie 's fortune had such an all - around pleasing effect on me . perhaps it 's that good ol' southern charm .

1POS

well i 'll be damned . .. the canadians can make a good movie . the world is coming to an end . we do n't know why or how , but apparently there is no way to stop it . the world has had this information for months , as most of the rioting and other assorted chaos has passed and governments have shut down operations . yet for a handful of toronto citizens , life goes on . they are n't going crazy or attacking people in the streets . instead they are simply preparing themselves for the end . .. some engaging in activities they 've always wanted to do , some gathering with family and friends , and others just seeking to be alone . these people 's lives however all intersect during their final six hours . writer - director - star don mckellar has crafted a highly unique and emotional film . all of the main characters are compelling as they try and do whatever it is they need to do on their last night on earth . craig ( callum keith rennie ) tries to fulfill all his sexual fantasies , a gas company employee ( david cronenberg ) calls every customer letting them know the gas will be flowing until the very end and thanks them for their business , and patrick ( mckellar ) just wants to be by himself but is n't having much success . even minor characters keep popping up where you least expect them to , tying everyone even closer . things seemed a little hokey towards the beginning of the film , but ultimately everything comes together nicely ( although it 's not a happy film . .. some moments are understandably gut - wrenching ) . the story is enhanced by some unexpected humor and very realistic performances , particularly from sandra oh , whose character is just trying to get home to her husband before the end . i have absolutely no problem that the reason for the end of the world is never given , nor does it bother me that the world is ending at exactly 12 midnight ( in toronto anyway ) . but i do wonder why the sun never sets . come midnight , the sun is still shining brightly . maybe the sun is crashing into the earth . .. who knows . also , it 's comforting to know that in mankind 's final moments on the planet , people will still gang up on the street for the sheer purpose of pushing over a car or a bus ( that 's not a shot at this film mind you . .. i know people are just stupid and truly would be out in the street tipping over cars ) . last night is available on dvd from universal home video . it contains the film in fullscreen format and includes the original theatrical trailer . [ r ]

1POS

hedwig ( john cameron mitchell ) was born a boy named hansel in east berlin . as a teen seeking his " other half , " he reluctantly agrees to a sex change operation in order to marry american g. i. luther ( maurice dean wint ) . the operation , performed by a hack surgeon , is botched , and the " angry inch " is all that 's left . now a " she " , hedwig comes to america , is abandoned by luther , forms a rock band and falls for her 17-year old lover / prot ? g ? , tommy , only to be rejected by him later , too . she and her band , the angry inch , shadows the now - famous tommy gnosis across the us ( for revenge ? ) , but hedwig is really in search of her lost other half in " hedwig and the angry inch . " first time helmer john cameron mitchell , along with composer / lyricist stephen trask , created and starred in their acclaimed off - broadway production that has become the movie . and quite a movie it is in its eclectic variety of songs , outrageous costumes , sets and makeup and , especially , a riveting performance by mitchell as the title character . mitchell and trask have reinvented the movie musical and couple it with the underlying story of just whom hedwig is and what she is looking for . i am , by far , not a big fan of musicals . sure , there are exceptions , like bob fosse 's " all that jazz " and " cabaret , " but , for the most part , they are just not my cup of tea . " hedwig and the angry inch " is an exception , though , with its combination of humor , wit and a collection of tunes that covers musical styles ranging from " the rocky horror picture show " and meatloaf to david bowie to the sex pistols . the original songs , by stephen trask ( also appearing as one of the members of the band the angry inch ) , are full of energy and variety and , even though it 's not my kind of music , i found every one entertaining and fun . the audience i saw " hedwig " with thought so , too . the main attraction to this one - man / woman show is the presence of its star . john cameron mitchell gives a solid , sometimes fun , sometimes angry performance as a person searching for self - enlightenment and love . as a young boy growing up in east berlin , hansel is abused by his g. i. father and raised by his german mother in a tiny flat so small that " mother would make me play in the oven " where he listened to pop music on armed forces radio . later , as a young man , he meets luther , another g. i. and is swept off of his feet . the ensuing angry inch incident comes soon after . flash forward to a trailer park in junction city , kansas , and luther is leaving hedwig for another boy . frustrated and broke , she takes on baby - sitting and the odd " job " to make ends meet . she also forms a band with four korean housewives and the musical talent of hedwig is born . she meets , falls for and loses young tommy , who steals her songs and goes off to become a rock sensation . jealous and angry , hedwig and her new band begins a campaign to shadow tommy 's tours and , with the help of her manager , phyllis stein ( andrea martin ) , is trying get a law suit going against the star for stealing her songs . hedwig and the angry inch get gigs , not coincidentally , at a chain of seafood restaurants that just happen to be next to the forums where tommy gnosis is playing . things finally come to a head , so to speak , in new york city . the popularity of the off - broadway musical and its offshoots have garnered a ready - made audience base for " hedwig . " the wit , humor , music and search for identity has great appeal to young adults , but the charismatic presence of mitchell makes this a cut above what it could have been . it is this one - man / woman show that casts its spotlight on its " internationally ignored " rock star and mitchell is outstanding in the role . there is n't a lot going on with other characters , though there are amusing little sidebars , like hedwig 's backup singer / lover , yitzak ( miriam shor ) , deciding to break away from the band to join a polynesian road show of " rent " as a puerto rican drag queen . the low budget that the moviemakers have for the production belies the quality of the film . attention to details - hedwig 's costumes and outrageous " cabaret " -like makeup ; the seedy trailer park setting ; and , the kitschy seafood restaurants - are loads of fun to watch and lend the appropriate air to the proceeds , all on what has to be a beer budget . " hedwig and the angry inch " may not be for everybody , but the energy of the effort , the songs , the imaginative sets and costumes and a fast steady pace make it a pleasure to watch . if you 're a fan of contemporary , edgy music , it is an even bigger draw . i give it a b+ .

1POS

niagara niagara ( r ) bob gosse 's niagara niagara follows a blueprint not unlike a lot of young - lovers - on - the - road movies . wild marcy ( robin tunney ) and calm seth ( henry thomas ) meet cute , literally running into each other while shoplifting at a local store . a mere couple of scenes later , the two embark on a journey to toronto from their small , unnamed american town in pursuit of a rare doll that marcy desperately wants . along the way , true love inevitably blossoms . what sets niagara niagara apart , though , is that marcy is afflicted with tourette 's syndrome , a neurological disorder that causes sudden muscle and vocal tics . tunney , displaying an acting range not hinted at in the teenage witch thriller the craft , delivers an astonishing performance that won her the best actress prize at last year 's venice film festival . to term her work a tour - de - force is not to imply that she attacks the scenery ; tunney 's effectiveness lies in her modulation and vulnerability , which makes her depiction of marcy 's illness -- which often causes her to act violently -- that much more convincing and tragic . she and the nicely subtle thomas develop a sweetly innocent and beguilingly off - kilter chemistry . their journey hits a few rough spots creatively along the way , mostly the fault of writer matthew weiss . a detour involving a kindly widower ( michael parks ) who takes the couple in brings the story to a screeching halt , and the key character of a trigger - happy pharmacist ( stephen lang ) is highly unbelievable . but these missteps do not blunt the power of tunney 's bravura turn , which carries niagara niagara to a level of poignance it would not have otherwise achieved . ( opens march 20 ) " i did n't know what to expect . it 's like something you chase for so long , but then you do n't know how to react when you get it . i still do n't know how to react . " --michael jordan , on winning his first nba championship in 1991 . .. or , my thoughts after meeting him on november 21 , 1997

1POS

notice : this is a review and analysis of exotica . the first part of this piece is the review , the second part contains some analysis of the movie which might be construed as spoilers . if you have not seen the movie and after reading the first part you intend to do so , then save the second part for the discussion afterwards . starring : bruce greenwood , mia kirshner , elias kosteas , don mckellar , arsinee khanijian , sarah polley director : atom egoyan screenplay : atom egoyan exotica is a film that grows on retrospection . exotica keeps the viewer guessing about the relationship between the various characters in the film . all of the people know each other , but apart from that , there seems to be no other reason why to select such set and follow them in this fictional account . the director hints for possible solutions , using a multi - line plot , so popular with critics in mystery train , and used to good advantage by quentin tarantino in pulp fiction . exotica reaches a whole new dimension using this technique . at the end it is surprising to see how well the pieces of the puzzle fit together , in spite their apparent unconnectedness and even misleading features . the out - of - chronological - order technique has become ever so popular , perhaps even de rigueur , for biographical films . similarly , we can now expect to see more movies in the future which will use , to varying extent , converging multiplots . on a first glance , once the multi - plot puzzle in exotica is solved , there seems to be little left to look at . but perceptive minds which take the time to dig further will be rewarded with interesting views on life or rather , commentaries on views of life . exotica is very much worth seeing . it opened to critic 's praise worldwide ( i first saw it in mexico city , last december ) . in canada , it broke records for a movie of its kind , which prompted the american distributor to go for a wide release . apart from a strong plot , acting is very convincing , and the soundtrack seems as if made for the movie . the spoon - fed - entertainment crowd may not appreciate this movie , and thus it might last little on screen . but if you want to try a movie a cut above the crowd , with an originality that is ever so rare , by all means see exotica . analysis ( * * spoilers * * ahead ) what is behind the complex plot in exotica ? first , a common theme of the quest for gratification by monetary means . the lone tax - auditor , the repressed homosexual pet shop owner , the pregnant woman which runs the nightclub , the rich man which has the club remodeled , the audience at the movie theatre , all use personal wealth to buy palliative relief for the penuries of the soul . .. . then we have the quest for gratification through visual means by most of the same people , including those who sit watching exotica . .. . in that regard exotica stands for onlookers at a nightclub , for the rich man looking through silver mirrors , and poor - rich people looking at other 's people lives through a silver screen . exotica also stands for unwanted society attention into the lives of other people , such as the tax auditor and the pet shop owner . exotica is the customer agent looking at the pet shop owner , which in turn is looking at the core of the problems between the strip dancer and the tax auditor through the detached eye of a gay person ( no attraction to the strip dancer ) , and only interested on avoiding jail ( no personal relationship with the tax auditor ) . in exotica everybody is watching , and what is worse , everybody knows . second , exotica is about isolated people holding back their feelings ; about people which by voluntary or involuntary means transfer their view of reality to other characters . the strip dancer becomes the proverbial daughter , the dj becomes the proverbial killer by means of breaking the relationship between the father and the proverbial daughter . the niece becomes the baby sitter , the baby sitter becomes the dancer , and the dancer becomes the proverbial daughter . the pet shop owner becomes the proverbial dj , by finding the proverbial daughter . a chain made of real and imagined links coming around full circle , just as everything comes around to a fitting whole at the end of the movie .

1POS

i actually am a fan of the original 1961 or so live - action - disney flick of the same name starring hayley mills twice as a pair of twins , separated at birth by divorcing parents , never to come in contact with the other so the parents never have to meet again . and everyone should know how i feel about remakes , especially of films i happen to enjoy ( my fallacy : unless you 're going to either capture the same exact spirit of the original or do something different with it or maybe even both , just wrack your brain and come up with a * gasp * new idea ) . this remake was not originally on the top of my viewing list , and was actually quite the opposite . contemporary live - action - disney films are not one of my favorties , anyway : they 're usually unfunny , alienating , and a big fat bore , at least to anyone over the age of 11 and above the iq of 10 . this one , however , is shockingly not bad . in fact , it 's actually good . not the original good , but what 's great about it is that it does n't necessarily retread the original or capture the same exact spirit as it does become entertaining for the same exact reasons the original was entertaining . because it 's cute and innocent fun . because it has a pretty killer plot that is endlessly fun to follow along with . because the lead star is immensely appealing . because the parents are also immensely appealing . and ( i 'm repeating myself ) because it 's cute and innocent fun . there 's nothing too risque about it , save the plot ( the idea of separating twins and denying them the truth for years is ominously selfish , but that is precisely the point of the movie ) , and it 's aimed directly at either kids , adults who want to remember the original , or young adults who want to remember what it was like to be a kid . i , personally , am somewhere between the second and third . i can vividly remember when my taste in movies was n't so weird or diverse ( the names godard and kubrick were n't even a glimmer in my right eye back then ) , when i would tune in every sunday night for a couple years to see abc 's " wonderful world of disney , " where they 'd show you a live - action and/or made - for - tv disney flick an hour per week . i can remember my mom taking my sister and i along with all my friends and their mothers to see all the rereleased disney films ( like " lady and the tramp " and " pinnochio " ) . and , most sadly , i remember every single christmas , without fail , there were a barage of children 's animated half - hour shows , made exclusively for the christmas season , that i would n't dare missing . i can even remember seeing the made - for - tv " parent trap ii " on tv one night , and after i had seen that one over and over and over again , i saw the original " parent trap . " it 's more of a late childhood movie , because it deals with the issue of divorce , but it deals with it in a disney - ized version . it 's playful , and witty , and charming , and if i saw it for the first time right now , having never experienced that part of my childhood , i 'd probably dismiss it . i 'd probably do the same for the new version of the same movie if i had n't seen the original at such a perfect age . watching it , i could remember what fun it was to watch a disney film , and how divorce for me started to get me thinking about the possibilities of my seemingly - perfect parents splitting up , and how it affected my adolescence . and also how it brushed that fear off with a smooth stroke , and pointed out that even in the most fucked - up of situations , things could always work out if you , well , manipulate things a bit , at least for the better . this new version did that for me , but it 's also charming in its own way . it has a new cast , a contemporary feel , and , for the first time in awhile for a live - action - disney flick , a tone that is n't corny or condescending , but just right . the moments that would otherwise seem corny are actually affecting in a safe kind of way . and for the first time since the original film , the kids actually know better than the foolish adults . the story is basically classic by now , repeated almost as many times as kurosawa 's " the seven samurai " : a pair of twins ( played here by lindsay lohan , just like they were played by hayley mills in the original ) are separated at birth by their divorcing parents . one , annie , is sent to live with the mother ( natasha richardson , resembling her mother , vanessa redgrave , more than i had ever noticed ) in london , where she lives with her parents and her devoted , foppish butler ( simon kunz ) , as she works as a swingin ' fashion designer . she grows up refined and classy , but also with a keen knowledge in sports and poker - playing . the other , hallie , is sent to northern california with her father ( dennis quaid ) to live on a vineyard with their pseudo - maid ( lisa ann walter ) , and grows up rugged yet charming . they both meet at the same camp , one that annie wants to go to to become more rugged . they feud because they look all - too similar , and are thus in tight competition , which results in some nasty pranks , which winds them in seclusion together in a private , out - of - the - way cabin . there , they become friends , then learn about eachother . once they know everything , they concoct a scheme to switch places so the one can meet the other parent , whom they 've only heard of . they learn about eachother 's lives in detail , they make sure they look alike ( which requires hair cutting and , notoriously , ear - piercing - a scene which is like the kiddie version of the hypodermic needle scene in " pulp fiction " ) , and when the end of summer comes , they switch and hope for the best . lindsay lohan does n't necessarily copy the acting style of hayley mills in the original . but she comes off just as appealing as she did once . she does , though , add a couple new things : she makes the california twin a little more appealing and the london twin a bit more frank and snobbish than the snotty and proper original , respectively . she also adds on an american and british accent to each one , with one faking the other accent throughout , and if you really take notice , you can see that the fake ones ' accents are n't exactly perfect . she 's also incredibly appealing , not merely cute , which is especially notable since this is her first feature film , and we know how notorious child actors are , especially in their first films . she makes a great protagonist , and it only helps that the supporting cast is equally appealing . dennis quaid , in fact , has n't been this likable in about a decade - his big dumb smile and near cocky attitude is what has made him a notable actor in the past , not just that he 's mr . meg ryan . ditto natasha richardson ( except that she just has n't ever been this likable period ) . the two make a winning couple , maybe not so winning as maureen o'hara and the late brian keith in the original , but they still work for this film . instead of the bickering that ensued in the original , the film adds another dimension and another angle to their characters that was amiss in the original : during the opening credits , we see glimpses from their courtship on the qe2 , where they fall quickly and madly in love with eachother , and when back together again , the film 's more smarmy scenes come off as actually sentimental , but in that great way , not the migraine - inducing way as in many such films . this all brings this new " parent trap " to a level of entertainment that has n't really existed since , well , the original film years ago , still my money the best live - action - disney flick of all time . this is because it has a form of intelligence and wit that makes such plot points as an otherwise standard villainous love interest subplot ( a gold - digging sharon stone type , played by elaine hendrix , who 's deliciously tormented by the twins later on in the film ) a treat instead of a bore . like the original , this film transcends all the crap that it very well could be ( case in point : " it takes two " starring the olsen twins ) because it treats the children as the smart ones , and the adults as the silly ones , not the other way around . and because , above everything , it knows exactly how to be charming without biting off more than it can chew . however , in comparison with the original , it could be a bit better . certain scenes work well , but not nearly as well as they worked in the original . i liked the way the parents fought over past dilemnas and then fought over falling in love again better than i liked watching two old flames getting back together over a bottle of wine - somehow , feuding is always more cinematic and pleasing than mere reminscing , a lesson extracted from the howard hawks / cary grant films of yesteryear . and as much as this film transcends mere cutedom , compared to the original , this film almost drowns in cutedom . the original , though not gritty , was far more stylized and just as suitable for adult audiences as it was for young audiences . as such , this remake may never be nearly as great or classic as the original film , but it at least knows how to treat its source material with dignity and respect , and how to create virtually the same effects without bordering on plagerism or petty annoyances .

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gere , willis , poitier chase each other around the world the jackal a film review by michael redman copyright 1997 by michael redman when the soviet union imploded , the western countries lost their shadow . with the united states friendly with the russians , we no longer had an entity to blame for the world 's problems . this showed up in hollywood films as the communist government was no longer the easy bad guy . it 's time to rejoice because we 've found our new villain . now it 's no longer the russian government who sends killers out into foreign lands , it 's the russian _ mafia_. a perfect solution , it combines the dread of organized crime and the still - present uneasiness with the former eastern block countries . best of all , the villains are still foreigners : fear of the other always plays best . so it is a crime lord in moscow that sends legendary hitman the jackal ( bruce willis ) to assassinate a highly placed us government figure in retaliation for the death of his brother during a nightclub raid . the fbi is at a loss as to how to protect the target from someone they 're not sure even exists . coming to their rescue is former ira operative declan mulqueen ( richard gere ) who is temporarily released from prison to assist fbi agent carter preston ( sidney poitier ) and russian major valentina koslova ( diane venora ) . mulqueen 's ex - girlfriend basque terrorist isabella ( mathilda may ) is the only person who has seen the elusive jackal . ( presumably there is an exclusive international terrorist club somewhere where the three met . ) the film follows two parallel tracks as the jackal prepares for his $ 70 million hit and mulqueen attempts to locate him while preston makes sure that the irishman does n't slip away . crossing numerous borders and donning various disguises for both himself and his mini - van , the killer is always one step ahead of his pursuers . being very loosely based on the same book the 1973 thriller " the day of the jackal " , comparison between the two films is inevitable . there is no doubt that the original is the better movie , playing the story for suspense rather than the current action / adventure . as a mystery , " the jackal " has enough holes in it to ruin the tale , but if you can accept it for what it is , there 's entertainment to be had . holes ? let 's see ? a pivotal clue for mulqueen is so obscure that he must possess psychic powers to pick it up . for a 20-year veteran that can command the big bucks , the jackal is an incredibly poor shot . the final scene between gere and willis occurs in a location that should be mobbed with police , but it 's just the two of them . willis ' disguises usually look like bruce willis and are just as interesting as val kilmer 's in " the saint " . ( and lest you misunderstand , that 's not a compliment . ) but the three stars are fun to watch . it 's good to see gere in something other than a business suit . willis has a mixed history in picking projects , but his characters are always watchable . poitier is by far the superior actor , but has limited screen time . the problems in logic are flaws , but do n't ruin the experience . occasionally there are movies that transcend their blemishes . this is one of them . [ the appeared in the 11/20/97 " bloomington voice " , bloomington , indiana ]

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it 's terribly unfortunate that " stir of echoes , " tautly written and directed by david koepp ( who made one of 1996 's unsung treasures , " the trigger effect " ) , should be released little more than a month after " the sixth sense , " which is still going strong at the box office . these two films are undoubtedly going to be compared ( judging from practically all of my fellow audience members last night ) , and although they have eerily similar storylines , " stir of echoes " is more of a straightforward psychological horror film , while " the sixth sense " is closer to a psychological drama . additionally , while " the sixth sense " had a shocker of an ending that undoubtedly has been one of the major factors in its recent repeat business , " stir of echoes " is more conventional and predictable in its final twist . and where " the sixth sense " was disturbing , " stir of echoes " is just plain scary . i have a feeling most viewers are going to come away unimpressed because of the unavoidable similarities , and will foolishly forget to judge this film on its own respectable merits . adapted from a novel by richard matheson that was written some forty years ago , " stir of echoes " opens with a cute six - year - old boy named jake ( zachary david cope ) who is taking a bath . he is speaking directly at the screen , but we immediately have a feeling someone else is there . finally , he asks , " does it hurt to be dead ? " apparently jake sees the ghosts of dead people , but unlike " the sixth sense , " this young child is n't the focus of the picture . instead , tom witzy ( kevin bacon ) , a chicago lineman , is our protagonist . jake is his son , and maggie ( kathryn erbe ) , whom has just discovered she is six weeks pregnant , is his hard - working wife . one night while at a party with their closest friends , tom convinces maggie 's new - age sister , lisa ( illena douglas ) , to try and hypnotize him . it unexpectedly works , and before long , tom is seeing things he would n't normally see , including a deceased teenage girl ( jenny morrison ) in his house who happens to have been missing for the last six months . seeking help from lisa , she tells him that , while he was under hypnosis , she told him that after he awoke , his mind will remain clear and free , like an opened door . she did n't expect it to work , but it did , and the only way to stop it is for tom to somehow find a way to help this girl he sees . " stir of echoes " is n't a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination , but in the thick , atmospheric mood it conjures up , it is a terrifically eerie domestic horror - drama , and is not only effective on a technical level , but is impressive in its portrayal of a struggling working - class family . kevin bacon and , especially , kathryn erbe ( 1997 's " dream with the fishes " ) , are top - notch and exceedingly believable as a loving married couple who nonetheless have their fair share of problems . after tom is hypnotized and starts seeing ghastly visions , he is completely taken over by his desire to solve this mystery of the disappearing girl whom he has seen lurking in his house , and instead of maggie not being understanding , she instead believes what tom says , and aside from being a little worried by what he is going through , does not try to stop his pursuit . bacon and erbe are not traditional hollywood stars like tom cruise and julia roberts , and therefore , are easier to relate to and always plausible as a struggling couple who have to work overtime at their jobs just to make ends meet . in a masterfully - done , entrancing sequence , tom is hypnotized by lisa , but instead of watching him , we instead see what he sees , starting from his view as he closes his eyes into darkness . lisa tells him to visualize being in an empty movie theater , and so , we , as audience members , are watching a movie screen from inside a theater , which is also showing a movie screen in a theater . telling him to move closer and closer to the screen as a fuzzy word in black letters pops up on the screen , we begin to float closer and closer to the front of the theater until we see that the word is " sleep . " never before have i seen a hypnotism scene as mesmerizing and brilliantly - construed as this one . truthfully , this set - piece , and another in which tom wakes up from a nightmarish dream only to quickly discover he is reliving what he has just dreamt , are worth the full price of admission alone , just to see them on the big screen . having loads of fun with her small role as maggie 's sister , lisa , illeana douglas ( 1995 's " to die for , " her last great character ) is a delight , but rarely used to her full advantage in feature films . funny and enjoyably offbeat , douglas gets to utter the best line in the film : while talking to maggie about tom 's visions of the girl , she remarks , " i would n't be worried about him seeing another girl , although the fact that she 's dead gives one pause . " also of note are jenny morrison ( 1994 's " intersection " ) , who is truly poignant in the last half of the film when we flash back to see what really happened to her missing character , and liza weil , remarkable in 1998 's " whatever , " as morrison 's grieving teenage sister , debbie . if the resolution of " stir of echoes " does not live up to its obviously frightful full potential ( and it does n't ) , what comes before is both involving and appropriately gritty . the music score , by james newton howard , and unsettling use of whispers and ghostly sound effects , successfully compliment and foreshadow the off - kilter frame - of - mind that tom is put into , and director david koepp proves once again that he is a director with a knack for creating almost unbearably tense situations that revolve around realistically - written characters . " stir of echoes " is n't as good as " the sixth sense , " but why should it need to be ? both films are fully capable of standing on their own two feet , and " stir of echoes " really is a spinetinglingly good horror film .

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usually when a blockbuster comes out , it 's loaded with effects , stars , bad scripts , and plenty of action . mystery men may contain an all - star cast , and efects , but the clever script and characters are what really works , which is rare to see this year . the film is based upon the comic book series " the flaming carrot " by bob burden , in which 3 wanna be super heroes try and fight crime , only to be out done by the real hero of champion city , captain amazing ( greg kinnear ) . things go a little haywire , when the sinister casanova frankenstein ( geoffrey rush ) is released into the city , where he captures captain amazing , and plans to wreak havoc upon champion city . well , the trio decide to take matters in their own hands , by saving the city , but first they need some assitance . this is where the film takes a turn for the better . in the beggining , there were only 3 wanna be heroes . " blue raja ( hank azaria ) , " mr . furious ( ben stiller ) and " the shoveller ( william h. macy ) . sure they were enterataining , but their acts grew old fast . that is until they aquire " invisible boy " ( kel mitchell ) , and " the bowler " ( janeane garafalo ) and " mr . splein " ( paul reubens ) , 2 of which rescue the film from becoming a disastorous mess . thankfully , the original 3 heroes become amusing , with some support of reuben and garfalo on screen . the whole premise is rather ridiculous , but packs a few punches to keep interest . for one , the film is considerably clever . it literally pokes fun at super hero films , like batman and robin , superman etc . in fact , many scenes are similar to batman and robin , including the opening sequence , only altered in a humorous and superior way . a part of the cleverness comes from the cast . sometimes a film with such talent is overblown , but the acting is what keeps it alive here . while azaria and macy were enteratining , 2 characters really stood out . one was paul reuben . no matter how disgusting or revolting " mr . splein " may be , you still ca n't help but laugh . it ' so incredibly moronic , it 's just a riot watching reuben relieve himself of bodily functions . janeane garafalo also was an interesting character . she seemed to be the most outgoing and convincing character on screem , due to her enthusiasm , that kept the film flowing . men is worth seeing alone , for those 2 troubled heroes . on the downside , a few of the heroes and especially the villain never really lift off . kel mitchell and geoffrey rush , were both utterly useless . their parts were so limited , they 'd be lucky at all to be on screen for more than 20 minutes . ben stiller too was wasted , mostly because of his unlikeable power and dialogue . none of these characters get a rise out of anybody , but happily they are lost in the charming flow of the film . as far as the budget goes , it was wisely spent on the cast , not the effects . while the set designs and action all look nice , i 'm glad there was a seperate aspect , that the film focused on , and for that i applaud . slow at times , and rather pointless , mystery men still delivers . it forgets about money making , because it 's not likely to make a bundle like it 's proceeders , and that 's what works . stupid ? maybe , but for once i 'm not disappointed . no one expected an intelligent film , but you get a film that s wit captures your attention and makes you forget this miserable year .

1POS

review- peter jackson 's the frighteners has received some notice for setting the record for most computer effects ever in a movie , and still coming in at the extremely cheap $ 30 million price tag . but for those who were dismayed by this year 's blockbusters like twister and independence day , the frighteners has much more to offer than special effects . and for those worried wether or not peter jackson would compromise to hollywood you can rest easily . the frighteners is as far removed from hollywood as a high - profile movie can get . michael j. fox stars as frank bannister , a con artist who can speak to ghosts . he uses this ability to set up a scam in a small town where his ghost buddies scare the hell out of people , then he comes and pretends to get rid of them . this is how he has made a living ever since his wife died in a car crash 5 years ago . frank 's latest customers are a young couple , played by trini alvarado and peter dobson . when dobson ends up dead , alvarado starts to take an interest in fox . but dobson 's spirit is still around as he refuses to beleive he 's dead . this leads to a very awkward and amusing dinner date between fox and alvarado , with dobson tagging along as a ghost . things start getting complicated for fox when he is accused for a series of murders taking place in the town . fox sees someone named the soul collector crushing the heart of the victims , but noone else can see that . so when fox shows up to try and save each victim , naturally people suspect he is the killer . fox sees that alvarado is next on the soul collector 's hit list , and the last half hour of the movie deals with fox 's attempts to save her from this evil spirit . there are many wonderful twists and turns in the screenplay written by peter jackson and frances walsh . the movie starts off as a black comedy , and ends up a horror - action film . the mix between these genres are perfect . no laughs are sacrificed in the name of horror , and vice versa . one point of contention might be a lackluster score by danny elfman . but that hardly seems like a flaw when you have such a diverse cast all in top form . michael j. fox delivers one of his best performances to date as a man who hides the sorrow of his wife 's death , and then is forced to confront this later on . alvarado , looking like andie macdowell , makes a great frightened , tough , and smart heroine . and jeffery combs , as a paranoid fbi agent , is brilliantly bizaare . the frighteners never once feels like it is running long . the first hour is as funny as any comedy this year , and the last half hour is as thrilling as any of the big budget blockbusters . this movie is probably what casper would 've looked like if david lynch directed it . it 's easily the best film of the year , so far .

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before you read my review , you got ta know that i love woody allen . this is a very important note because allen 's films are generally an acquired taste and definitely not for everyone . i know folks who believe him to be a complete genius , while others see him as a dirty ol' schnook who keeps making the same movie over and over again . i love most of his films , but will admit to having been quite disappointed by his recent crop during the 90s . in fact , why he felt the need to make 10 movies in those 10 years is beyond me ! if you look at the quality of those films , you 'll hear what i 'm saying . the only two films of his that i really liked during that time were bullets over broadway and husbands and wives . in fact , i secretly hoped that he would take some " time off " at the turn of the millennium , just to re - energize or something , but it does n't appear as though he has any intention of doing that . so here i am again , reviewing yet another woody allen movie and hoping that it brings back the woody from the days of old . plot : the year is 1940 and woody allen is a top - notch insurance investigator . his methods are very old - fashioned and apparently out of date . a new employee ( hunt ) has just been hired to streamline the operations for greater efficiency . the two do not like each other . one night , they are both put under a hypnotic trance by a magician , and unbeknownst to them , placed under his control . soon thereafter , jewels are stolen , words of love are exchanged and everyone is looking for an answer . critique : a wonderful recreation of the 1940s style movies , with the fast - talking witty banter between co - workers , a catchy jazz score moving things along , film noirish elements such as the veronica lake - type sexpot , one - liners galore and a fluffy , if inconsequential plotline . on the downside , the film actually starts off pretty slowly , with the first hour tossing only a few guffaws out there , but never really generating any kind of steady flow or energy . the sets , on the other hand , were amazing , the production design and costumes were perfect , and the casting ideal , so i kept hoping that the film would pick up and not turn into yet another mediocre outing for the man . but it was n't not long before i was fully engaged by the characters , entertained by the many zingers delivered back - and - forth between allen and hunt , and actually interested in the resolution of the flick . i also appreciated how allen played the fine line between homage to the films of old , parody and actual reinvention ( note theron 's entire female persona that is drenched in film noir- very cool ) . of course , films like this ( with little or no real tension in the plot ) need solid actors to keep you interested in the quick - fire dialogue , and once again , allen does a great job in playing his character , who for once , is n't his typical new york jewish neurotic cheating insecure husband dude . he actually plays a " macho " guy here and handles it pretty well , especially the scenes in which he 's hypnotized . but the bigger surprise for me in this film was helen hunt , an actress who i was openly " sick of seeing " in movies late last year ( sorry babe , you were just in too many at the same time ! ) . anyway , she 's really great in this film as the headstrong woman looking to a new era of equality amongst men , and does n't miss a beat of allen 's fast - paced dialogue . i did n't care much for her running joke about him " dying " whenever he left a room , but overall she was really good and i especially liked the way that her sweaters clung to her breasts as they did . .. yum , yum ! harumph , but i digress . so let 's recap . a great looking picture with a nice jazzy score , some funny one - liners , especially in the second half , a decent plotline , although you should n't expect a real mystery or anything , and some solid acting all around . i ca n't say that this is even remotely close to any of allen 's best work , but i certainly believe it to be a step in the right direction , especially after the dinky decade of films that he just went through . it 's probably better geared towards allen fans more than anyone else , but i would still recommend this film to anyone looking for a cute , " old - school " kind of vibe , with chemistry between the leads , zippy dialogue and a satisfying conclusion . little known facts about this film and its stars : annie hall ( 10/10 ) - celebrity ( 5/10 ) - everyone says i love you ( 5/10 ) - husbands and wives ( 9/10 ) - mighty aphrodite ( 5/10 ) - small time crooks ( 7/10 ) - when harry met sally ( 10/10 ) - you 've got mail ( 4/10 )

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susan granger 's review of " legally blonde " ( m. g. m. ) it 's a " pretty in pink " / " clueless " coming - of - age story for the new millennium as elle woods ( reese witherspoon ) , a perky southern california sorority queen , switches from fashion to law in order to win back her yuppy boyfriend ( matthew davis ) . the girl - power story begins as this sweetheart of delta nu is unceremoniously dumped by a bonehead who says : " if i 'm going to be a senator by the time i 'm 30 . .. i need to marry a jackie , not a marilyn . " determined to prove she 's as smart a snobby brunette ( selma blair ) from country - club connecticut , elle not only applies to harvard law school but gets in , much to the amazement of family , friends and faculty . once there , this flaxen - haired fish - out - of - water not only survives but tenaciously thrives , befriending a local manicurist ( jennifer coolidge ) , dazzling a professor ( victor garber ) and rescuing a defendant ( ali larter ) in a celebrated boston murder trial , plus finding a more worthy beau ( luke wilson ) . in the tradition of teen - comedy film - maker john hughes and his disciple amy heckerling , there 's wit , cheerfulness , a fidelity of observation and a penchant for problem - solving . first - time feature director robert luketic is blessed with reese witherspoon who 's joyously incandescent in this utterly formulaic light comedy written by karen mccullah lutz and kirsten smith , based on a soon - to - be - published novel by amanda brown . the supporting cast is terrific , particularly raquel welch and holland taylor - and i particularly got a kick out of the gag of elle distributing scented resumes in pink , her signature color on the granger movie gauge of 1 to 10 , " legally blonde " is a frivolous , funny , feel - good 8 . filled with ditzy blonde ambition , it 's a movie for high - school kids that their parents would be happy to have them see .

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what do you get when you combine clueless and dumb and dumber ? to answer the question , you get director david mirkin 's new comedy romy and michele 's high school reunion . romy white ( mira sorvino , mighty aprhodite ) and michele weinberger ( lisa kudrow , tv 's friends ) have been inseparable buddies since they graduated from sagebrush high in 1987 . however , when former classmate heather mooney ( janeane garafolo , the truth about cats and dogs ) confronts romy about the 10 year reunion , she is astounded that she forgot . watching pretty woman for the um - teenth time , they are reminded of how they would n't let julia roberts ' character shop in the expensive stores because of her appearance . then it hits them : they are not successful . what are she and michele going to do ? romy 's instant solution is lose some weight off their already slender frames , " bag a couple of boyfriends , " and get jobs . romy says this will be easy , but michele retorts that if it is so easy , why had n't they already done it . robin schiff 's script keeps the show moving with some nice one - liners . one of the best has romy reminiscing about her life 's battle against the bathroom scales . " i was so lucky getting mono , " she says looking at her thinnest high school picture . " that was like the best diet ever . " the casting for the film is so perfect that one begins to suspect that the leads were chosen and then the script was developed . romy and michele use their high school yearbook to discuss the caste system at their high school . the film 's editor david finfer dissolves the stills from the yearbook to live action flashbacks which makes the past come to life . at sagebrush high , the hierarchy consisted of the a group ( cheerleaders ) , the b group ( drama club ) and the c group ( nerds ) . romy and michele were none of the above . ridiculed as " the weirdoes , " they were constant targets for abuse . even though they were quite attractive , they had so much fun being together that they did not care about the others . that they make their own outlandish clothes helped keep the wall around them . complementing romy and michele 's lightness , is janeane garofalo as the dark , pudgy heather mooney . heather , who invented a new cigarette paper for cigarettes with " twice the taste in half the time for the gal on the go , " has the success and the money that they would like . heather was even more of an outsider than they were in high school . garofalo 's one - dimensional role is only a side show . this is a two person film with the other characters there merely for the two leads to bounce their lines off of . the genuine chemistry between sorvino and kudrow makes for a sweet and sometimes touching comedy . they have so much fun acting out their parts , their enjoyment spreads to the audience . ,

1POS

martin scorsese 's triumphant adaptation of edith wharton 's the age of innocence is a stunning film for the quintessential new york filmmaker , the man who brought the streets of taxi driver and mean streets to life . it seems like an odd choice for scorsese to do a period piece in the early 1900 's , but the fact that he pulls it off so brilliantly is a wonder , and a testament to the greatness of scorsese as a filmmaker . this is a gorgeous visual experience that it surely one of scorsese 's finest . newland archer ( day - lewis ) is a prestigious lawyer who is engaged to may welland ( ryder ) , a somewhat empty and shallow new yorker , who belongs to a prestigious family and is quite beautiful . the marriage is one which will unite two very prestigious families , in a society where nothing is more important than the opinions of others . on the day that archer is to announce his engagement to may , countess ellen olenska ( pfeiffer ) , cousin of may , walks into archer 's life . archer is immediately captivated , and finds himself in love with ellen . archer is also bound by the limits of new york society , which is an intrusive as any other in the world . archer finds himself having a secret love affair in his mind with countess olenska , attempting to keep her in his mind while trying not to lose his social status . the film 's subject matter may seem alien to scorsese , but the theme is definitely not . it is a theme of forbidden romance , guilty pleasures , and the consequences causes because of those actions . there is a painstakingly flawed hero , and his choice between the life he wants , and the life he is destined for . in truth , it is a film about a society the audience does n't know about , but wants to find out more , much like the society of goodfellas or even kundun . the performances are absolutely breathtaking . day - lewis portrays more mental anguish in his face than one man should be forced to take . pfeiffer is marvelous as countess olenska , a mix of passion and beauty that the audience would die for as well . ryder is probably the gem of the group , for it is her quiet presence that overwhelms the plot , and slowly pushes day - lewis closer and closer to his eventual ending . the supporting cast is also wonderful , with several characters so singular that they are indelible in one 's memory . scorsese definitely has a passion for filmmaking . his lavish and sumptuous set design and marvelous recreation of new york is a wondrous sight . he literally transports the viewer to another world with incredible imagery . his script is also excellent , slow in buildup , with a rapid conclusion and a fantastic ending that has to be seen to be believed . it is difficult to make a period piece gripping : scorsese , however , does it beautifully . the famous cameras of the legendary director are also everywhere . he is patient , but he films everything and anything remotely important . the cameras sweep , pan , track , and do more than they 've ever done , but they are so subtle , one does n't realize he 's watching all the scorsese hallmarks until a 2nd viewing . the central tracking shot is probably longer and more complex than the famous goodfellas shot , but the viewer does n't notice it , because we want to see more of this gorgeous world . there are a few deft touches of filmmaking that are simply outstanding , and joanne woodward ' narration is exquisite . not a fast film like goodfellas , this shares more in common with kundun than anything else . and like kundun , this is a slow - starting film that truly shines , when given the chance to fully breathe and bloom in the end . a beautiful film by a director continuing to challenge himself year after year .

1POS

plot : a dude and his brother are driving cross - country and decide to fool around with a trucker on their cb radio . it is n't long before their little prank gets someone put into a coma ( long story ) and the next thing you know , the trucker is following them too . lotsa nuttiness ensues and then , they pick up their other friend , venna , a girl who the dude has a crush on . but what 's this . .. ? the trucker is still on their tail and is now harassing all three of the young whippersnappers . .. ? you bet ! buckle up , dorothy . .. this is gon na be one bumpy ride ! critique : a good ol' time at the movies ! here 's a film that actually gives away most of its plotline in its trailer and does n't really bring anything " new " to the forefront ( if you 've seen flicks like duel and breakdown , you 've crossed this path before ) , but still manages to entertain you gangbusters , with realistic situations , believable characters , funny moments , thrills , chills , the whole shebang . let 's give it up for director john dahl , who continues to put out solid films every other year ( if you have n't seen red rock west , do yourself a favor right now , and jot it down on a piece of paper and rent it at your earliest convenience ) . and much like that film , this one has an excellent premise and sets everything up at an even pace . it gives you a little bit of background on each of the main three characters , and then shows you how one small prank , can lead to a whole lotta trouble for everyone ! paul walker really surprised me in this movie , since i 've never much thought of him as anything more than a pretty face ( and damn , is it ever pretty or what ? ! ) but here , he actually manages to put some depth behind the looks and that 's always appreciated in films in which you are so closely tied to the main characters . sobieski is also good , but she is n't in the movie for as long as you 'd think , but the man who really takes this film to another level , is steve zahn . if you 've loved this guy as the " goofball " in most of his previous roles , you 'll appreciate him even more here , as the dude who starts off as one of the most manic and excited human beings i 've seen in quite some time ( " this is so awesome ! ! " ) , only to turn into a man scared out of his wits by the end of the flick . and speaking of the ending , boy , does this movie deliver some chilling moments during its final 15 clicks or what ? ! ? the arrow and i were practically in each others arms ( well , maybe i 'm exaggerating , but you catch my drift ) as each minute brought about another turn of events which in turn , took it all to an even higher level . once again , kudos to director dahl for being able to generate that type of intensity , suspense and tension , with a great score , editing , style and camerawork . plot - wise , i too did wonder how the " bad guy " was able to track them so well , but it did n't really bother me all that much ( you can assume that he had bugged their car ? ) . but pretty much everything else in the story stuck like glue and i could n't help but put myself in their shoes and appreciate their thoroughly desperate circumstance . a great movie with an even cooler ending , this film will likely be remembered as one of the better thrillers of the year . " this is amazing ! ! ! " where 's joblo coming from ? american psycho ( 10/10 ) - deep blue sea ( 8/10 ) - eye of the beholder ( 4/10 ) - the fast and the furious ( 7/10 ) - final destination ( 8/10 ) - the glass house ( 6/10 ) - no way out ( 8/10 )

1POS

wyatt earp has a lot to tell and little to say . this story of the legendary lawman runs three hours and nine minutes and that 's too long for this epic - wannabe that plays more like a tv mini - series than a movie . the story opens on the earp family farm , with young wyatt ready to run away from home . he wants to fight in the civil war , but his dad ( hackman ) has different ideas and wants his son to study law . time passes and wyatt heads west , returns home to marry , and , after a spell , begins his career in law enforcement . by the time he ( costner ) and his brothers ( madsen , david andrews , and linden ashby ) arrive in tombstone , wyatt has tried his hand at everything from hunting buffalo to dealing cards . wyatt earp is very appealing in places-- such as cast , costumes , and cinematography-- but an overstated story and overpowered score deaden most of the emotional impact . who can be moved by scene after scene after scene of swelling strings and suffocating speeches ? somber is fine-- just ask clint eastwood-- but this film that boasts not one , not two , but three , count 'em three , hammy death scenes ! still , a little bit of earp goes a long way and the life and times of the legendary lawman are from uninteresting stuff . his , uh , unusual relations with women , for example , are an intriguing contrast to his character 's credo of " nothing counts as much as blood . " equally amusing is a buffalo - hunting ( and skinning ! ) sequence that is decidedly non - pc . director lawrence kasdan takes a refreshingly realistic approach to the gunplay . the infamous gunfight at the ok corral is both brutal and brief , devoid of almost any theatrics . do n't look for much glorified violence here . despite some large exclamation points in the story , the characters * do * come to life . the diverse cast includes everyone from betty buckley ( ! ) to mackenzie astin ( ! ! ) . kevin costner is very good in the title role . dances with whitney nevers get as steely as the role requires , though , but his transformation from lighthearted law student to stoic sheriff is fun to watch . he was tougher in a perfect world . his foil is dennis quaid , who pulled a deniro by losing 40 + pounds to play the tubercular terror doc holliday . gaunt * and * gamely , he 's a scene stealer who 's seen too little . other familiar faces include tom sizemore ( looking like bruce mcgill ) , bill pullman ( looking like jeff daniels ) , and lea thompson ( looking like someone other than lea thompson ) . both gene hackman and isabella rosselini appear and disappear like magic , while late entries catherine o'hara and jobeth williams are surprisingly solid . though the story and score should 've tried " less is more , " all other credits are technical tops . production designer ida random , art director gary wissner , and costume designer colleen atwood are some of the vips who helped spend what must 've been an enormous budget . clearly no expense was spared .

1POS

when i first heard that kevin costner was making a movie called " the postman , " i thought , " an american version of ' il postino ? ' starring costner ? god help us ! " when i found out that it was not a remake of " postino " but an postapocalyptic epic , i thought , " ' landworld ? ' please , god , make him stop ! " as it turns out , " the postman " is a much better film than i had expected . despite being set in 2013 , the movie is , at heart , a western : a band of thugs terrorizes peaceful villagers ; a wandering hero opposes the bandits and inspires others to fight back . the setting , however , allows that familiar plot to take on greater significance : american society has collapsed due to plagues and wars , and survivors live behind barracades in isolated villages . the struggle of a dead society to be reborn has a grand quality and deserves the epic scale costner grants it . costner 's nameless character , a wandering actor , rides in from the vast wasteland and is soon shanghaied into the service of general bethlehem ( will patton ) , a former copy - machine salesman turned bandit king . our hero escapes and discovers the body of a dead postman . taking the uniform and bag of mail , he passes himself off as a representative of " the restored united states . " he is shocked at the hope that he inspires in the people he meets . one young disciple , ford lincoln mercury ( larenz tate ) , organizes a full - scale postal service . ford spreads the postman 's message of hope until bethlehem finds that the once - meek villagers are beginning to resist his rule . as war breaks out between bethlehem 's army and the postal workers , costner 's character steps into the legend he created and goes from self - centered loner to leader of the revolution . his lie of the restored united states becomes a self - fulfilling prophecy . " postman " is an odd blend of a bleak setting and a message of wide - eyed optimism ( sort of " sergio leone meets frank capra " ) , but its treatment of hope and renewal is compelling . what could have been another knock - off of " the road warrior " ( like " waterworld " was ) surprises the viewer with a sensitively told story of nobility emerging from rubble . tate is the stand - out in the movie 's large cast . ford lincoln mercury ( self - named ) is the polar opposite of o - dog , tate 's character in his debut film , " menace ii society " ( 1993 ) , and tate makes ford 's innocent belief in hope as convincing as o - dog 's cynicism and brutality . his performance sells the movie . interestingly , as tate moves from his usual street - smart roles to youthful optimism , the soft - eyed patton , who usually plays nice guys , proves a disarming villain . olivia williams makes her film debut as the postman 's love interest , abby . when they first meet , abby asks him to father her child because her husband is sterile . predictably , the husband is soon eliminated by the bandits , and abby is thrown back into the company of the hero . however , their relationship develops slowly as the emotional conflicts of both characters are explored ( she , torn by grief , guilt , and anger ; he , resisting his destiny ) . " the postman " is costner 's best work thus far . perhaps that alone gives us hope for the future . . .

1POS

in zoolander , the world 's most successful , influential and intellectually - challenged male model derek zoolander wonders , " is there more to life than being really really really good looking ? " obviously , the film 's creator and star ben stiller asked a similar question when crafting a feature - length movie out of his hilarious vh1/vogue fashion awards short - film subject : can there be more to this film than being really really really silly ? no , of course not , and it never aspires to be anything more . much like derek , zoolander is a sweet simpleton of a movie . it 's not complex in either its social commentary or its comedy , and it never produces any gut - busting laughs ( except maybe a scene when derek 's model roommates all die in a tragic " gasoline fight " accident -- a riotously funny take - off of tommy hilfiger ads ) . but it has a satisfying handful of strong chuckles , wild characters and performances , and mildly harsh potshots at the fashion industry to keep you amused . better yet , this exaggerated version of the original three - minute skit is only blown out to an efficient 95 minutes -- just enough time to string together its goofball plot without exhausting the gag . zoolander opens with several fashion bigwigs plotting to assassinate the prime minister of malaysia , since he wants to abolish child labor in his country and thus driving up their costs . fashion designer and criminal mastermind jacobim mugatu ( will ferrell ) drafts a plan to brainwash the dumbest fashion model to carry out the evil deed . enter derek , whose career is slumping as newcomer hansel ( owen wilson ) takes the spotlight . on the trail of mugatu 's plot is time magazine reporter matilda jeffries ( stiller 's real - life wife christine taylor ) , and she 's hoping to use mugatu 's pawn derek to ultimately foil the scheme . much like the austin powers films , zoolander relies heavily on the strength of the talent involved , and this zany comedy features some of the funniest people in entertainment today . wilson is hysterical as the young , vain hansel . ferrell nearly steals the show from everyone as the flamboyant , freakish mugatu in the same way dr . evil upstages everyone in austin powers . jerry stiller -- ben 's dad who 's best remembered as frank costanza of seinfeld -- makes a priceless turn as derek 's slimy agent maury ballstein . even ben stiller show alum andy dick shows up as a deranged , large - assed masseuse . as for ben stiller , it seems his derek has one gag : he 's stupid , which plays out in some uproarious one - liners . unfortunately , taylor seems out of place and out of her league here . maybe it 's just because i ca n't stop seeing her as marcia brady ( who she played in both brady movies ) , making her unbelievable as a dowdy , brainy plain jane who has n't had sex in two years . she leaves me pining for the cynicism of janeane garofolo , who would 've added real comic substance to the flimsy role . while zoolander is hardly highbrow , its screwball humor is welcome during these trying times , especially considering the gross lack of decent pickings in the theaters these days . zoolander 's no masterpiece , but a very worthy distraction .

1POS

originally titled ' do n't lose your head ' , this parody of the scarlet pimpernel story was the first carry on to be produced by rank film productions . two english fops , the ' powdered , be - wigged , be - ribboned ' sir rodney ffing ( sidney james ) and his counterpart lord darcy pew ( jim dale ) decide to travel to revolutionary france in an attempt to rescue their fellow french royalists and aristocrats from losing their heads by the guillotine . due to a series of machinations and disguises , they are largely successful . ffing becomes known as ' the black fingernail ' because he leaves a calling card behind which shows two fingers sticking up , one with a black fingernail . after the fingernail rescues a prominent royalist the duc de pommfrit ( charles hawtrey ) , citizen robespierre ( peter gilmore ) orders the head of the secret police citizen ' the big cheese ' camembert ( kenneth williams ) and citizen bidet ( peter butterworth ) to follow the fingernail to england and do away with him . ( in fact , darcy and ffing are their coachmen ! ) once at calais , the fingernail meets jacqueline ( dany robin ) and they fall in love instantly . he tells her his identity and gives her his locket . when camembert realises that the fingernail is nearby , he searches the inn at calais and captures jacqueline , thinking that she is wearing a diguise and is really the fingernail ! jacqueline is imprisoned in the bastille and camembert , his love desiree dubarry ( joan sims ) , and bidet all travel to london in pursuit of the fingernail . they pretend to be of noble stock , calling themselves the duc and duchesse de la plume de ma tante ( with bidet their assistant ) and are invited by darcy to a ball held by ffing . desiree finds out that ffing is the fingernail by wearing the locket around her neck , but she ends up falling in love with him . ffing attempts to stall camembert so that he can return to the bastille to rescue jacqueline , camembert has her moved to the ' chateau neuve ' , and a climactic sword - fight decides who will lose their heads at the end of the film ! a more complex story than most carry ons , this film enjoys good production values ( sets , costumes ) and an on - form cast . sid james is excellent as the english fop and black fingernail , kenneth williams excels as the evil camembert , and peter butterworth expertly plays the substantial part of camembert 's thick - witted crony . other acting honours go to joan sims who is perfect as desiree and charles hawtrey who is excellent as the french aristo pommfrit . although it suffers from a disasterously over - long sword fight at the end of the film , it is largely successful due to the performances of the main stars , its slick and professional production , and its better - than - usual script . definitely one of the best of the series and a joy to watch .

1POS

if there is one thing that bothers me about hollywood films it 's their predictable endings . the devil 's advocate has the atypical hollywood ending , when everything that should happen does . unfortunately for the devil 's advocate , this ending nearly collapses in on itself , and ruins the entire film . nevertheless , the film does provide two and a half hours of pure entertainment ( note to self : kill whomever was in charge of the previews for this film ) . i do n't think i was quite prepared for this movie because the trailers made it appear to be some supernatural horror film about satan . well , it does contain this element , but what is not mentioned in the ads is the other plot elements ( and seemingly more interesting ones at that ) . the devil 's advocate begins in florida with an ongoing trial in session . kevin lomax ( keanu reeves ) is the defense attorney , working for a client whom has been accused of raping a young girl . he ends up with a not - guilty verdict , despite an emotional testimony from the victim ( heather matarazzo ) . he leaves the courthouse with his lovely wife mary ann ( charlize theron ) where he is approached with an offer to travel to new york city to help choose a good jury . he accepts ( mainly after seeing the paycheck he will receive ) and he flies to new york with his wife . after proving his worth for selecting juries ( and his perfect winning streak in court ) , the head of the firm , john milton ( al pacino ) , asks him to work permanently as a criminal lawyer . he graciously accepts , where he is treated almost as a god . he is given an incredible apartment ( which is bigger than my entire house now ) , and a hefty paycheck . his life seems to be on the rise . and of course , his life suddenly begins to waver and slowly decline . he is attracted to fellow employee christabella ( connie nielson ) , and his wife begins to feel very lonely in her large apartment . mary ann takes up a friendship with a neighbor who always gives advice , especially if it is not wanted . meanwhile , kevin nabs a case surrounding alexander cullen ( craig t. nelson ) who apparently murdered three people . he spends hours upon hours with this case , while forgetting his loving wife , who may or may not be going insane . all of this while john milton may or may not be the devil himself . after a while , things turn completely upside - down , as kevin 's wife claims to have seen monstrous images superimposed on her friends . a fellow employee is murdered in the park , and his mother ( judith ivey ) reveals information about kevin 's real father . is it all just a big nightmare ? or is john milton really satan , playing tricks with kevin 's life ? the devil 's advocate plays out fairly straight - forward , but for some odd reason , the screenwriters wanted to surprise everyone by giving us something we do n't expect . is this surprise conclusion supposed to make us feel good and go home without feeling depressed or disturbed ? if so , the devil 's advocate messes up completely , and ironically , i felt more depressed because of the ending as is now , than i would have if it had ended ten minutes early . i went into the devil 's advocate expecting a shocking horror film , and that is exactly what i got . i was settled in to be disturbed mentally and emotionally , and that is what i got . but what was the most disturbing and horrible aspect of the movie is the poor ending ( did i mention that i did n't like the ending ? ) . the producers of this film take you on a thrilling roller coaster ride and just as it is ending , they pull the rug out from under you . films like se7en and the usual suspects can survive with this surprise ending because it is expected , more or less . we know it is going to end in an unpredictable way . the devil 's advocate , on the other hand , ends unpredictably , not from us knowing a lot , but knowing nothing at all . if that is confusing , i recommend watching the film , and then reading that again . as for the film overall , i enjoyed the entire first two hours , being drawn in by a terrific character study and then adding the supernatural plot to increase the tension build from the character study . the film runs like a well - built clock , slowly building until finally exploding with a highly charged climax ( and an unpredictable one at that ) . and then you settle in for a nice resolution , which does not occur . it was at this point that i felt cheated . taking us on a terror ride of intrigue , we follow kevin lomax around , as he is the centerpiece of the film . everything occurs from his perspective . he is our representation on screen ( sort of ) . but we are forced to witness a conclusion which makes most of the film seem like a game . i do n't want to spoil the ending , so all i can say is go see the film and decide for yourself . perhaps the most shocking thing about the devil 's advocate is the extreme amount of everything . it earned its r rating for a reason . there is plenty of nudity , sex , violence , gore , and then you have gore , violence , sex , and more nudity . this film really is n't subtle about anything , showing us everything . it actually surprises me that this film did not receive an nc-17 rating , as it is quite harsh . however , the movie does have its merits , and nudity and sex are among those . i do n't condone sex and nudity in films , but if its there , i might as well enjoy it . the biggest merit of this film is also the most interesting to watch . the confrontations between kevin lomax and john milton are entertaining , but what stands out amidst this extreme hatred is the decline of the wife , mary ann . portrayed by the extremely effective charlize theron , mary ann 's problems are incredibly intense , and i found myself wanting to witness her decline . this may sound uncaring , but i wanted to watch because i felt sorry for her . she is the most interesting character on the screen , who is forced into a world where she is not wanted . something the devil 's advocate contained actually shocked me for reasons other than extreme violence and nudity , especially for a film of this nature . the story actually has something to say about humanity . in one of the last scenes , john milton explains to kevin lomax the game god plays with his children ( he is satan , of course ) . he comments that it is human nature to lust and loathe in vanity . then , god sets up rules which contradict human nature . this semi - religious bashing is more humorous than frightening . what milton says is so true about our society that i found myself laughing out loud , partially thinking it was funny , but patially realizing it was true . these moral dilemmas are present throughout the devil 's advocate , giving it an added depth many films skip over in their writing ( but i 'm sure they came straight from the novel it was based on ) . when a film has something to say about our society , it deserves to be watched . the cast of the devil 's advocate is one of the highlights , as we see memorable faces , and they put spins on those memorable faces we do n't expect . heather matarazzo makes a brief appearance as the terrorized victim in the opening court case , and she does a great job . probably the big surprise of this film is keanu reeves . he has proven himself an uneven actor ( successes such as speed and bombs such as johnny mnemonic ) , but he tops himself with this performance . i have never seen him more believable to date . al pacino is of course the scene stealer . his devilish performance is equal to those of jack nicholson ( the witches of eastwick ) and max von sydow ( needful things ) . he could have easily gone too far over the top in many scenes , but he remains completely believable ( if that is the correct term ) . jeffrey jones ( mostly known as the principal in ferris bueller 's day off ) also gives a good performance as eddie barzoon . judith ivey manages a credible performance as the mother who holds a secret to kevin 's past . connie nielson is very effective in her role , and she also appears naked several times . one familiar face with a twist was " coach " star , craig t. nelson , who gives a very good performance . the devil 's advocate is rated r for sexuality , nudity , violence , language , and some gore . at 144 minutes , this film moves along fairly quickly . for the first two hours , i sat completely engaged in the good performances and strong characters . the technical quality is also remarkable , with great special effects and a good musical score . director taylor hackford has managed to create a very disturbing motion picture , only to ruin a good chunk of tension with the final fifteen minutes . i guess my biggest problem with the ending is the fact that i went into the theater expecting a disturbing film , and hackford gave me just that for a long time . but just before the end , he got jitterish and relied on the hollywood safety net in order to make his film more mainstream . personally , i would have preferred it ending fifteen minutes early .

1POS

ingredients : down - on - his - luck evangelist , church synopsis : sonny dewey ( robert duvall ) is a tireless texas pentecostal preacher who unexpectedly catches his wife ( farrah fawcett ) in bed with another guy . in a regrettable crime of passion he takes a baseball bat to the guy 's head , and suddenly finds himself a fugitive for murder , and estranged from his wife and two kids . to atone for his sins , sonny flees to a rural bayou town in louisiana and baptizes himself as a new creature - - the apostle e. f. as the apostle e. f. sonny 's main mission is to revive an abandoned church community and preach the gospel at the local radio station . soon he sets about resurrecting the one way road to heaven holiness temple . but sonny knows his time is short ; one day the police will find him . opinion : this movie is a thought - provoking look at an evangelist in real life terms . i believe that robert duvall ( who is the producer , director , writer , and main star of the apostle ) deserves an oscar for his performance as sonny the religious crusader - - a performance which is so complex and realistic it ranks as one of the finest acting performances on film . duvall 's portrayal of a true believer is authentic , superb , and inspired ; it offers the audience a completely honest look at southern religion , as well as a portrait of a fallible , complicated man driven by his beliefs . incidentally , in real life duvall was just as ' driven ' in getting the project underway . since no major hollywood studio wanted to risk financing a complex movie about an evangelist , the apostle as a project lay dormant for almost 13 years before duvall was able to get it done , paying for its production with his own money ( about five million dollars ) . in terms of hard - hitting realism and character portrayal the apostle would rank as one of the best movies of this decade , and i emphatically recommend the apostle for connoisseurs of stage and fine acting on film . similarly , those with a steep background in pentecostal christianity would find the apostle a thought - provoking experience . on the other hand , the apostle 's main strength - - duvall 's preaching - - is also what limits the apostle 's target audience . in terms of plot and pure entertainment value , the apostle is definitely not for everyone . teenagers , action fans , comedy fans , and people who find church completely boring should stay far away from this movie , since three quarters of the film is watching sonny preach at church . in other words , the apostle is a four star performance , but with a very limited audience .

1POS

the most amazing thing about paul cox 's innocence is how unlike a movie it is . i mean that as the highest compliment . if most studios were to profile an elderly couple who rekindle a 40-year - old romance , i 'd want to run and hide . the sex scenes would be handled as a farce , producers would shed 20 years off the characters ' ages ( so susan sarandon and harrison ford could star ) and true love would shine through any obstacle without explanation and consequence . along with a charming romantic story , the australian / belgian innocence shows how an increasing sense of mortality combined with revisiting the past while being entrenched in the present can make something that seems so right seem downright questionable . the romance gets started when former musician andreas ( charles " bud " tingwell ) , learns that his true love , claire ( julia blake ) , lives nearby . they decide to catch up on old times , but soon find themselves in a reinvigorating affair . complicating matters is andreas ' frail health , and claire 's longtime husband ( terry norris ) , who ca n't understand why he 's suddenly become obsolete . in my mind , the movie is less about the relationship between andreas and claire , than the feelings of everyone involved . john , claire 's husband , endlessly questions what he did wrong . claire initially insists she 's a grown - up , but admittedly behaves like a child , a prospect that thrills and disappoints her . andreas , an agnostic , begins to question his fate , a message cox delivers in a memorable dream sequence . cox litters the movie with flashbacks , including the repeated vision of a roaring train . it 's a reminder of andreas and claire 's past love ( as young lovers , they met by train ) , but as it recurs , we get the feeling that the past and the present have clashed . a pall is cast on the whole affair . a master of the understated , cox strings together a series of memorable moments . in andreas ' dream sequence , amidst the roar of the train and conversations , we get the whole picture of andreas and claire 's love . we also get glimpses into john and claire 's relationship . during a silent candlelit dinner shortly afterward , claire admits to john about her indiscretion , telling more than any monologue could . all that 's heard is the scraping of forks against plates . the characters are unlike anything i 've seen -- they 're people . so many times , movies and especially television portray senior citizens as gratingly spunky . or they 're reduced to comedic buffoons . ordinary people with a pile of emotions , claire and andreas are n't sure what the next step is . they do want to be happy , which consists of an entirely different set of conditions than what they 've known throughout their adult lives . bravo to cox , who wrote the script , for not making john a monster , so that claire 's affair is automatically justified . norris is so effective as john that he makes andreas and claire 's love difficult to accept . we feel for him . he 's a decent man . sure , he may have become complacent , but he never expected this , especially now . with so much presented to the audience , it 's only expected that the material gets a little drawn out and repetitive , which it does . however , in bringing up tough questions and not offering easy answers , cox displays a skill and ? lan is n't likely to be surpassed by anyone anytime soon .

1POS

contact is a film that tries to do several different things . it is intended to present a realistic picture of what alien contact might be like , to restore a sense of wonder and mystery to the issue of extraterrestrial life , to raise questions about science and faith and how they would be relevant in such a situation , and to tell a personal story of a romance between the astronomer dr . ellie arroway ( jodie foster ) and the religious spokesman palmer joss ( matthew mcconaughey ) . the film succeeds wonderfully at its first two goals . the portrayal of the communication from an alien world is much more reasonable ( albeit less immediately engaging ) than , say , the cold - blooded destructiveness of the invaders in independence day or even the complex process of abductions and genetic hybridization that forms the ongoing plot line of tv 's the x - files . the aliens in contact seem to be like us - they are more curious than anything else . they know we exist , they want us to know that they exist , and they would like to make the next step and communicate in person . the film wisely refrains from showing us the aliens directly , and between the characters ' ongoing speculation about the extraterrestrials and the outstanding visuals in the climactic yet enigmatic scene when arroway arrives on the alien world , that sense of wonder and mystery comes through with a force rarely seen since stanley kubrick 's 2001 : a space odyssey . most of the film , however , takes place on earth , where there is an extended public debate on how to respond to these aliens . scientists are enthusiastic , ultraconservative religious leaders are wary , and government officials are caught somewhere in between . the debate is fueled largely by dr . arroway 's atheism ; she seems the obvious choice to pilot the spacecraft for which the aliens have provided blueprints , but many are wary of sending an atheist as humankind 's representative to another species . the film is partly successful in raising and exploring these questions , especially when it reaches a conclusion that suggests that the two approaches - science and faith - could be viewed as complementary rather than diametrically opposed . still , the film falls a little short in its representation of this conflict as it exists in american society . the two " sides " are represented primarily by arroway and by far - right fundamentalists , but in reality probably 80 % of americans are neither atheists nor far - right fundamentalists . palmer joss occupies something of a middle ground , but he ultimately becomes distracted by personal motives and comes across as a less - than - ideal spokesman for any ideology . then again , the film does concentrate mostly on public debate , which does , after all , tend to be dominated by extremists , rather than on dinner - table or college - dormitory discussions . contact is accurate in its portrayal of these issues , then , but only within the narrow scope to which it confines itself . the film 's one clear failure is in the portrayal of the romance between arroway and joss . for one thing , it resorts to the tired movie clich * that two attractive people will immediately fall in love as soon as they appear on the screen together , as there does not seem to be any other reason for their instant mutual attraction . the romance rarely , if ever , sheds any light on the characters , although it occasionally tries and fails - joss 's explanation that he quit the priesthood because of the celibacy requirement ( " i guess you could say i 'm a man of the cloth , but without the cloth " ) , for example , is more like a punchline to a joke than character development . instead , the romance mostly seems to exist for the sake of later plot developments . granted , this is a plot- and idea - driven film and the characters are secondary , but this just seemed like laziness on the writers ' part more than anything else . the successes of contact , however , far outweigh its failures . even if the social commentary had fizzled altogether ( which it did n't ) , the simple yet mysterious story of alien communication still would have made it a memorable film . contact does n't quite cover all the bases , but it covers about as much as one could hope for in a two - hour film , and its rejection of big - budget theatrics for a more realistic story is certainly admirable . and i would not be surprised if , ten years from now , contact is mentioned in the same breath as 2001 and blade runner as one of the finest examples of sophisticated and intellectually relevant science fiction .

1POS

billy bob thornton , who had a sudden rise to fame with 1996 's sling blade after spending years as a virtually unknown actor and writer , is becoming one of the most versatile - and most accomplished - american actors around at the moment . as jacob , the simple but at times very bright loser brother of bill paxton 's hank , thornton gives a performance which should leave an indelible mark on all but the most hardened viewers . three men , hank ( paxton ) , jacob ( thornton ) and their friend lou ( brent briscoe ) stumble upon a plane wreck which , upon closer inspection , yields a rotting corpse and a bag full of money . jacob and lou want to pocket the cash . hank , the smarter - and perhaps more naive - of the three , insists on leaving the money for the authorities to find . eventually , they agree to keep the cash safe until the plane is found , and then split the money three ways . things start going wrong , though , with greed and violence weaving their ways through their plan . disaster is sure to strike . director sam raimi , of the evil dead and darkman fame , has made an excellent and thought - provoking film , worlds away from the comic horror films which made his name . while there are a couple of moments which might remind one of his earlier work , raimi has made an intelligent and mature departure which will hopefully be a sign of even greater films to come . scott b. smith 's screenplay , based on his novel ( which i have n't read ) is a fine example of escalating tension . while it does remind one of danny boyle 's shallow grave without the abundance of black humour , it keeps the drama that should really be a part of such a story on morality , or the lack thereof , found in a film with this subject matter . alar kivilo 's cinematography reminds one of joel and ethan coen 's fargo , with the bleak , snowy landscape almost becoming another character . danny elfman also does well with his moody , finely - written score . if there 's a flaw in the film , it 's that it goes on for just a little too long . just when we think that they are about to wrap things up , raimi and smith decide to let the film go on a little further . while this is n't really a bad thing , it did become a little frustrating at times ( this may have been due to the fact that i had consumed a large sprite beforehand ) . the performances are excellent , with the usually annoying paxton in fine form and bridget fonda giving a scene - stealing turn as hank 's scheming wife . this is an excellent showcase for thornton 's fine skills as an actor and a great change in direction for raimi , who could very well have a career ahead of him as an accomplished director of dramatic films . fingers crossed , though , that this does n't stop him from making another evil dead sequel .

1POS

tibet has entered the american consciousness slowly during the past few years and burst into the forefront recently . the dalai lama has made speaking tours , tibetan designs and artifacts are showing up in shops , the plight of the people has captured the imagination of major actors and artists and now there are two big budget films within as many months . " kundun " ( " presence " , a name the monks call the young dalai lama ) opens in 1937 with the search for the 14th incarnation of the tibetan leader . a group of monks enters a village and a two - year - old child catches their attention . the young boy proves himself by identifying possessions of the previous holy man as " mine " . he and his family are then moved to a monastery in lhassa where he is to be prepared to take his position as the religious and political leader of the country . he is forced into difficult decisions when china invades the country in 1950 . the peaceful and isolated country is ill - equipped to fight off the intruders and diplomatic attempts over the next years yield no results . eventually he must make the painful choice to flee to neighboring india . comparisons to " seven years in tibet " are inevitable . both films cover much of the same ground although the earlier movie does so from a westerner 's point of view and features boxoffice draw brad pitt . " kundun " features only native actors and is more of an insider 's story . in some ways , this makes this film a superior concept , but it lacks the movement and spark that made " seven years " such an audience - pleaser . the actors contribute to the realistic feel of the movie ( filmed in morocco for obvious reasons ) . the only disappointment is chairman mao who looks like a wax dummy and moves as if he were a computer - generated character . on an intellectual level , it is interesting to see how two different approaches handle the same facts . some events are depicted differently and pitt 's austrian mountain - climber who was portrayed as a pivotal influence in the dalai lama 's life is n't even mentioned here . glossed over in " seven years " , the problems with the tibetan political system is hinted at here as the dalai lama muses " we were just about to change things " after the chinese attack . the film is magnificently beautiful thanks primarily to the cinematography of roger deakins . his lingering camera shows the exotic tibetan culture with luscious detail . especially striking is an extreme moving close up of a sand mandala grain by grain . the visual treats more than make up for the movie 's faults creating a poetic meditation for the audience . walking out of the theater you feel like you have awakened from a transcendental experience . martin scorsese , known for his dark tales of the underworld ( " goodfellas " , " taxi driver " , " casino " ) has shifted gears . something of a thematic follow - up to his " the last temptation of christ " , this is his slowest film yet . oddly enough for a director with a history of graphic violence presenting a history filled with atrocities by the chinese , most of these events take place off - screen . his decision to not over - explain rituals is commendable . the stumbling oracle who spits out his prophecies while in a trance state is much more effective as a mystery than if we were spoon - fed interpretations . philip glass 's score is impressive although at times it is too overwhelming and distracting . i talked to a tibetan i met outside the theater who had just seen the film and was walking back in to see it again . hearing his description of how he escaped from tibet at the age of seven and how his father was one of the soldiers accompanying the dalai lama during his trip to india , i was struck by what was missing in the movie . as grand as it looks and as historically accurate as it is , there is a distance between the audience and the movie . the film is more concerned with visuals and history and less so with human beings . with the exception of a few scenes , involvement with the characters is slight . one of those exceptions is the portrayal of the young dalai lama , shown as a mischievous boy who ca n't resist being a kid sometimes . an encounter with his older brother thubten j. norbu ( a retired indiana university professor ) who tells the young leader the chinese have ordered him to persuade him to accept communist rule or kill him is an outstanding moment , but there are n't many of these . even with its problems , the " kundun " experience is phenomenal , but one that i fear most will miss . many people who saw " seven years in tibet " will have a " been there , done that " attitude . it 's likely that the film will miss a wide - spread appeal and public response will be the sound of one hand clapping .

1POS

i swear i have seen the edge before . in fact , it reminded me of the bear , the river wild , and other various films mixed into an entirely different film . however , the edge has done something that most action films should do , and that is add heart and characters we like to the plot . in doing so , the edge draws many more suspenseful moments out of cliched scenes than , say , the peacemaker . unfortunately , because of those overused moments , we can pretty much guess the outcome of the film . but leave it to screenwriter david mamet to add humor and a few surprises to mess with your head . one surprise , in particular , left me smiling just because mamet actually had the guts to add it to his script . action films are a dime a dozen in hollywood , and while they are somewhat successful at entertaining us , they lack the one thing which would make them a more respected genre : intelligence . even horror films have learned this , a genre which is probably the least respected of them all . the river wild was one of the best action / suspense films i have seen from the 90s . the intelligence of the screenplay , and the suspense drawn from the realistic characters is nearly unmatched to this day . the edge has the intelligence and smart characters , but this time the lack of originality is the downfall . i must admit that it was very suspenseful , and had an original third half , but the first hour and a half is riddled with cliches and plot holes . this is an example of the final act saving the film , instead of the other way around ( as in the lost world ) . if only the screenplay had maintained the final thirty minutes ' intensity , it could have become a great action film ( and i use the term loosely ) . the edge is pretty much a survival - of - the - fittest film . but taking scream 's lead , the edge makes fun of the genre 's cliches , and then uses them ( though not quite as effectively ) . charles morse ( anthony hopkins ) is the main character , a rich and very intelligent man who wonders what the accumulation of all this knowledge has brought to him . for once , we do n't immediately care for the main character . instead , we like bob ( alec baldwin ) , a photographer who is going to take pictures of charles ' wife , mickey ( elle macpherson ) , out in the wilderness . they board a plane and head to a cabin somewhere in the arctic . charles ' birthday is the same day , and he receives a gold watch from his wife , and a pocket knife from bob . as action films go , these items do have importance to the rest of the story , but quite a bit more than we first expect . soon , however , bob wants to find a native to shoot pictures of because of his " personality . " charles , bob , bob 's assistant steve ( harold perrineau ) , and the pilot head off to find him , and as shown in the previews , hit a flock of birds flying south for the winter . down the plane goes , the pilot is killed , and the three are left to survive in the wilderness . director lee tamahori is aware of the silly plot which is about to follow , and therefore has to create original ways to approach the situations . he succeeds often enough for us to enjoy the film . take , for instance , the entire man - hunting bear plot . this has been done many times in films with different animals , and even bears . but given the charles ' intelligence , and bob 's uncertainty , many of the cliches are given fresh twists . even charles himself seems to have seen these action films before . my favorite line of the film comes from charles : " most people die in the wilderness because they did n't do the one thing that could save their life . .. thinking . " despite the predictability of the main plot , a subplot develops late in the film which took me by surprise , and made me smile when i realized that everything is n't as it seems anymore . i have to write cautiously as to not reveal this surprise , so instead i will avoid it entirely . the first two - thirds of the edge have many humorous moments to push it along , and some of charles ' survival techniques seem possible , even making fire from ice . tamahori is able to create a lot of suspense from the stalking bear , but whenever the bear is present , the characters lose all sensibility . i have always wondered why characters in films walk over a log to get across water . why not do what an intelligent person would and crawl across ? i guess getting chased by a bear makes your thought process turn off for a while . thankfully , we already have begun to care for the characters , and so we let this small detail slide . but some of the technical details are awkward , such as the nice stitching done on the fur coat that charles and bob make ( where did they get thread and needles ? ) . the acting of the film is highly above average for a film of this nature , and borders on phenomenal . anthony hopkins gives a terrific performance , creating his most likeable and layered character since remains of the day . hopkins usually brings greatness to his roles , but here he exceeds at gaining the audiences ' sympathy , something he definitely did not do in silence of the lambs . alec baldwin gives one of his best performances i have ever seen ( it sure is better from his fair game ) . baldwin can be a good or a bad character , and here he succeeds at both in a way . you can never quite guess if he is a nice or a vllainous character until the end , and baldwin is able to handle the double - natured photographer . elle macpherson gives a good performance , albeit slight . she is n't in the film all that much , but for the scenes she does have , she handles as an actress , not as a model . harold perrineau is a good actor , and his scenes are nice and underplayed . he is eliminated early , and i reveal nothing by saying this because it is inevitable and predictable . the edge is rated r for graphic violence , some gore , and language . some of the violence is a little too disturbing , even for me . this film is a nice change from the mindless action most of us are used to , but too many cliches bog it down . director tamahori has created a very smooth and suspenseful action film out of recycled parts . david mamet 's script , though , has a lot of humor to keep the first hour afloat , and the acting is solid . the best thing about the script is the ending which does n't end with the normal high - strung action sequence , but with a small detail involving a certain gift . it 's a nice touch considering what we have had to go through with the bear . and by the way , most people laughed when the film faded to black due to a large credit to bart the bear . way to go , bart .

1POS

one of the more unusual and suggestively violent films ever made , " se7en " is just a few steps away from brilliance . however , those few steps away are only a few steps from a level of evil and depravity that few people want to discuss . the film received mixed reviews upon release , but there 's an underlying sinister appeal and intrigue to this that many critics perhaps did not notice . at times it gets preachy about the horrors it seems to be criticizing , but the script and the ultimate pay - off are excellent . the shocking conclusion is just as unpredictable as the endings of most films are predictable . this piece of work is 100 % intensity . it 's uncomfortable to watch , yet compelling . " i want not to look , yet i can not turn away . " the story creeps along slowly and deliberately , crafted by visionary director david fincher . he has experience in tantalizing his audience with information and visions , but not giving away too much too soon . this is the guy who directed the ominous " alien 3 " . " se7en " is even more ominous because the threat is real . it 's human and , while the script takes some artistic licence , the way in which the diabolical killer works here is actually realistic . that is , if a human being could be so intelligent , patient , wealthy , and disillusioned . after the most bizarre opening credits i 've ever seen ( refreshingly different in editing style and musical accompaniment ) , the initial character development takes place . morgan freeman stars as detective william somerset , a knowledgeable veteran who is ready to give up on his job and the sickness of society . brad pitt co - stars as detective david mills , the young hotshot who is brand new to this unnamed city and full of fury to catch the bad guys . these two fine actors give the film its human qualities ( along with the appealing gwyneth paltrow , who plays tracy , mills ' wife ) . however , none of them stands out above the material . no disrespect intended , but two other actors could have played these parts and the film probably would have been about the same . an ironic note is that somerset has only a week ( or 7 , that 's seven , days ) left on the force to train his young protege . the title of the picture also refers to the 7 deadly sins , as chronicled by john milton in " paradise lost " --gluttony , greed , sloth , lust , pride , envy , & wrath . incidentally , i wrote the sins in order of how each victim was found . it 's the last two sins that are the most intriguing and shocking , but i wo n't give that away . as i said , this has a great ending and no one should spoil it . anyway , the brilliant killer sets out to make a statement to the world that these sins will no longer be tolerated and he makes the " sinners " suffer for it . the two partners stumble over the corpse of a grotesquely obese man . they learn that he was murdered -- forced to eat himself to death . the killer leaves small clues at this and other murders and , of course , somerset and mills are smart enough to stay with him all the way . if they did n't , it would be one short movie ! the deliberate pace allows for craftsmanship of detail and story . we see a lot of blood , but it 's not especially violent . the suggestion of what happens is far more disgusting than anything actually shown -- like most of the violence in " pulp fiction " . " se7en " is gory , graphic , and disturbing , but all the gore is post - death . still , if you tend to get queasy , do n't eat food during this film . kevin spacey plays john doe , the avenging angel who claims that he 's the messenger who will right the wrongs with his teachings . like many crazy men , he has some fine ideas , but some sick ways of expressing himself . spacey does n't appear until the final 30 minutes and also does n't receive billing in the opening credits . however , it 's his appearance that turns this film upside down and for that he should have gotten an oscar nomination . a great villain manages to make you either root for him or feel compelled to listen to his ramblings regardless of whether you agree with him or not . this character is so well written that it 's hard to disagree when he says that what he is doing will be remembered by everyone . no serial killer has ever been so creative . " se7en " is blatantly unsubtle with its messages about the horrors of the world and it 's often a little too depressing . what it lacks in those areas , it makes up for with believable dialogue , top - notch screenwriting , unexpected twists , and realistic characters . the technical aspects of the film are unobtrusive . fincher uses lighting , music , and editing quite well , but his story is always the thrust of the film . fortunately , we do n't find out what happens to mills and somerset after the closing credits ( which are run backwards up the screen ! ) . it 's better to imagine what paths they will follow . this is not the kind of film you turn away from and quickly forget . it 's got a sinister message and john doe is right about one thing -- the evils of the world are n't going to cure themselves . " se7en " raises some tough questions and it 's intelligent enough to allow its audience to answer many of those questions for themselves . useless trivia -- co - stars in 1995 's " se7en " , brad pitt and kevin spacey also competed for the 1995 best supporting actor oscar -- pitt in " 12 monkeys " , spacey in " the usual suspects " ( for which he won ) .

1POS

there are some works of art that are almost impossible to review , not because of their own complexity , but because of their legendary status which prevents the reviewer to say anything original . one of such masterpieces is casablanca , probably not the best film in the history of the seventh art , but definitely the most popular one . its popularity can be measured not in a multitude of more or less disguised remakes that were made in more than half a century since its premiere , but also in countless tributes and references that movie makers use in their works to this day . casablanca is also a movie that has the very rare virtue of both being praised by the critics and loved by general audience . one of the things that makes this film even more unique was the fact that it was doomed to fail , at least judging by conventional movie - making wisdom of its time . it was based on a broadway play so mediocre that it had n't been produced on stage ; screenplay by three writers - julius g. epstein , philip j. epstein and howard koch - was beeing written as shooting went along ; the main actors were producers ' second choice , and , finally , man behind camera , michael curtiz was considered to be capable , but not great director . however , the movie was commercially successful and earned three " oscars " , including the one for the best film . until this very day , it is considered to be the best example of hollywood film- making in its own golden age . the plot of the movie was heavily influenced by the needs of ww2 propaganda , yet it also used rather complicated and now almost forgotten political circumstances of that global conflict in order to make intriguing story . in december 1941 , casablanca , exotic port on the atlantic coast of north africa is controlled by officially neutral , yet nazi - collaborating french vichy government . thousands of refugees from war - torn europe are stuck there on the way to lisbon and safety of america , and ready to pay any price for precious exit visas . many shady characters thrive on their misery , including the corrupt police chief , captain renault ( rains ) . his best friend is rick blaine ( bogart ) , who used to be idealistic anti - fascist , and now owns popular night club in casablanca and lives by his own cynical philosophy of " sticking his neck for nobody " . however , everything changes when he gets in possession of two precious extra visas . this event coincides with the arrival of two new refugees to casablanca . one of them is victor laszlo ( henreid ) , czech resistance leader who escaped three times from nazi concentration camps and became the legend of enslaved europe . he is accompanied by his beautiful wife ilsa lund ( bergman ) , with whom rick had a stormy affair in the eve of nazi occupation of paris . the couple needs visas , especially because of the gestapo major strasser ( veidt ) being on their trail . rick is now forced to choose between love , wounded pride , self - preserving interest and his own hatred of fascism . the casting for this movie seems influenced by divine inspiration - humphrey bogart , most legendary actor in the history of cinema , is one of the rare character actors who elevated his persona to the star status . bogart 's portrayal of rick as complicated man , torn between idealistic past and bitter present , was so perfect , that his icon would forever be connected with that character . another icon in his company is ingrid bergman , great actress of old hollywood , here in her artistic and visual prime . the cinematic coupling of bogart and bergman became one of the main symbols of that era of filmmaking - some happier times when the romance on the screen did n't look childish nor trite like in some more contemporary works . for many people , casablanca is probably the best romantic film ever made . but the reason for that is n't the romance itself - it 's the realistic story of people forced to make tough , and often wrong choices in their life . the casting of casablanca was right on target not just in a case of main leads . the supporting actors also did a marvellous job . sidney longstreet and peter lorre were here mainly to give a mystic flavour spotted in a previous bogart classic - john huston 's maltese falcon ; yet both of them managed to portray colourful and original characters . another shining example of good casting is now almost forgotten paul henreid as the weakest part of love triangle ; character of victor laszlo has believable charisma and looks like a somebody who could inspire millions of people to rise against nazi tiranny . unfortunately , the charisma that burdened laszlo , leaves little place for difficult choice , making his character forever overshadowed by rick / ilsa coupling . however , rick and ilsa actually have a serious competiton for most memorable character in casablanca . captain renault , brilliantly portrayed by claude rains in a role of a lifetime , was embodiment of perfect , almost unmatched balance between ethical corruption and physical charm . despite being the undoubtful villain in almost entire movie , rains managed to make renault sympathetic character , and his final conversion to the side of good , symbolized in not so subtle gesture at the end of movie looked unnecessary . rains also gave another dimension to the movie , making it even more ambiguous ; people who like to analyse movies to death discovered signs of homosexuality in renault 's relationship towards rick , and rick 's final words leave room for even more outrageous speculations . together with well - drawn characters and exciting story , the movie was good in creating his own atmosphere . professional nitpickers would probably have a field day in discovering numerous historical and geographical inaccuracies , but casablanca is still a shining example of hollywood ww2 movie that is beliavable , if not realistic . any way , even if we do n't see it as a historical document , casablanca is movie that can be source of entertainment as well as infinite inspiration .

1POS

like the great musical pieces of mozart himself , amadeus is a true work of art . it is one of those few movies of the 80 's that will be known for its class , its style , and its intelligence . why is this such a good film ? there are almost too many reasons to explain . the story : court composer salieri ( f. murray abraham ) feels waves of different emotions going through his head as wolfgang amadeus mozart ( tom hulce ) comes into his life as the young genius composer . salieri feels envy , and jealousy , but at the same time is fascinated with mozart 's brilliance and ingenious . we travel through mozart 's life as a composer , through his struggles , his triumphs , and ultimately , his demise . the acting : abraham is magnificient as salieri ; his acting range enables him to focus on each individual emotion and express it through his speech and body language . this performance earned him a well deserved oscar . tom hulce is interesting as well as mozart , a quirky , annoying bratty kid with an annoying laugh . he 's strong , but weak at the same time , and must be aided by his wife ( elizabeth berridge ) , who is good in her role , but lacks dramatic depth . jeffrey jones , in a smaller , more dignified role than such roles in stay tuned and mom and dad save the world , is cast perfectly because of his noble charm . the movie : every element of this movie works . the costumes and makeup are very memorable , as well as its stunning art direction , and unforgettable scores ( adapted from mozart 's original music ) . while wolfgang amadeus mozart was a genius at music , milos forman proves with his film that he is a genius of filmmaking . this movie is a classic that will be remembered for years to come . ad2am " i almost lost my nose . .. and i like it . i like breathing through it . " -jack nicholson , chinatown

1POS

armageddon , in itself , symbolizes everything that is wrong in modern filmmaking . stories have been replaced with special effects ; character development gets overshadowed by bad dialogue ; plotting consists of a bunch of shit getting blown up . armageddon is as stupid , as loud and as shallow as any movie you 'll see come out this summer , or maybe even any other summer . but i loved every freaking minute of it . believe me , i 'm just as shocked as you are . hell , i do n't even know why i went to see it in the first place . the previews were so annoying that i predicted this was going to be the worst film of the year , or at least in the running . i 'm sorry , but " somebody dial 911 ! ! ! " is n't quite the tagging that 's going to sell a movie . it is n't too wise either to market the film using the movie 's stupidest lines ( " beam me up scotty " - yeah , that sure is great writing . .. ) . i mean , let 's face it ; armageddon 's previews rival the truman show 's as being some of the worst of the year . neither of them even come close to doing their respective films justice . of course , you all know the story . when the earth is threatened with total annihilation via an asteroid the size of texas , nasa calls in the us 's top oil drillers ( ! ) to go into space ( ! ) and implant a nuclear device eight - hundred and someodd feet into the asteroid ( ! ) . in the coarse of all this mayhem , we are introduced to some interesting - and not so interesting - characters . belonging to the former group is rockhound ( steve buscemi ) , a horny little womanizing genius who 's always full of wisecracks , even when flying into space at a huge amount of g 's . also , there 's the always cool - as - hell billy bob thornton as dan truman , the bigwig at nasa who recruits all the drillers . he kind of reminded me of ed harris in apollo 13 , only without the intensity and great lines to deliver . then on the flip side of the coin is the tired , contrived character of harry stamper ( bruce willis , who does the whole movie employing with annoying accent i ca n't quite place ) , the leader of the pack as well as liv tyler and ben affleck as the token lovers you must have in any summer movie . basically , that 's about it . as i said , this is hardly a film about plot . it 's another summer blockbuster with plot points that are beyond unbelievable and dialogue and characters that are mostly completely wooden . case in point : nasa does n't know that there is even an asteroid on it 's way until eighteen days before impact - huh ? another example : at one point in the movie , two children are playing with toy space shuttles in front of a poster of kennedy . how pretentious is that ? ? ? ! ! ! want another one ? okay ; before the oil drillers blast off into space , one of them starts singing " leaving on a jet plane " , and soon , all the rest join in . did michael bay attend the school of sappy filmmaking before he made this picture ? but naturally , all this sappiness , melodrama and special effects accumulate to one bitchin ' time at the movies . and do n't get me wrong - despite all of the things i found wrong with armageddon , i still very much enjoyed it . so even if you do n't win one of mcdonald 's free tickets , it 's still definitely worth checking out .

1POS

this is one of the most funny and entertaining comedies of the year and it just happens to be animated . there are some great voice over commentaries from hollywood 's most famous celebrities , some fabulous animation and a compelling story . this is the best we 've seen from disney since " beauty and the beast " ( 1996 ) . this film begins an unspecified time following the happily - ever - after conclusion to toy story . in the aftermath of their earlier adventures , buzz ( voice of tim allen ) and woody ( voice of tom hanks ) are now fast friends and all the toys live in perfect harmony , content with their " lives " . one day , andy broke woody 's arm off , while playing with him . woody is now officially discarged and worthless , left with his nightmares , where he lies in a trash can with the other discards . later andy 's mother decides to have a yard sale , and she collects a few old toys from her son 's room . since one of these discards is a member of the moving toy gang , woody goes to the rescue , leaving the safety of the house for the uncertainty of the front lawn in order to bring the toy back . although his mission is successful , he is placed in a serious predicament when a toy collector named al ( voice of wayne knight ) spies woody while hunting through the wares available at the sale . the cowboy toy represents the final collectible needed to complete his collection of merchandise from the old tv series , " woody 's roundup . " if he can acquire woody , al can ship everything to a toy museum in japan for a huge profit . so , after andy 's mother refuses to sell the wooden cowboy , al steals him , and it 's up to the other toys , led by buzz , to go into the city to save their friend . and so , buzz , rex ( voice of wallace shawn ) , hamm ( voice of john ratzenberger ) , mr . potatohead ( voice of don rickles ) , and slinky ( voice of jim varney ) , go out on a dangerous journey to rescue their friend , they find themselves confronting things like busy streets and other buzz lightyear toys . there are car chases , gun fights and finally the confrontation between buzz and his nemesis ( who , by the way , resembles darth vader ) . meanwhile , woody learns that he was once a tv celebrity and has a family - a cowgirl named jessie ( voice of joan cusack ) , a horse named bullseye , and a father figure called the prospector ( voice of kelsey grammar ) . they offer him another life , as a celebrity -- a toy in a museum in japan . he is now forced to choose between being loved intensively by andy for a little while ( before he grows up ) and be forgotten , or be admired by children for generations . the problem is , if woody escapes from al 's clutches and returns home , they will end up back in the lonely darkness of storage . a real effort is made in the technical department . the animation is rich and colorful , with lots of wonderful details . the " cinematography " is also extremely improved since toy story ; there are a lot of complicated swings , turns and close - ups that really make an impression . lighting and filters are used to create a mood ( as in a surprisingly emotional moment - jessie 's remembrance of her days when she was a beloved toy ) the film contains a lot of in - side jokes ( such as the one about videogames ) , and entertaining parodies on " jurassic park " and " star wars " . the film ends with the " failed takes " , the kind of scenes that we are used to see after comedy shows on tv . these outtakes are some of the funniest scenes in the film . but what in the end makes " toy story 2 " a memorable experience is not the jokes , its multiple parodies or marvelous animation . it is its heart and emotions -- the story about the meaning of friendship , love and even life itself . it is not difficult to predict that " toy story 2 " would be a huge economical success , but its artistic achievement was unexpected . unexpected because the first film was n't much more than a demonstration of special effects . but mostly it was unexpected because disney has n't produced anything spectacular in years and is constantly surpassed by companies such as dreamworks and warner brs . but here the director has changed the atmosphere of the film , making it more accessible and interesting for persons older that 9 years . this is a big step - away from the ancient laws of disney - animation . off course , this is not " antz " , it is not as intelligent ; this is not a landmark and no masterpiece , but i promise that you 'll find it as funny and enjoyable as i have . whether this is the best animated film of the year , i dare not say . my choice would probably be " the iron giant " , but ( along side with " american pie " ) this is the comedy of the year . i almost lost my hopes for disney , but " toy story 2 " proves that disney has n't lost their ability to entertain .

1POS

not too many people know who james whale is , but it 's a safe bet that a good chunk of them have seen his movies . if we are to believe the semi- biographical gods and monsters , whale would have wanted it to be that way . this is an insightful , haunting exploration of the last days of the frankenstein and bride of frankenstein director , and it is notable for introducing one of the first complicated gay characters in a hollywood movie . gods and monsters has no interest in being a biopic of whale 's life because it tracks only the final few days of his life , and it 's probably a better movie for it . it 's focus is on whale 's ( ian mckellen ) untraditional and deceptive lust for heterosexual gardener clayton boone ( brendan fraser ) . it begins with whale ( a fairly talented artist , aside from being a director ) asking boone to " sit for him , " ( pose for a portrait ) . at first , boone does n't realize that whale is gay and grows fascinated with the old man . when he does discover whale 's sexual orientation from his dedicated and protective maid ( lynn redgrave ) , he is frightened , refusing to sit for the guy . but he comes back , only to storm out again , disgusted with whale 's " locker room talk . " boone returns yet another time , after whale promises to tone down the aforementioned " locker room talk , " and finds their platonic relationship to be strengthening . meanwhile , jimmy himself is suffering from hallucinations and mental attacks as a result of his stroke not long ago . his ailment leads to desperation and depression , which build to the point where he is forced to ask boone for an incredulously big favor . what is perhaps most sensational about gods and monsters is brendan fraser 's bravura performance ; up until seeing this film i intensely disliked the young actor because of his tendency to ruin the movies he is in ( blast from the past , for example ) . i was surprised how expressive an actor he proved himself to be here . this is impressive because his character 's dialogue is minimal , with mckellan doing most of the talking . that requires fraser to act through body language ; a difficult skill to master , but something he proves capable of doing well . this is not to ignore mckellan 's oscar nominated turn . he earned that nomination with his touching performance here ( although , at the risk of sounding like a philistine , i would have chosen his performance as the nazi in apt pupil for the nomination ) ; an understated , compelling gem . whale dreaded being remembered solely for his work in the hollywood horror genre , and he thought hollywood to be the equivalent of a battlefield . he rejoiced in being free from it , only reluctantly going to receptions with fellow movie people . in the end , perhaps , it is what killed him : the memories of hollywood and war blending together to form a living nightmare . ? 1999 eugene novikov&#137 ;

1POS

when i initially set out to review this film , my tag line was going to be " you too can believe whales can fly " . then it was going to be " you too can believe pastel triangles can fly " . then , it was going to be " you too can believe wood sprites can fly " . finally , i just gave up trying to come up with a tag line and decided to say . .. there 's a lot of flying going on in this film ! as our first host steve martin tells us , the original concept behind fantasia was to bring it out every year with some old segments retained and some new segments added in . well apparently that plan fell by the wayside for a while , because approximately sixty years have passed since the original classic was released . part of this might have something to do with the cold reception the film got when it was first released in 1940 ( grossing somewhere close to $ 110 , 000 in its original month of release ) . subsequent re - releases of the film have elevated the popularity of the film to the classic status it has finally achieved ( and rightfully deserved ) . to celebrate the release of an updated version of fantasia , disney and imax teamed up to present the animated film in a fashion no one had seen before : six stories high . in an exclusive four month engagement ( from january 1st to april 30th , 2000 ) , fantasia 2000 can be seen at many imax theaters across the us . after the engagement is over , the film will be shown at regular theaters . is the format effective for the film ? with a few exceptions , yes . the first segment we are presented with is set to beethoven 's fifth symphony . it 's hard to describe exactly what this segment is about , but it involves a bunch of brightly colored butterfly looking triangles flitting about happily . everything seems to be going great for these little things until the ground erupts with swarms of evil , black bat - like triangles that attack and engulf their lighter counterparts . eventually , shafts of light from above help drive away the evil bat - like things and peace returns to the butterfly things . though this segment is n't very story driven , some of the images are very visually strong , especially the scene in which the dark cloud of bat things ( who are all outlined in blood red colors ) begin to overtake the skies . the next segment is set to ottorino respighi 's " the pines of rome " . in this segment , some humpback whales swim happily through the ocean and eventually emerge from the water and fly around the massive icebergs that pepper the oceanscape . a whale calf gets into a scuffle with some nearby birds during the flight and ends up getting trapped in a giant iceberg he smashes into while trying to avoid the birds attack . he is finally saved ( by another liberating shaft of light ) and he and his brethren take to the skies and fly into the upper atmosphere where they frolic in the " oceans " of clouds . again , visuals are the key with this segment , especially where the whales are involved . reportedly the whales , as viewed on an imax screen in certain sequences , are shown as actual size . the cgi whales look incredibly life - like , except for some googly cartoon eyes drawn onto the images . one especially striking image involves the giant shadow of one of the whales being cast through the wall of an iceberg as the whale calf tries to find a way out to its parent . absolutely beautiful stuff . the third segment ( and the least of the eight segments ) is set to george gershwin 's " rhapsody in blue " . this segment is designed as a tribute to acclaimed caricaturist al hirschfeld , and intertwines four different stories about sad souls living in depression era new york . there 's a construction worker who dreams of being a jazz drummer , an out - of - work sad sack that dreams of having a job , a young girl that dreams of spending time with her parents instead of being hustled off by a schoolmarm , and a nebbish who dreams of being free from his overbearing wife . i wo n't go into how everything works out , but in fine disney tradition there is a happy ending . unfortunately , the story drags quite a bit and the seems out of place within the hyper reality of the rest of the segments . segment four is set to dmitri shostakovich 's " piano concerto no . 2 " and is an animated version of hans christian andersen 's " the steadfast tin soldier " . a one legged toy tin soldier falls in love with a wind - up clock ballerina ( whom he assumes is also one legged because he ca n't see her other leg extended out behind her ) , much to the dismay of an evil jack - in - the - box jester . the jester knocks the soldier out of a window and continues pursuing the ballerina . little does the jester know , the soldier has been deposited in the sewer and has journeyed through the pipelines only to be swallowed by a fish that has been captured and sold to the owner of the set of tin soldiers that the one legged one comes from . the soldier eventually saves the day and gets the girl . although the ending has been altered from the andersen story , " the steadfast tin soldier " is decently told with in the framework of a seven minute short . some children may find the jester to be a little frightening , but otherwise the segment is well made . segment five is the funniest of the bunch . set to camille saint - saens " the carnival of the animals " , this segment features a flamingo torturing his fellow flamingos with a yo - yo while they are trying to perform a choreographed dance number . while it is the shortest clip of the group and a throwback to the alligators and hippos dancing in the first fantasia , it is still well accomplished and a welcome bit of comedy . segment six is the only segment to be repeated from the original 1940 fantasia , and it 's the one that people remember most , " the sorcerer 's apprentice " . the story is the most recognizable , so the draw here is seeing it on the enormous imax screen in remastered stereo . unfortunately , the segment was n't made to be presented on large format film ( considering it was shot full frame ) and exhibits large amounts of grain . there were at least two occasions where images were very hard to make out due to the excessive grain . similar problems crop up on modern day releases when projected on screens too large for the image to be shown accurately ( but no one seems to notice for some strange reason ) , an anomaly common to many 18-plus screen theaters . segment seven is set to sir edward elgar 's " pomp and circumstance march no . 1 " and is the only other fantasia segment to feature a stock disney character . donald duck " stars " as an assistant to noah , whose task is loading all of the animals onto the ark . during the loading , donald and his wife lose sight of each other and both believe that the other one did n't make it on the boat . they are constantly missing each other due to comic misadventures mainly involving donald being crushed by animals in various manners . despite the slapstick style of comedy in this piece , it displays more emotion in its final scene than many of the tear - jerkers foisted on audiences these days . powerful stuff . segment eight brings a whole new meaning to the clich ? " saving the best for last " . set to igor stravinsky 's " the firebird " , an elk awakens a forest sprite that proceeds to change the wintery landscape into a beautiful springtime landscape . trees bloom and flowers blossom and everything seems to be going well until the sprite becomes inquisitive about a large mountain housing a strange formation . when the sprite examines the formation , it awakens and becomes the titular firebird . in a stunning spectacle , the firebird rears back and unleashes and fire storm that destroys everything in its path , including everything that the sprite has worked to create . some amazing animation is present here , and well worth the ten dollars a ticket alone ( although brush strokes are evident in one scene due to the enlargement of the film ) . the host segments are largely ( no pun intended ) throwaways , although steve martin 's clip is pretty funny . be sure to stay through the credits for a little more humor from martin . penn and teller are usually funny , but here their gags seem routine and therefore uninteresting . the best segment comes from , of all people , bette midler , who gets to tell us about some of the abandoned segments that never made it off of the drawing board . pieces like flight of the bumblebee , a take on the four horsemen set to wagner 's " ride of the valkyries " , and a strange segment prepared in the ' 40s by salvador dali that never was shown are all previewed here and teased that they may appear in future installments . for fans of visual stimulation or classical music , fantasia 2000 is a perfect way to spend the afternoon . the film is also decent family entertainment and contains little to no objectionable material . as i mentioned earlier in the review , if ten dollars seems like too much for you to spend on this film , fear not because after its run in imax theaters it is going to be brought out in regular theaters . i must stress that the best way to see this film is on an imax screen though . then you too can believe that whales / triangle things / sprites can fly . [ g ]

1POS

it 's tough to really say something nice about a type of person who 's so ethnocentric that any humanity they once had is now gone , but by god , " american history x " does it , and for that , i commend it . it not only takes balls but intelligence to make a human being out of a neo - nazi skinhead , a kind of person who dedicates their lives to hating anyone who 's not what they are , and this film wisely and miracurously pulls it off . the subject of this film is one of them , but he is worse than one of the blind followers that make up most skinhead members since he is the leader of the pack . he 's the one who instigates them to take a firm grip onto their rage , and then in another brilliant stroke , justifies it with political propoganda that makes eerie sense when he speaks . he 's so utterly convincing as a public speaker and so firm in his convictions that it comes as a shock when he actually goes through the rehabilitation process . his name is derek vinyard , and he 's played by edward norton with so much fire and intensity that when he speaks he 's almost as convincing and arresting a public speaker as , say , malcom x. when we first see him , he 's clean shaven , with a jet black swastica emrboidered on his left breast , a devlish goatee , and he 's attacking the black carjackers outside of his house dressed in nothing but his white boxers and carrying a handgun in his hand that never seems to run out of bullets , at least when he does n't need them . he so believes in his convictions that he 's willing to put his beliefs to the test , even if he knows it will mean a stop in prison , if only for a couple years . " american history x " is about derek , how he became a neo - nazi skinhead , how he rose to power , how he was rehabilitated in prison after murdering two black men in a fit of rage that was less to do with the stealing of his car and more to do with proving himself , and how he tried to save others , namely his younger brother , from making the same mistake . we see him at all of these stages - as a smart teenager , a vicious hate monger , a man having an epiphany , and the man who tries to correct what he 's done before - and in all of these , we get a portrait of a man from all sides . or at least , that 's the intention . the film 's framing device is his brother , danny ( edward furlong , perpetually looking about 13 ) , also now a skinhead , and how his principal , bob sweeney ( avery brooks , who i just found out was or is the captain on star trek 's deep space 9 ) , is trying to " correct " him . when the film opens , danny has just written a book report on " mein kampf , " landing him in trouble with sweeney , which causes him to make him write a paper on derek 's life and how it has gotten him nowhere . coincidentally , this day is the day derek is released from prison , and when we see him , he 's cleaned - up , not as buff , and has a full head of hair . he 's just as intelligent , but still very rough along the edges , but he 's wisened up . he 's no longer controlled by his anger at blacks and jews , and tries to persuade danny , who 's becoming what derek was before , to give up his lifestyle . but danny wo n't . he goes to a large skinhead beer bash , meets with the skinhead leader ( stacy keach ) , and then discovers that derek is as opposed to neo - nazi - dom as he was for it a couple of years ago . the film circles around this , then spins off into non - linear flashbacks , all done in black and white . we mostly see derek at his prime as a skinhead , living in venice beach , organizing vicious and quasi - sadistic raids on local stores that no longer hire the white , middle - class teenagers since they can easily get cheaper illegal immigrants to do the same work , and mouthing off his theories on affirmative action and how illegal immigrants and blacks have destroyed the fundamentals this country was built on . to them , the white man is the one who has gotten the fuzzy end of the lolipop , and he not only speaks elloquently , forcefully , and intelligently , but he backs everything up with political reasons , justifying their rage at least to them . and frighteningly enough , much of what he says sounds true . " american history x " is a collection of really great scenes and moments , rather than a cohesive , great film that flows effortlessly from one moment to the next . in it , there are some of the best scenes i 've seen all year . one scene features a dinner between derek 's family , and his mother 's newest boyfriend ( played with reserve by eliott gould ) , a jewish liberal who quietly disagrees with derek 's rightist views , launching the scene into a fit of rage and anger that builds unparalled emotions in the audience ( gould 's reaction to derek 's final summation is unnerrving ) . another scene uses humor and traditional macho sex talk to build a friendship and a nice connection between derek and a black co - worker ( guy torry ) while folding laundry in prison . and another soon - to - be - classic is actually divided in two : the murder of the two black men that winds derek in jail , which contains a final murder so nasty that it may be the most revoltingly shocking all year . there 's much more to appreciate , like the acting , which is uniformly good , with stand - outs coming from avery brooks , beverly d'angelo ( as the long - suffering mother ) , and gould ( who has one horrible line , but other than that , comes off with the best performance he 's given in what seems like a really long time ) . norton walks off with the film , though , coming off with such intensity that he reduces anyone not doing an adequate job to rubble . in only the fifth movie of his career , norton has invented himself as one of the most reliable and intense actors of his generation , and maybe the best . there 's nothing like it when norton really gets rolling in this movie , spewing out lines with such authority that he commands all attention from the audience , coming off with power similar to that of a young maron brando . that he allows the little emotions to seep through is amazing . sadly enough , this is n't going to be the great portrait of racism that it perhaps hopes to be . it 's too unambitious and even a little contrived to really take off as either a powerful statement or an emotional masterpiece . the ending , especially , is pencilled in from other movies , tossed in just so the emotional keyboard can be trounced upon . some of the skinheads are reduced to mere cliches ( kevin smith regular ethan suplee fairs rather annoyingly as the " fat skinhead , " whose lines consist without fail of expressing his desire to eat more ) , and even the dramatic arc is n't as well travelled . furlong 's danny never seems to really be learning a lesson , since the flashbacks refuse to show his point of view , and when he decides to make a change by the end ( which was inevitable ) , it does n't seem like it has actually arrived there . even derek 's descent into skinhead - dom does n't seem justified . though his fireman father ( william russ , the dad from " boy meets world , " and do n't ask me how i know that ) is killed by a black junkie , and even before he spoke against affirmative action intelligently , there never seems to be any real back story why derek became so intense about his beliefs . as such , one can see why the director , tony kaye , wanted to have his name removed . sorta . " american history x " is a very good movie , and i was very moved by it , but it could be a lot better , and the problem seems to be that the cut as it is is not up to what he claims to be his potential . somewhere , he claims , there lies a tony kaye cut , and that was to be the true cut until it was viewed by norton , who then ordered another cut , and that is thus . although he aimed for the directing credit to go to " alan smithee , " the resident name for any film that is to be disowned by its director , it was n't allowed to him , under the grounds that once you disown a film , you can not badmouth it ( but really , that 's the macguffin - no one really wanted a film this good to be given the alan smithee sign of disapproval ) . kaye 's right in that it 's not up to par , even if he 's not referring to normal par but rather his own personal par . this will not be a " do the right thing " for the late 90s . yet it still gets its point across intelligently , and backs it up with its story ( its message , that one can not be so enwrapped in one 's own beliefs or pain and suffering will occur , is literally said over the narration , unfortunately ) . and even if it is n't perfect , at least when avery brooks turns to norton after he has been beaten and raped in prison , and asks him if anything he 's done has made his life any better , it realy hits a nerve , not only in derek , but also in the audience .

1POS

synopsis : as a response to accusations of sexual prejudice in the armed forces , a female naval intelligence officer is chosen to be a test case . if she can survive the demanding s. e. a. l. training , she will open the way for other women to be permitted to follow in her footsteps . throw in a lot of political machinations , sabotage , brutality , water and sand and you have an entertaining movie . review : the title of this movie turned me off at first . i mean ' gi jane ? ' ? ? ? ? ? the other titles which were considered were more promising - in pursuit of honor or a matter of honor would have been acceptable although navy cross or undisclosed are a little meaningless as far as i 'm concerned . i went into this movie not liking the title and being one of those people who thinks that demi moore is absolutely ghastly as an actor . to my surprise i really enjoyed the movie . moore as lieutenant jordan o'neil is much more likeable than her washed out excuse for a gusty woman in a few good men . the storyline is simple . anne bancroft playing senator lillian dehaven is a ruthless , machiavellian politician with an agenda to push . using feminism to achieve political mileage , she forces the military powers that be to backdown and permit a test case to enter the highly intensive navy s. e. a. l. training . jordan is selected due to the fact that she has it all - looks , brains and strength . the training is gruelling and the indignity almost painful to watch . nonetheless , it 's one of those movies that makes me want to cheer out and encourage the hapless hero / heroine along in his / her endeavours . sure , there are the stereotypical elements - inhuman treatment , sexual innuendo , resentful peers , pained boyfriend and sexist commanding officer . stepping away from the stereotypes though , viggo mortensen as master chief john urgayle tries to get away from being nothing more than a brutal screamer . his character exercises a little more intellectual rigour than you would normally expect from such a character . jordan 's boyfriend royce is also in the military . although they both started at the same time , due to the fact that he has seen active service , he has advanced through the ranks much more quickly than she has . royce ( what is his surname ? do we care ? ) almost resents jordan 's attempts to advance herself , although he quickly settles down to being doe - eyed and supportive . his character seems to have been thrown in so that we know that you do n't have to be a lesbian to want to be in the military . in parts , this is a very silly movie , with gratuitous lines and scenes thrown in for effect which are so blatantly obvious or contrived that it 's hard not to cringe . i still liked it though . weaknesses in the script aside , this is a film which captures a heroic and reckless mood . as we watch jordan 's battle , it 's increasingly clear that it is a personal battle . this is an individual 's fight for self - advancement . we do n't have to have our teeth set on edge by didactic preachings , we do n't have to feel uncomfortable because we 're having ideology thrust down our throats . it 's enough that we can sit back and hope that this one person gets what she wants and we can admire her tenacity and determination without coming out and saying whether we believe women should go into combat or not .

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the idea at the center of the devil 's advocate , which is , thus far , one of the three or four best films of 1997 , is that no matter what decision is made , evil will triumph -- god is a trickster , satan is a humanist -- " the last humanist " . he appears in many guises , and seduces many men and women -- in his own words , " vanity -- by far my favorite sin " . al pacino plays this role with relish , and gets to chew some delectable lines ( " lemme givya a piece o ' inside wisdom on god . .. " , " i have a million names . .. " ) , as john milton -- the devil . the main idea -- that he can appear as anyone , in any form ( in this case , a buisness man ) , harkens mainly back to terry gilliam 's the time bandits . but the film , is something else , something original . part of what makes it so very good , is that it never takes itself too seriously -- it dabbles with morality , vanity , death , and child abuse , but does n't try to become any profound study of power . this is a marvelous confection -- cocky , funny , thought provoking . it is also entertaining . there is no way you could possibly predict the ending -- it pulls back upon itself , drawing purely out of the mind 's eye . the final shot is more creative , more daring , more challenging , then anything in cinema since the white sock in the coen 's fargo . the central themes are fascinating ( sometimes reminiscent of james ' the turn of the screw , and oates ' accursed inhabitants of the house of bly ) , and the product that is built around it really wows . its nice to know that things like this are still being made .

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scream 2 , like its predecessor , is a genre - crossing film . it is about 50 % horror film and 50 % murder mystery . the mix worked very well last time and it continues to entertain this time . scream was also known for its self - referential tone . many inside jokes were made in reference to horror movies and wes craven . again , scream 2 follows suit with characters saying such things as " sequels suck " and " the entire horror genre was destroyed by sequels . " scream 2 's story is very similar to it 's predecessor 's . sidney ( neve campbell ) , having survived the killing spree in scream , is now in college . gale weathers ( courteney cox ) has written a book about the murders and that book is now being released as a feature film , called stab ( which for all practical purposes is the real - world movie scream ) . at the premiere of stab , two students from sidney 's college are stabbed to death , and a new story begins . the press descends on sidney and her college to get the scoop on this sequel killer . they want to know all about the links between stab , sidney , and the recent murders . the most complex self - reference i saw ( this should be an olympic event ) was the scene where gale weathers was asking questions at a press conference . the rest of the press was watching and videotaping weathers . the other survivors from scream were watching and videotaping the press . the audience was watching the whole , filmed scene . ( whew . ) the movie is packed with layers and self - references that make it a pleasure to watch . even better would be to watch a double feature of scream and scream 2 . that 's not to say that these references necessarily make scream 2 a deep , or even a good movie . the just add to the fun of watching it . i recommend it for other reasons as well . what i liked best about the horror aspect of the movie is that the monster is not supernatural . no werewolf or ghost or psycho with superhuman strength is responsible . it is a person in a mask and a robe , his only advantage the fear he strikes into his victims . no extraordinary leap of faith is needed to believe in the killer . the down side is that if you are frightened by horror movies , you have less grounds to say " it 's just a movie . " the whodunit aspect of the movie is not that great by itself - gale weathers and deputy dewey ( david arquette , also from the original ) track down a killer . they are likeable , but not outstanding . but in combination with the horror aspect , the whodunit is a perfect counterpoint . it was exactly a year ago today that i wrote the review for scream . the internet movie database says that scream 3 is in the works , so i wonder if i 'll be doing the same thing on january 1 , 1999 . if craven and screenwriter kevin williamson are able to keep the quality high , i 'll be happy to mark my calendar .

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when i first saw the previews for ron howard 's latest film , my expectations were discouragingly low . a show about nothing ? sounds like " seinfeld . " a guy whose entire life is broadcast 24 hours a day ? sounds like " the truman show . " what is it with hollywood that no sooner than one production company puts out an animated feature about ants , another puts one out about bugs ? which is why i was pleasantly surprised by " edtv , " which turns out to be a fresh , insightful , and often times hilarious film about the follies of instant celebrity . the writing , by howard 's longtime collaborators lowell ganz and babaloo mandel , is right on the money and howard himself should be credited for giving the subject matter a fresh focus . in the hands of a less - experienced director , " edtv " could easily have had all the flavor of yesterday 's meatloaf . with their ' true tv ' cable ratings being threatened by ' the gardening channel ' ( apparently people would rather watch soil ) , the northwest broadcasting company is looking for a novel concept to attract viewers . program director cynthia topping ( ellen degeneres ) comes up with the idea of putting a nobody on the air and broadcasting his every waking and sleeping moment . the hook is to find a regular guy , someone normal that people can relate to . while scouting possible candidates , cynthia 's camera crew discover ed pekurny and his pig brother ray ( woody harrelson ) in a bar , where ray believes he has what it takes for his fifteen plus minutes of fame . but on watching the videotape , the show 's producers are more taken with ed than with ray . he 's cute , he says all the wrong things , and he 's 100 % usda hick . cynthia 's boss , played by rob reiner , gives the show a week to deliver the goods and it 's tough going in the early stages . the most exciting thing that happens is ed brushes his teeth . " action shot ! " wags one of the production assistants when a couple of pop tarts jump out of the toaster . you get the idea . but soon enough , things -- nielsen - boosting kinds of things -- start to happen to this unassuming san francisco video store clerk and the ' true tv ' cameras are right there to document it . ed 's privacy is no longer his own , his newfound fame starts having a negative impact on his family life , and what little dignity he has left is trampled on by the media . who should ed go out with ? you can be sure the pollsters have a list . not only is the film exceedingly well cast , but its performers are consistently excellent . matthew mcconaughey provides the face , the body language , and the lovable texan accent to fill the shoes of america 's latest phenomenon . he and harrelson look like they really could be brothers . sally kirkland is noteworthy in a difficult role as ed 's mother , and martin landau is one of the film 's highlights as al , ed 's ailing stepfather . jenna elfman ( from tv 's " dharma and greg " ) proves herself surprisingly worthy in the company of kirkland and landau , although those alpine eyebrows of hers get a little distracting . even degeneres and reiner are better than you 'd expect . in 1979 , writer / director / comedian albert brooks made a zany little film called " real life " in which a small - time opportunist makes a real - time documentary about a typical american family . the scenes of ed 's family sitting around the dinner table feasting on kentucky fried chicken and waxing idiotic play like a big - budget variant on that film , paralleling its wickedly inventive humor . as with most films by albert brooks , " real life " was funny , but absurd . the funniest -- and scariest -- thing about " edtv " is that it is absolutely believable .

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ingredients : james bond , scuba scene , car controlled by cellular telephone synopsis : warped media tycoon elliot carver ( jonathan pryce ) plots to start a war between britain and china in order to boost ratings by using a ' stealth ship ' to fire a captured british missile at the city of beijing . super - agent james bond ( pierce brosnan ) uses trick gadgets , pluck , and charm in order to foil carver 's scheme . this time bond teams up with top female agent wai lin from china ( michelle yeoh ) . the film contains fights , chases , gadgets , and comedic moments . opinion : it does not have a casino scene or a ski scene , but tomorrow never dies is nevertheless a solid , enjoyable bond movie . it neither stands out nor disappoints . in old bond movies bond sometimes teamed up with american cia agent felix leiter . tomorrow never dies introduces a new character in the form of chinese agent wai lin . like leiter 's character , wai lin would be a sure bet for a cameo in a later bond movie . stars : michelle yeoh was born a leo in the western zodiac in the year of the tiger on the asian astrology calendar . i dont believe in horoscopes . but at an airport i once browsed an astrology book with a section on leo tigers ( lts ) . " leo tigers prefer enough solitude to grow at their own pace . lts are unbelievably courageous when facing adversity . the lt is also classy , and has an excellent sense of refinement , but she sees herself as an adventurer , and prefers freedom of movement rather than flashy status symbols . this person loves family and friends with a fierce loyalty . she delights in siblings , nephews , nieces and extended family - - but she must have her personal freedom to come and go as she pleases . sometimes annoyance at injustice drives her to take up one or two causes . in love life , the lt has an unfortunate mental block against committing to any partner who is less powerful than she . " in real life , michelle yeoh is asia 's top female star . like jackie chan , she does her own stunts . she was born in malaysia - - a country of many languages - - and her primary language ( the language she speaks in her sleep ) is english . she was taught malay in school , and learned cantonese from bilingual parents . as an athlete michelle represented malaysia internationally . she enjoyed squash , diving , swimming , and rugby . she studied ballet at the royal academy of dance in london , but switched to drama after a spinal injury . in 1983 she won the miss malaysia pageant - - without really intending to , since a family member had entered her in the contest without her knowledge . notoriety from the contest led eventually to a movie career as an action heroine . michelle has survived a divorce with asian retail tycoon dickson poon ; a nearly fatal stunt accident falling from a freeway overpass which put her in the hospital for three months , and ; a retirement from the movies . her comeback from retirement , supercop ( 1992 ) became the top grossing film in asia that year . it is not clear what michelles martial arts style is , but it may be a theatrical version of wing chun . of her character wai lin in tomorrow never dies , michelle says , " wai lin is the first bond girl who is on a par with bond , someone who can match up with him mentally and physically . " my own opinion is that casting michelle yeoh as agent wai lin was an excellent choice .

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it is always refreshing to see a superstar actor who gets paid more than enough to forget about working for a living to want to take a chance and play a less - than - savoury character as mel gibson does in payback . of course , if i was being paid $ 25 million for one month 's work , i 'd probably be willing to take risks as well , but that 's neither here nor there . payback is based on a novel by richard stark ( apparently actually donald e. westlake , author of the grifters , itself a fine crime film ) which was also filmed in the 1960s as point blank starring one of the toughest of tough guys , lee marvin . the film opens with gibson having recovered from being shot several times in the back , by whom we do n't know yet . all we know is that gibson , as porter , is n't a happy chappy and is hellbent on getting the money stolen from him back , and getting even in the process , no matter what the consequences . it turns out that the man he 's after is val ( gregg henry ) , his sometime partner with whom he stole a briefcase full of cash from a gang of chinese mobsters . obviously not having much of a crisis of the soul , val figures porter is dead and goes about using his share of the money to pay off a debt to his employers . porter , however , is the sort of man who holds a grudge and once on his feet , goes about exacting revenge on the double - crossing val . gibson gives a terrific performance in the sort of role which he was born to play , that of a slightly unhinged guy who does n't mind beating up or shooting people to get what he wants . you probably would n't see other actors in his salary range take such an offbeat , out - of - character role such as porter ( jim carrey wo n't be doing anything like this in a hurry after what happened the last time he tried - the cable guy , anyone ? ) . harrison ford 's idea of playing an unsympathetic character is presumed innocent ; the last time schwarzenegger played a villain was batman and robin , which we wo n't mention further ; and has stallone ever really played a villain at all ? this is not to say that porter is a villain , per se . while he is n't the sort of character you would n't want to get on the wrong side of , he 's nothing compared to some of the ones we are forced to watch in countless bad thrillers and action films where they kill innocent people in the blink of an eye or execute their right - hand men just to prove how mean they are . porter is only trying to get back what is not - so - rightfully his , which in a way is almost understandable . payback is an enjoyable dramatic black comedy - thriller which wo n't be remembered as being among gibson 's most important work , but is still one of the finer films he 's done . the only real problem with it is that , while everything seems to work out in the end , i was left feeling something was lacking ; was that all ? the ending looks as if it was tacked on at the last minute , and the final voice - over does n't ring true , even though it was used to good effect elsewhere in the film - noir style the rest of the film embodies . the film just ends far too suddenly , after a huge build - up in the penultimate scenes . a fine film , even though it needs just a little something more to be the kind of a film that can be recommended without hesitation . just be ready for a possible letdown of an ending .

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if you thought baz luhrmann 's radical take on _ william_shakespeare's_romeo_+_juliet _ was wild , wait until what you see what tony award - winning stage director julie taymor ( _ the_lion_king : _ the_broadway_musical _ ) does to the bard 's _ titus_andronicus _ for her audacious -- and very bloody -- film debut . while luhrmann transplanted the star - crossed lovers to 1990s florida , taymor keeps this grisly tale of revenge in rome -- but places it in a surreal temporal limbo . the colosseum suggests the proper time of imperial rome , but high rises and heavy duty kitchen ovens suggest the 1990s , while the vintage automobiles and some costumes are more ' 40s and ' 50s , and other garments are more gladiator - like . as tamora , queen of goths ( jessica lange ) exacts revenge on roman general titus ( anthony hopkins ) for killing her eldest son , and he does the same to her for the wrongs she commits , taymor obviously wanted to express the timeless relevance of the story 's underlying themes . however , the time convergence approach only works at times , for often it 's just distracting , as in one scene where tamora 's suviving sons ( matthew rhys and jonathan rhys meyers ) blow off steam playing video arcade games . taymor did n't have to resort to such avant garde time tricks , for the story would have resonated just as strongly had she jettisoned them . she is a strong storyteller and a master visual stylist , the latter compliment encompassing all areas , makeup and costume choices as well as those in the editing and photography departments . she also has a sure way with actors ; hopkins ' titus is at once tragic and horrifying , and lange is sultry as the viperous tamora . the clear standout of the cast , however , is harry lennix as aaron , a moor who is tamora 's secret lover and a schemer in his own right . lennix brings great depth to a role that could have easily been played as a stock villain . a great villain he indeed is , but to leave it at that is n't giving full justice to his powerful and multi - dimensional work . _ titus _ is n't a complete success , but it is never less than fascinating , and it announces the arrival of a fearlessly imaginative new cinematic voice .

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meteor threat set to blow away all volcanoes & twisters ! summer is here again ! this season could probably be the most ambitious = season this decade with hollywood churning out films like deep impact , = godzilla , the x - files , armageddon , the truman show , all of which has but = one main aim , to rock the box office . leading the pack this summer is = deep impact , one of the first few film releases from the = spielberg - katzenberg - geffen 's dreamworks production company . following = the rather dismal showing of their previous two releases ; mousehunt and = amistad , deep impact shines with elements which could just make it one = of the biggest movies of the year . deep impact begins with the discovery of an earth bound comet during a = school astronomy outing by leo beiderman ( elijah wood ) which = subsequently stirred up the political community of the world . keeping = the information under wraps to prevent widespread panic , president beck = ( morgan freeman ) took it upon himself and his subordinates to execute a = highly secretive space project to destroy the comet before it hits = earth . while pursuing a sex - scandal story amongst the presidential = ranks , ambitious up and coming reporter , jenny lerner ( tea leoni ) = unfolds the wool that president beck has pulled over the citizens of the = world . as if the knowledge of the imminent annihilation of mankind is = not enough , jenny has to come to terms with her father ( maximillian = schell ) leaving the mother for a younger woman . = 20 president beck announces the discovery and preparations to destroy the = comet exactly one - year later , with so much confidence that it left no = trace of panic within the american community . achieving fame from = announcement of the comet wolf - beiderman en - route to earth ( the name of = its discoverers ) , leo beiderman continues life in his small town as a = young celebrity . a team of astronauts , led by the ageing veteran = astronaut spurgeon tanner ( robert duvall ) , was secretly trained to carry = out the mission to land on the comet and create and explosion with a = nuclear device , with the hope of blowing it out of its current path = towards earth . despite him being the most experienced in the team , the = younger generation of astronauts in the team doubts tanner 's ability due = to his age . but these are just problems of individuals . life on earth = goes on as any other day , confident that the comet will be destroyed . when the attempt to avert wolf - beiderman 's path failed and caused the = comet to split into two : comet wolf and comet beiderman , the president = unfolds his contingency plan to evacuate part of the population , leaving = the rest to die . citizens are randomly chosen to live underground for 2 = years prior to impact , when the dust due to the impact around earth have = settled , by then all life on the surface would have died . jenny and leo = were picked but many of their loved ones were not , only a handful of = earth 's population will be saved from destruction . = 20 deep impact 's moving moments occur in the least special - effect laced = scenes . while the effects are fantastic , they only form a small part of = the film , which indulges itself in the development of its main = characters ; leo , lerner and tanner . leo 's struggle when he learns that = his girlfriend is not part of the population to be saved , lerner 's = dwindling relationship with her father and her pain for the mother 's = loneliness , tanner 's strive to gain the respect he deserves from his = crew and his ultimate sacrifice , all form the backbone of deep impact 's = moving moments . deep impact smells suspiciously like the previous year = release contact despite vivid differences . i think its probably because = they both delve in a story of global proportions and indulges in the = premise of hope , faith and life itself . both do not depend heavily on = eye - candy in the form of cgi effects . director mimi leder ( who won = numerous awards directing television series , and made her debut with = peacekeeper last year ) is definitely a director to watch . = 20 despite this being the first of the two meteor movies this summer ( the = other being armageddon ) , i think there will be stark differences in the = approach to the subject matter . while the premise of both may be the = same , execution and focus of the films will in fact show that deep = impact has more focus on human elements than armageddon , which is done = by the team which brought us bad boys , crimson tide and the rock . = 20 deep impact should be able to satisfy a variety of audiences ; from the = most action - craving to those who just want to immerse into its = manipulative but nonetheless dramatic premise .

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there is a striking scene early in " city of angels , " where all the angels who live unseen in our midst , gather at the beach to watch the sun rise . the camera moves above them , showing the endless rows of ethereal men and women , all garbed in black . then the camera moves in on the face of seth , an angel played by nicolas cage , and as the sun rises , he smiles and his entire face lights up . you see , the angels can hear music in sunrises and sunsets , but they can not feel a human touch . it is an important scene for several reasons . first of all , it is one of many instances in the film that make angels seem thoroughly plausible . the film presents these fantastic beings as normal - looking people who drift amongst the inhabitants of earth , watching what goes on with little interference . there are none of the standard , hokey angel references used in recent films like " angels in the outfield " ( 1994 ) or " michael " ( 1996 ) . the angels here are stark and believable . this early scene on the beach is also an important scene of juxtaposition , for its shows how god 's angels can enjoy aspects of the earth that human can not , and yet they are denied so many simple human pleasures , like feeling the sand on their feet or the waves lapping at their legs , or the smell of the salt in the air . there is an inherent tragedy in being an angel , although there is much beauty in it as well . they eternally walk the earth , listening to our thoughts , touching us in our pain , and leading the dying to heaven . like human existence , being an angel is often confused and unsure . " city of angels " is essentially a love story , between seth and a human , a beautiful but sad heart surgeon named maggie ( meg ryan ) . he first sees her when he is in her operating room , waiting to lead the soul of her dying patient to heaven . maggie is distraught , doing everything in her power to stop the man from dying on her table , and seth is moved by her efforts and , more importantly , her overwhelming sadness when the patient dies . angels have the limited power to soothe humans in time of misery and pain , and seth does what he can with his invisible touch , but it 's not enough . he wants to be with her and share her pain , not just stand back at a distance . he learns that the only way to fulfill his desire for human love and touch is for him to " fall " and become human . he learns this from another fallen angel , played by dennis franz ( " n. y. p. d. blue " ) in a touching and humorous performance . sitting at a diner together , franz tells cage 's character about how wonderful it is to be human - to be able to taste food , feel another person 's skin , smell the air , and most importantly , have a loving wife and children . of course , there is pain to go along with all this , but for seth , it will be worth it . " city of angels " is something of a reinterpretation of wim wender 's haunting 1988 film " wings of desire . " wenders ' film was more like a poem - it was the feeling , the emotion that truly mattered over what actually happened . the americanized version moves the location from divided berlin to broken los angeles , and the emphasis shifts onto the relationship between the immortal angel and the mortal human . and , unlike most foreign films that are re - made into hollywood fare , it does n't suffer extensive damage . this may be because director brad silberling ( " casper " ) and screenwriter dana stevens ( " blink " ) wanted to make " city of angels " its own movie - inspired by " wings of desire , " but not an attempt to copy it . and yet , " city of angels " is not a typical hollywood movie . it is beautifully filmed in lush colors by cinematographer john seale ( " the english patient " ) , whose sweeping aerial shots and golden lighting make los angeles into an almost unrecognizable new world . seale creates many striking visuals : in addition to the beach scene , there is a wonderful sequence in a circular library where all the angels appear at banisters all around , looking down at seth as he watches maggie walk by . while the film travels along a charted plot , it takes time to develop its characters and situations ; it sheds light on the boundaries between what is earthly and what is heavenly , and shows just how thin those boundaries are . both cage and ryan give soulful , soft - spoken performances . ryan , who is usually so bouncy and energetic , truly embodies a sadness that can only be alleviated by a heavenly touch . cage projects all his desire and longing to be human in simple , heartfelt gazes , and speaks with the comforting , knowing voice that only an angel could have . what is most striking about " city of angels " is that stevens has added a new ending to the screenplay , which is both unexpected and challenging . it 's not a formulaic hollywood ending , because it is both sad and uplifting at the same time . it does n't give the audience what it thinks it wants at the end of a romance . instead , it offers something much better , something that speaks to the depths of what it means to be human and alive . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ visit " charlie do n't surf ! " an eclectic collection of film reviews by james kendrick http : //www . bigfoot . com/~jimkendrick || e - mail : jimkendrick@bigfoot . com

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star wars : episode 1 - the phantom menace ( 1999 ) review by matt pusateri few movies evoke nostalgia , enthusiasm , and affection like george lucas ' 1977 classic , star wars . the original blockbuster film and its two sequels not only evoked wonder and passion in a generation of filmgoers , but has deeply entrenched itself in american pop culture . arguably , more americans today can explain what " the force " or a " jedi " is than a budget deficit or a serb . so 22 years after the release of the original , and 16 years since the third film , the return of the jedi , how can any new star wars film withstand the weight of incomparable expectations and anticipation ? can a new storyline and a new cast of characters possibly compete with the legends of the first trilogy - luke , han solo , and darth vader -all cultural icons ? against this challenge , the fourth star wars film , episode one : the phantom menace hit the screens last week . and despite some early critical reviews in the major media , the film is neither a flop nor a disappointment . while the phantom menace is certainly not the finest film in the series , it is nonetheless engaging , exciting , and visually breathtaking . it is a worthy sequel - er , prequel - to the original star wars films . the phantom menace takes place decades before the setting of original films . as the film opens , obi - wan kenobi ( ewan mcgregor ) , the wise old master who introduced luke to the force in the original star wars , is only a young jedi apprentice , still learning from his fellow jedi and instructor , qui - gon jinn ( liam neeson ) . the republic government has sent the two jedi to settle a trade dispute that has developed into a blockade of the planet naboo by a shifty trade federation . the jedi quickly find themselves not in negotiations , but in the middle of a planetary invasion , rushing to protect naboo 's young queen amidala ( natalie portman ) . later , after eventually rescuing amidala and helping her escape naboo , they are forced to stop at tatooine to repair their battle - damaged ship before bringing her to the galactic senate to make an appeal for justice . on tatooine , qui - gon discovers a young slave boy , anakin skywalker ( jake lloyd ) , who not only can help them get the parts they need , but displays uncanny intelligence , insight , and instincts . qui - gon senses the child is " unusually strong " with the force and begins to suspect that he may be " the one " prophesized to " bring balance to the force . " as anyone who has watched the original star wars trilogy knows , far from being a galactic savior , the innocent - looking 9-year - old will in time become the ruthless darth vader . complicating matters further is a mysterious hooded figure , darth sidious , is behind the trade blockade and invasion of naboo , and sends out a lethal apprentice , darth maul , to find and capture queen amidala . while amidala and the jedi fight to save her planet , they soon also have to deal with the deadly and relentless darth maul . if the plot sounds a bit complicated , it is . the phantom menace not only introduces an earlier generation of characters and an immediate crisis , but sets up the foundation for the events that will eventually lead to the fall of the republic , the demise of the jedi knights , anakin 's turn to evil , and the rise of the dark empire of original trilogy . but the complexity is not overwhelming . the story moves quickly , with the only drawback being that many questions , predictably , remain unanswered at the end of the film , setting the stage for the next episode . one of the reasons the film 's story seems hazy is not that it is too confusing , but too unfocused . it 's unclear whose story phantom menace is . in the original trilogy , the movies were clearly luke 's story , with the stories centering around his growth from farmboy to rebel hero to jedi knight . but it 's unclear whether this new film is anakin 's story or obi - wan 's . if this trilogy is centered on anakin , it 's a shaky foundation . lloyd , like many child actors , lacks the subtle acting skills of adult performers , and as a result , his character seems shallow and unimpressive . on screen , we see nothing that suggests a dark side lurking underneath his little - boy face , or for that matter , any presence that would make him seem so special that qui - gon is willing to believe he is " the one . " the rest of the cast does fine , though they often work with some iffy dialogue by lucas . neeson is perfect as an aging jedi knight . mcgregor is well - cast as obi - wan and conveys a balance of youthful energy and calm sensibility . portman fits the role of a young queen well , but her lines were often very formal , giving her little room to give her character much personality . the biggest problem with the phantom menace is not the plot or the characters , but the interaction between them . individually , the characters in this new film are no less developed than those in the original star wars , and the storyline is not more confusing than previous films in the series . but unlike the previous trilogy , lucas does n't do as good of a job playing the characters off one another . in star wars , there were immediate contrasts and memorable exchanges between luke and han , han and obi - wan , and leia and luke . the ensemble played off each other and immediately showed their distinct attitudes and personalities . in the sequence in where luke , han , and chewbacca attempt to rescue leia from her cell on the death star , the audience learns a lot about all four characters in the ways they react to the immediate problems and each other . there is no comparable sequence in the phantom menace to flesh out the characters and their relationships with each other . individually , they are interesting characters with clear motivations and interests , but lucas develops little chemistry or tension between the them . this is perhaps the most glaring weakness of this film , and is probably the reason it has disappointed many reviewers . but despite the need for a richer dialogue and stronger character interaction , the film is still very engaging . many of the wonderful elements of lucas ' previous films make the phantom menace both memorable and entertaining . first , of course , is the remarkably rich and imaginative universe lucas creates . the characters visit magical underwater cities , evade dinosaur - sized sea monsters , fight battle droids and menacing " destroyers " on venetian - looking planet of naboo , watch a spectacular event , part roman - chariot race , part nascar circuit , on the arid desert planet of tatooine , then head to corsucant , the gothic urban capital of the republic and home to the galactic senate and the jedi council . each location is elaborate and complex . lucas never settles for vague ideas about the look of his settings , he creates rich , spectacular landscapes , palaces , and skylines . most of the new special effects in his re - released special edition trilogy in 1997 were changes that allowed him to give the earlier movies the look and feel that just were n't possible when the films were made . more than ever , in this new film , lucas ' universe is filled with a menagerie of creatures , robots with personalities , and a supporting cast of aliens who interact with the main characters . the best such character is watto , a greedy tatooine junk dealer who owns anakin and his mother as slaves . watto has a scratchy italian voice and a short , paunchy body with oddly mismatched wings that flutter like a hummingbird as he floats around the room . of all the computer - generated characters in the film , watto is the best done and most enjoyable . speaking of computer - generated characters , no review of the phantom menace is complete without mentioning the most controversial figure in the film : jar jar binks . with more than 80 minutes of screen time , jar jar is the realization of george lucas ' dream to include a fully computer - generated character into the cast of the new trilogy . jar jar , a clumsy amphibian and member of the gungan race , literally stumbles his way into the path of the jedi knights early in the film and becomes qui jon 's accidental sidekick . jar jar usually performs a comic - relief role in the film , lightening scenes with his mishaps and inability to stay out of trouble . the animation of jar jar is nearly seamless , and he interacts with the characters throughout the film as if he were really on the set with the actors . however , despite the technological magic that makes his character possible , jar jar is n't completely convincing . he still moves and sounds too much like a cartoon to blend into a scene . throughout the movie , jar jar never transcends a " roger rabbit " -like presence . you accept that he 's there , but you never lose sight of the fact that he is an animated character . initially , i found jar jar annoying , but grew to enjoy the humor he added to the film . on my second viewing of the film , jar jar was a lot of fun and i did n't mind him at all . a second reason this film continues the fine tradition of star wars movies is that the film is replete with humor and small details that flesh out the world lucas creates . despite all the film 's struggles between good and evil , and the sober musings about one 's destiny and " the force , " like all star wars films , the phantom menace never takes itself too seriously . fortunately , lucas has n't lost sight of the fact that his films are entertainment , not high art . from the bumbling jar jar , to a one - man , two - headed announcer team calling the action at the film 's thrilling pod - race sequence , to a cameo appearance by e. t. in the film , the phantom menace is simply a lot of fun , with lots of half - hidden jokes and humor that can easily be missed . and finally , the phantom menace works because , as in all his films , there is no shortage of speed and action . from beginning to end , there are light - saber battles , hair - raising chases , and thrilling duels between good and evil . the pod - race sequence on tatooine is one of the most entertaining and exciting scenes in any star wars film , and the final showdown between obi - wan , qui - gon , and darth maul is arguably the best choreographed , most thrilling fight sequence lucas has filmed . the phantom menace wo n't win any major oscars . it probably wo n't beat titanic 's box office record . and it 's not even the best star wars film ( i 'd put it third , after the original and the empire strikes back ) . but it 's an exciting and entertaining film , far better than your typical summer blockbuster . the film ca n't live up to it 's hype - no film , not even the original star wars , could have done that . but it 's still worth seeing . .. probably more than once .

1POS

any movie about the underground music scene is a difficult beast to master . any meaning found in the underground is usually lost by the dumbing - down of the experience to make it " more accessible " to the general public . or the film is produced and directed by people that have about enough understanding of the subject matter that they ought to work as production assistants for vh1 . human traffic , a new film exploring the british underground party / rave scene and the people immersed in the world of clubbing , pubbing , drugs , sex , and the beautiful , beautiful music , is an example of how it really ought to be done . the film follows five brits in their young twenties during a wild weekend of parties , drugs , dancing , sex , pop culture discussions , relationships , and wanking off in front of a mirror while mum interrupts . the cast of character consists of jip ( john simm ) , our narrator , who has a bit of a problem with his willy , known as mr . floppy . koop ( shaun parkes ) , our black dj maestro , who has insecurity issues , afraid his girlfriend nina ( nicola reynolds ) is shagging other men . nina herself ca n't stand her mcjob and longs for the freedom of the weekends . lulu ( lorraine pilkington ) , jip 's best mate , is tired of her cheating boyfriends . and moff ( danny dyer ) ca n't seem to escape the black hole of his awful life . the film follows these five individuals during one weekend as each of them discovers love , friendship , and self - fulfillment , all against the raging party background . human traffic is proof that cinema can still tell us deep stories while being visually alive , as director justin kerrigan 's subtle use of the camera lets the audience become part of the action . the use of direct communication to the audience by the collection of characters works well , making the viewer the subconscious mind for the characters . dialogue is crisp and moves with an even pace , and the acting is confident . however , the two females leads tend to promote their relationships and dialogue with a bit of unneeded urgency that shows through when poignancy is needed . human traffic does not try to explain the rave scene . instead , it gives the audience the ability to listen to the people inside it , letting you choose your own convictions about this powerful musical movement that brings together strangers , friends , and lovers for one blissful night of music and peace .

1POS

steve martin took an extended vacation from all facets of moviemaking a few years back ; he spent this time writing essays and short stories for " the new yorker , " several of which wound up in his hilarious hardback compilation , pure drivel ( 1998 ) . much of the book spares tinseltown from mockery , although he does riff on the racist comments made by marlon brando during a larry king interview , in a fine chapter called " in search of the wily filipino . " now , as writer and star of bowfinger , he offers the masses plenty of good reasons not to pursue a career in the cinema , perhaps finally venting the frustrations ( ' everything being made now is crap ' ) that led to his brief retirement from hollywood . martin stars as bobby bowfinger , a roger corman - wannabe on the cusp of fifty and desperate for some success as a producer , quality of the projects be damned . his accountant ( adam alexi - malle ) proposes a movie called " chubby rain , " about aliens who travel to earth in raindrops slightly fatter than regular raindrops . bowfinger latches onto the idea immediately , and convinces his troupe of actor friends to appear in the film , based on the lie that america 's top box office draw , kit ramsey ( murphy ) , has agreed to star . ramsey , of course , wants nothing to do with such low - grade material , so bowfinger , on the thinking that action stars need to run , not speak , decides to photograph the superstar surreptitiously . he sends his cast members ( who are n't in on it , either ; they are told ramsey hates the sight of cameras and fraternizing with his co - stars ) to ramsey 's table at restaurants , asks them to follow him in parking lots , etc . , spouting script dialogue , all the while shooting the outcome from a great distance . the paranoid ramsey flees the scene nearly every time . ramsey is a member of mind head , a cultish self - help organization apparently dedicated to recruiting celebrities . ( as if that 's not familiar enough , mind head guru terry stricter ( terence stamp ) has been dressed and combed to resemble l. ron hubbard , founder of scientology . ) when he goes to mind head with tales of caucasian strangers appearing from nowhere to babble " white code " in his face , they fear the nervous breakdown of an important client and rush him off to a retreat , requiring bowfinger to find a stand - in . murphy will probably win more fans as jiff , ramsey 's adorable , ignoramus double , than as kit , but it is his portrayal of the latter that took courage . always surrounded by an entourage , suffering from a racial inferiority complex , murphy plays right into the tabloid image of himself . furthermore , consider the enemies he 'll make of popular scientologists . pacing stricter 's neutral - coloured office as if on an amphetamine binge and stripped of his bigshot veneer , ramsey is asked to shout inane personal affirmations repeatedly . murphy 's scenes with stamp are exactly what i imagine of a john travolta " clearing . " not that murphy is entirely responsible for this schtick ; bowfinger is steve martin 's invention . his script is surprisingly clever as satire , given that the pseudo - religion is a sitting duck , as is the entire los angeles film industry . ( the griffin mill - types take quite a beating , in the form of robert downey jr . as bigwig jerry renfro . ) martin 's decision to tell the story from a bottom feeder 's point of view is what keeps it fresh and innovative - never have we seen on screen a group of people struggle this hard to complete a motion picture . as expected , there are laughs only to be had insiders or buffs , such as martin 's crew of mexican border - jumpers , who gain unexpected appreciation for the classics from reading " cahiers du cinema , " or martin 's nonsensical explanation to dave , his loyal cinematographer ( jamie kennedy ) , that every movie , in the end , has a budget of two - thousand dollars ( ! ) . most of bowfinger is universally funny , however ; i defy any viewer to keep a straight face when christine baranski , one of our brightest comediennes , is on screen . bowfinger 's main flaw is a plot twist that has an insubstantial aftermath . we 're also asked to believe that a few simple close - ups of kit ramsey would redeem " chubby rain , " z - grade entertainment that would make ed wood blush . ( this aspect of bowfinger has much in common with the ludicrous oscar sequence in oz 's last directorial effort , the poorly conceived in & out . ) these are significant enough weaknesses that they distracted from my enjoyment of the piece . as i mentioned at the start of this review , bowfinger offers solid reasons not to do what heather graham 's character daisy does : hop a bus to hollywood in search of stardom . that said , it offers one fantastic reason to get on that bus : the sense of community between filmmakers who gel is awesome . martin gets sentimental by story 's end as he did in l. a. story , and how could he not ? for those who can hack it , the movies might be the greatest business in the world .

1POS

> from the man who presented us with henry : the portrait of a serial killer ( 6 . 5/10 ) comes a wild tale set within the elite and white trash of florida 's south coast . plot : guidance counselor ( dillon ) is accused of raping one of his students . she happens to be the daughter of one of the wealthiest women in florida . the counselor is brought to court on the charges , as another white trash girl ( campbell ) , also joins the rape finger - pointing club . as the story unfolds , we find that many things are n't exactly as they seem ( that 's as much as i could say without ruining anything ) . critique : good little flick that slows down at certain points , and runs a tad long , but generates enough twists and turns to keep most people interested throughout . mind you , i could see many people not liking it because it takes " one too many " twists and turns , but hey , i happen to like that kind of thing . and besides , the twists and turns in this movie managed to remain within the realm of believability ( or scathingly close to ) , and even " explained " many of its turns with a showcase of missed scenes during the credit crawl at the end of the film ( do not leave the theatre before you see the credits . .. it really does clear up some stuff ! ! ) . other than that , the acting was good , with campbell transforming her " good girl stereotypical " role into a pot - smoking , goth - looking white trash chick out for a good time . denise richards ( from starship troopers ( 7/10 ) fame ) solidifies herself as hollywood 's jelly - donut pinup girl of the moment , and proves that all breast implants need n't lead to lawsuits . bacon is solid , and so is dillon ( while continuing to prove his inability to age to the whole wide wondering world ! ! ) . sprinkle the story with a bunch o ' shots of alligators peeking through the swamp waters , bacon showing the world the size of his ding - dong ( do we really need to see this ? ? ) , a couple of lesbian kissing scenes , and a menage - a - trois , and you 've got yourself a decent time at the movie theatre . on the down side , the soundtrack was not as prominent ( or slick ) as i thought it would be , and theresa russell ( real name : theresa paup ) seems to have lost her way in every which way possible . .. . ooooh , i almost forgot bill murray 's exquisite role as the down - trodden lawyer who agrees to defend dillon in court . murray actually added that extra little spice of humour that allowed this film to affirm its position as a quirky little noirish tale of sex , greed and mystery . little known facts : neve campbell specified a non - nudity clause in her contract ( she 's also born in guelph , ontario . .. go hoser ! ) director john mcnaughton says he deleted a scene that would have shown matt dillon and kevin bacon showering together , as it was gratuitous . kevin bacon plays in a band with his brother , called the bacon brothers , is married to actress kyra sedgwick , and has a game based on him called " six degrees of kevin bacon " .

1POS

how many of us would become strippers ? for those of us who would n't , is it a moral reason , or purely a lack of confidence ? that 's probably not a fair question , and for a lot of us , it could very well be for neither of those reasons . as you watch the full monty , however , you may begin asking yourself these kinds of questions . would you be willing to grin and bare it to bring in some much needed dough ? in case you have n't guessed , the full monty is about stripping , but striptease it ai n't . it 's actually quite a charming comedy that uses its ideas with a great deal of tact and sophistication . it is the story of six out - of - work , out - of - shape blue collar brits whose recent job losses have left the boys penniless , but not without need . what to do ? it hits our main character gaz ( robert carlyle ) as he notices the large crowds of women who pour into a local male strip club on a regular basis . it seems that simple : take it off and bring in the cash . eventually , gaz is able to convince his friends to join him in starting their own exotic dance routine despite their initial reluctance . these include the overweight , confidence - lacking dave ( mark addy ) , the uptight , overly - officious gerald ( tom wilkinson ) , the once suicidal lomper ( steve huison ) , and two additional fellows who gain their place among the group by audition : horse ( paul barber ) , an older gentlemen chock full of graceless energy , and guy ( hugo speer ) , a young well - endowed looker who compares himself to cary grant . when the sextet is complete , we 're given a hefty dose of physical comedy . we watch the bumbling middle - aged men choreograph pseudo - sexy dance numbers , all the while proving why none of them were strippers in the first place . as if there anti - appeal was n't enough , they decide to boost interest in the group by promising " the full monty " on opening night , which for us americans , means baring it all . .. and i mean * all * . the movie actually ends on opening night ; a hilarious applause worthy ending i might add . it 's sure to leave nothing short of a big smile on your face as you leave the theater . with the subject matter , you might not expect the fully monty to be such a feel - good , almost inspiring film , but it surprisingly turns out that way . the amount of light , touching drama also comes as a nice surprise , never feeling off - balance from the otherwise highly upbeat moments of the film . there 's a lot more to this movie than you might think in other words , and the ensemble cast could n't be better . each character is completely individual , interesting , funny , and most importantly , real . the full monty is never offensive , a very impressive attribute since its subject matter alone could 've easily fallen prey to tastelessness . it 's one of those movies that is best described as a solid piece of entertainment , perfect for a great night on the town , or as a saturday night movie rental . either way you see it , it should n't let you down in the slightest . and , pun heavily intended , when it 's all said and done , you 'll be smiling from cheek to cheek .

1POS

director dominic sena ( who made the highly underrated kalifornia ) and producer jerry bruckheimer ( the rock , armageddon ) bring us a slick and entertaining remake of the 1974 film of the same name that absolutely no one has ever seen . nicolas cage plays memphis , a retired car thief who 's " pulled back in " to the business by an evil car thief overlord ( christopher eccleston ) determined to kill memphis ' kid brother ( giovanni ribisi ) . memphis is ordered to steal 50 cars in four days time or his brother will meet an unfortunate demise , all while having to elude the detectives hot on his trail and a rival car thief who feels the job should have been given to him and his gang . memphis sets out to put his old crew back together , but discovers that most of them have retired as well . gone in sixty seconds does things right from the opening credits . in that sequence , we get a rockin ' little tune from moby , along with some simple back story told only with photographs and assorted objects . filmmakers can sometimes make or break a film just from its opening title sequence , and this one easily gets you in the mindset for an entertaining ride . and what follows does n't disappoint . .. cage turns in one of his good performances here ( he can easily go either way . .. good or bad . .. i do n't know how he does that ) , and his mannerisms and dialogue delivery carry the film along nicely . of the supporting cast members , angelina jolie as memphis ' former love is in the film just to provide eye candy ( she 's definitely the hottest looking grease monkey i 've ever seen ) and robert duvall as memphis ' former mentor is just around to lend the film some class . also , i 'm a big fan of will patton ( armageddon , the postman ) and would love to see him get a huge role someday . none of these three performers are given much to do unfortunately . some underrated performers however are given meaty supporting roles . delroy lindo ( get shorty ) shines as the exasperated detective in pursuit of memphis , as does timothy olyphant ( go ) as lindo 's partner . i just wish some of the other characters could have been as important . the only real gripe i have about the film though is its conclusion . .. mainly because you know how it will end before the opening credits even roll . there 's no doubt in anyone 's mind that the 50 cars will be successfully stolen , and the filmmakers blew a perfectly good opportunity to add some suspense to the picture by using the " rival car thief " plot line . as it stands , that story line is wrapped up about halfway through the film in a tidy little package . but if i was making this film , i 'd have had the rival gang trying to get to the cars before memphis and his crew , thereby making memphis have to improvise . .. thereby adding some meat to the plot . the finale is essentially just a big car chase , and there just are n't ways to make car chases interesting anymore . it 's all been done . the chase is also shot and edited in that " jerry bruckheimer action sequence " kind of way that leaves the audience wondering what specifically is going on in the scene . sure it 's a car chase , but what exactly are the particulars of it ? it 's very hard to tell . finally , there 's a stunt during this scene that comes close to challenging the " bus jumping the ramp " sequence from speed in the " oh , i do n't think so . .. " department . despite those minor complaints , gone in sixty seconds is pure summer movie entertainment . it 's not thought provoking , but it 's shiny , loud and fun . .. just what a summer flick should be . [ pg-13 ]

1POS

books could be , and indeed have been written about the star wars trilogy , and rightfully so . this is a set of movies that shattered all expectations of what science fiction could be in the late 70s / early 80s , inspiring literally dozens of clones , from battlestar galactica all the way up to stargate and independance day , and one could argue revitalizing the whole science fiction genre . the special effects were groundbreaking , revolutionary for their day and still eminently watchable well into twenty years later . literally millions of people have seen the star wars trilogy and been touched by it . and now , george lucas brings it back for a new audience to enjoy . much has been and is still being made of the fact that mr . lucas has gone back and revised his trilogy for rerelease now . some fans are angry that he has dared to meddle with what they consider perfection , while others are thrilled by the idea of seeing yesterday 's star wars updated with today 's special effects wizardry . either way , the special edition release means that star wars is back on the big screen , where it rightfully deserves to be seen . can there be anyone in the world who does n't know what star wars is about ? in a way , star wars is so much a part of our cultural heritage that it feels silly and almost artificial to try to summarize it . it 's a story about a young man 's coming of age , a fight for freedom against an oppressive empire , a tale of swashbuckling and derring - do the likes of which have n't been seen on the silver screen in decades , strange new worlds with strange alien creatures and weird surprises around every turn , and the yearning within each of us to realize our dreams and make a difference in the world . it 's high adventure , incredible special effects , and . .. well , it 's just an _ experience_. something about this movie sparked the imagination of a generation . .. and it 's about to do so again . this new release of star wars comes as no surprise to many of the film 's devoted fans , who have been trading rumors and bits of information about it for quite some time now . interviews , trailers , leaks from within lucasfilm . .. all of these have been collected , collated , and placed on webpages for people to see ( pages such as http : //www . islandnet . com/~corona / films / details / sw4 . html or , my personal favorite , http : //leopard . cs . latrobe . edu . au/~koukoula/ ) . pictures of before and after have been placed side by side . .. even months before the movies were released , fans were making comparisons . in some cases , the changes were nothing less than phenomenal , and this can be seen from the comparison shots even before you go into the movie theater . the digital matte effects that were little more than a toy in forrest gump are put to excellent use here , unnoticeably sprucing up scenes that that george lucas was unsatisfied with in the original . for instance , in my personal favorite example , the ancient temple on yavin that was formerly a flat stone edifice now has deep , moss - covered carvings and etchings . and mos eisley spaceport is now a bustling , booming city , with more surprises and things going on in the background than you can notice on the first viewing . all the starships and fighters are now computer - animated , getting rid of glitches and artifacts of the special effects processes used when the film was originally made -- and they look _ fantastic_. four and a half minutes of new or missing footage have been added , including a scene with jabba the hutt that had originally been shelved because the state of special effects in 1977 simply could n't do it justice . however , much of the ten million dollars that was spent on the star wars special edition restoration went into restoring the quality of the film itself . the negatives , badly damaged by the ravages of time , were brightened and returned to their original splendor . the audio tracks were remixed and reprocessed , with reworked sound effects by effects maven ben burtt , into glorious , booming , theater - shaking full - thx dolby digital stereo . and _ that _ , more than the added scenes or new special effects , is where the real value of this new version lies . it 's really true what they say in the commercials : star wars loses _ so much _ on the small screen . even letterboxing does n't make up for the decrease in size and definition . in regard to the star wars special edition , and to the other two films of the trilogy which have yet to be released , i 'll make this final recommendation : go and see it . go and see it more than once . .. it may be another twenty years before it comes back to the big screen after it 's gone this time . take along the youngsters who 've never had the big - screen star wars experience -- you'll enjoy seeing it through their eyes as much as they will enjoy it for the first time . there 's magic in this movie -- special edition or no , there can be no denying that it 's still star wars , and still has the power to thrill and enthrall children of all ages , from four to four hundred . let 's all return to that time long ago , and that galaxy far , far away . . .

1POS

eddie murphy has had his share of ups and downs during his career . known for his notorious late 80 's slump , murphy has still managed to bounce back with a handful of hits in the past few years . with the exception of the dreadful holy man , he appears to be on pace for a full - fledged comeback . life was a great move on the part of murphy and co - star martin lawrence , because it 's a great showcase for both actors that never resorts to slap - sticky drivel . director ted demme is smart enough to realize that the two comedians can generate enough genuine laughs on their own , and does n't insert a distracting plot to back them up . life is , in a sense , one great balancing act with murphy on one end and lawrence on the other . amazingly , the scale never tips in either 's favor due to the marvelous chemistry and wonderful contrast that each actor allows the other . as the movie opens , we 're introduced to ray gibson ( eddie murphy ) , a two - timing pickpocket who schmoozes his way into a club . there he meets a successful businessman named claude banks ( martin lawrence ) . somehow , after multiple contrivances , the mismatched pair find themselves on their way to mississippi on a moonshine run . when all is said and done , ray and claude have been framed for a murder that was actually committed by the town sheriff . hence the setting of life : mississippi state prison , where the main characters come to realize their unlikely friendship is important , and become set on finding an fool - proof escape plan . the film takes us from the 30 's all the way to the 90 's , presenting a difficult task in showing how the aging process affects ray and claude . luckily , rick baker handles the makeup effects of the two actors in a fantastic , academy award caliber manner . not only do we believe the characters look as if they 're 90 years old , but they sound like it , too . murphy and lawrence are completely convincing in the lead roles , even as crotchety old cons bickering over a game of cards . this is just one of the pleasant surprises that the film has tucked up it 's sleeve . while the ads are marketing life as a straight arrow comedy , there is a hefty amount of dramatic material hidden at it 's core . but the comedic aspects work wonderfully , wisely drawing strength from the talents of the two stars . the movie is more of a comedy than it is a drama , but in both senses , it 's an overwhelming delight . i could say a few bad things about the movie , but i do n't want to . it 's such a nice surprise , such a great vehicle for eddie murphy and martin lawrence , that it warrants a huge smile as the credits begin to roll .

1POS

cinematically speaking , gordon parks ' original 1971 _ shaft _ is not a great film . a bit slow at times and more than a little rough around the edges as it builds to its climactic explosion of violent action , this spirited but formulaic yarn that initially brought ernest tidyman 's " black private dick that 's a sex machine to all the chicks " to the big screen hardly qualifies as groundbreaking filmmaking . yet nearly 30 years after its original release -- and long after the genre it spawned , " blaxploitation , " died with that decade -- the 1971 _ shaft _ remains an extremely entertaining watch , never having completely escaped pop culture consciousness . the reason for this is the same one that explains the film 's connection with moviegoers far beyond the target african - american audience : the title character of john shaft . while the fact that the strong , smart , virile , and superbly suave shaft is black is the primary factor for his historical and cultural significance , his broad - based appeal stems from an idea that transcends race : he is comfortable , confident , and proud about who he is , and anyone who had a problem with that could simply kiss his ass . this fact also explains why john singleton 's y2 g revival of john shaft is as enjoyable as it is . much like the film that started the franchise , this _ shaft _ 's plot does n't score points in the originality department , but the energy level and smooth attitude distinguishes it from standard crime thrillers . contrary to what has been reported over the past few months , this _ shaft _ is not a remake of the original film , but more of a sequel / spinoff . the star audiences know and love from the original film and its first two sequels ( 1972 's _ shaft's_big_score ! _ and 1973 's _ shaft_in_africa _ ) , richard roundtree , once again plays john shaft , who still runs a private investigation firm in new york city . however , the focus of the film lies on his same - named nephew ( samuel l. jackson ) , who , as the film begins , is a cop whose take - no - crap demeanor constantly leaves him at odds with his superiors . when a privileged young man named walter wade jr . ( christian bale ) accused of a brutal , racially - motivated murder is allowed to be released on bail , a disgusted shaft leaves the force and decides to take matters into his own hands as a p. i. but that 's easier said than done , for also standing in the way of shaft and his way of justice is peoples hernandez ( jeffrey wright ) , a dominican gangster who is hired by walter to rub out waitress diane palmieri ( toni collette ) , the only eyewitness to his crime . peoples -- or , rather , wright is also the big obstacle in jackson 's way toward commanding this film . peoples is more of an outrageous comic character for most of the running time , and wright is insanely funny during these stages . however , he is n't so funny as to make the character come off as goofy and buffoonish , and peoples ' eventual turn to more serious villainy is seamless and believable ( which probably would not have been the case had he been played by original casting choice john leguizamo , who bowed out before filming ) . it 's no easy task to steal a film from the jackson ( who is his usual captivating , charismatic self here ) , but that 's exactly what wright does -- and makes it seem effortless . then again , with such a talented ensemble surrounding him , it is not too surprising that jackson 's impressive star turn does n't quite tower over the rest ; he is strongly complemented not only by wright but all his other co - stars . bale has already proven his ability to play an uppity killer in _ american_psycho _ , so it only follows that his performance as a similar , less exaggerated character would be spot - on . collette lends the film some convincing and welcome dramatic weight as the frightened , conflicted diane . busta rhymes brings some good laughs as shaft 's sidekick rasaan . registering not as strongly -- but through no fault of their own -- are vanessa williams ( as tough narcotics cop carmen vasquez ) and a dismayingly underused roundtree ; they simply are given little to do in the script credited to richard price , singleton , and shane salerno . ( jackson also has little to " do " in a sense ; some throwaway footage during the opening credits aside , his shaft does n't even have one sex scene . ) that singleton once again proves his ability with actors is an especially good thing since he 's not really an action director . this is not to say that he does a bad job with the numerous gunfights and the requisite foot and car chases . they move well ( as does the film as a whole ) and are reasonably exciting ; it 's just that there 's nothing terribly inventive about them . these set pieces are functional in the way the script is : they work well enough , but they 're unsurprising and conventional . but if there 's anything that a _ shaft _ movie does well , it 's make the familiar look cool -- and this _ shaft _ keeps that tradition alive . from the slick title sequence -- scored , of course , to isaac hayes ' ever - infectious oscar - winning theme song , which singleton wisely sprinkles throughout the film -- on , the film looks great and easily sweeps the viewer into its world with its energetic bravado . even a common visual trick such as employing fancy wipes for scene transitions not only feels unforced , it feels necessary . style does n't exactly make for a great film , but when it comes to _ shaft _ , that 's of little consequence . what matters above all else is having a good time , and the latest _ shaft _ should be just the first of many fun rides to be had with this bad mutha -- shut your mouth .

1POS

uncompromising french director robert bresson 's " lancelot of the lake " achieves the exact opposite effect of sir thomas malory 's " morte darthur . " instead of enshrining the legend of king arthur and his knights of the round table , it dethrones them by revealing arthur as a weak , ineffectual leader and the knights as a group of jealous , bickering men who failed to live up to the legends prescribed to them . chivalry has no place in " lancelot of the lake , " except as that of a dying ideal . bresson begins his tale as the knights of the round table are returning , decimated , after failing merlin 's command to retrieve the holy grail , the mystical cup that was filled with christ 's blood . bresson immediately gives us his impression of the essential meaning of the grail quest : bloodshed and failure . the opening sequence is a series of clumsy , disjointed fights amongst anonymous knights -- a head is hacked off , a stomach is impaled , a skull is split open , skeletal remains hang from trees , and burning bodies smolder in the ruins of a flaming house . since the film starts with camelot in near - ruin , and takes only an hour and a half to arrive at its inevitable conclusion , it does n't carry the grand , tragic resonance of other arthurian films . we never get to see camelot at the peak of its power , therefore there is no real downfall to witness . but , then again , it is not the name of camelot that is evoked in the title of the film . rather , it is lancelot , and bresson is more interested in the internal battle within his heart , than the external downfall of a kingdom . lancelot has always been a tragic figure in the arthurian tales , and bresson uses him as the central figure to explore the battle between the spirit and the flesh . the greatest of all knights , he was flawed only in his love for arthur 's wife , queen guinevere , and it was that illicit affair that eventually caused the downfall of camelot . even when lancelot attempts to end the affair with guinevere ( laura duke condominas ) , he only finds himself falling back into her arms against his better judgment . he knows it means the destruction of the idealized kingdom , but he is powerless in his passion . when sir mordred ( patrick bernhard ) accuses lancelot of the affair , other knights , including sir gawain ( humbert balsan ) spring to lancelot 's defense . it is this battle within the knights that is the eventual undoing of the round table ; the flesh wins out over the spirit , and the consequences are dire . bresson is an intensely personal filmmaker most interested in the interiors of men 's hearts and minds . " lancelot of the lake " is filled with his particular trademarks : a stripped - down , minimalist style , flat , expressionless dialogue , and a grand use of natural sounds in place of music . he uses background music only twice in the film , during an opening narration segment and during the opening credits . the music here is a heavy drumbeat and accompanying bagpipes , but the rest of the film is scored with natural sounds that punctuate the film 's thematic elements : the incessant clanking and creaking of heavy armor , the neighing of horses , the rhythm of hooves beating down dirt roads , and the natural chirping and whispering of the forest . like most of his other films , bresson employed nonprofessional actors who recite the dialogue in emotionless , flat voices . all the actors he used in " lancelot of the lake " had never acted before , and with the exception of patrick bernhard , they never acted again . never once do they raise their voices or put any emphasis on a given word . instead of using vocal inflection , bresson strove to create emotion through images . in some ways , this technique works ; in other ways , it does n't . the final montage of arthur 's men battling each other is quite marvelous , and the final image of the knights in shining armor reduced to a literal scrap - pile sums up the entire film in one moment . however , other times bresson 's uncompromising methods are distracting and questionable . for instance , during an important jousting contest , bresson films the majority of the action so that the only things visible are the horses ' legs . he does this repeatedly , opening each shot with the same few notes from a bagpipe and the raising of a different flag . while there might be symbolic value in this , the resulting experience of watching it can be bothersome . nevertheless , " lancelot of the lake " is a fascinating cinematic experience boldly made by a master filmmaker . bresson 's style may not be for everyone , but one has to respect his strength as an artist . by re - evaluating the arthurian legends and making them his own , he turns " lancelot of the lake " into something rare in modern cinema : a truly personal film .

1POS

capsule : the best place to start if you 're a jackie chan newcomer . roars along , never stops for breath , and frequently hilarious . to talk about jackie chan as a " stuntman " is to miss a million things . jackie is not only one of the most accomplished and fearsomely unafraid physical adepts on the screen today , but also a very funny guy . he reminds me of the way arnold schwartzenegger * used * to make me laugh -- he 's funny just standing there , copping a look . supercop has jackie making us laugh , scream , duck , root , and gasp for breath , often all in the same scene . it 's actually the third in a loosely related series of movies , each with jackie playing kevin chan , a hong kong policeman who has a knack for getting neck - deep into trouble and then karate - kicking his way out of it . ( the others are also worth seeing . ) it 's a little slow to start , but once it gets moving , it 's a field day . the movie has a fairly sophisticated plot for movies of this kind . kevin is tapped for a dangerous dea assignment to be accomplished in mainland china , which requires him to collaborate with the attractive ( and ass - kicking ) chief fo chinese security ( played here by the ever - enjoyable michelle yeoh ) . there 's a fun chemistry between the two of them , especially in an early scene where she tries to brief him and he keeps making wondering comments about how great she looks in that uniform . kevin is assigned to help spring a known gangster from jail -- all undercover , of course -- and have him lead the two of them to a noted drug boss . the drug boss , however , has problems of his own : his wife 's on trial for many of his own crimes , and she 's got the key to an account with all of his drug funds . this means , of course , endless trouble -- not the least of which is that kevin bumps into his girlfriend while he 's out in the field , and she sees him with this other woman , and . .. but that 's one of the movie 's unique pleasures : the way it crosses from action to comedy effortlessly . action . there is , of course , non - stop action in this movie -- everything from one - on - one kung fu to all - out gun battles to a sppedboat with eight engines ( ! ) outrunning the hong kong coast guard . there is also a virtuoso climax , which features , among other things , jackie danging from a ladder tied to a helicopter , a wrong - way freeway chase ( which requires michelle to do an awesomely difficult handstand stunt ) , a fight on top of a moving train that also involves the ' copter as well as a motorcycle . you get the idea . this is to action movies what a burger with everything on it is to fast food : quick , enjoyable , filling . watch it with friends . when they stop making movies like this , the world will be a tad greyer .

1POS

the calendar year has not even reached its midway point , but that has n't prevented columbia pictures from trotting out a lavish period drama more befitting of the winter oscar - bait season . bille august 's high - profile adaptation of victor hugo 's classic les miserables delivers everything one would expect from a classy hollywood epic -- handsome production values , strong performances by a top - notch cast , a literate screenplay -- with one critically missing element : emotional sweep . for those not familiar with hugo 's original novel or the hit stage musical it inspired , the hook of les miserables essentially boils down to something like a 19th - century french - set version of the fugitive . after serving 19 years in a prison work camp for stealing a loaf of bread , the brutish jean valjean ( liam neeson ) is paroled . immediately upon release , he steals valuable silverware from a kindly bishop who takes him in for a night ; he is caught by authorities , only to be forgiven by the bishop , who lets valjean keep the silver to start a new life on the straight and narrow . that he does , and in doing so breaks his parole , which sets the obsessively determined inspector javert ( geoffrey rush ) , who was one of the guards in valjean 's prison camp , on his trail . thematically , however , les miserables is a story about redemption , which valjean finds through his dealings with two women , the hard - luck factory - worker - turned - prostitute fantine ( uma thurman ) , and her illegitimate daughter , cosette . years after breaking parole , valjean becomes mayor of the town of vigau , where he forms a warm friendship with fantine after saving her from an unjust arrest by javert . valjean promises the gravely ill fantine he will rescue the young cosette ( mimi newman ) from her cruel caretakers , the thenardiers , and raise the child as his own . the " father " and " daughter " eventually land in paris , where the teenage cosette ( claire danes ) falls for dashing student revolutionary marius ( hans matheson ) . the decades - spanning story is the stuff that cinematic epics are made of , and the danish august turns in his most accomplished english - language work , following the underrated 1994 superstar soap the house of the spirits and last year 's stylish but highly preposterous mystery smilla 's sense of snow . he and screenwriter rafael yglesias bring the sprawling tale into clear focus and keep the events moving at a brisk pace . production designer anna asp , costume designer gabriella pescucci , and cinematographer jorgen persson give les miserables a sumptuous period look whose accomplishment is mostly matched by the efforts of the cast . neeson is commanding yet endearingly vulnerable ; rush 's finely modulated menace is far more rewarding than his overrated , oscar - winning theatrics in shine ; and thurman disappears nicely into her highly unglamorous role . the younger members of the cast fare less well . danes is convincing as cosette , but her overdone lip quivering during her crying scenes becomes a distraction ; and matheson , while competent , is a less interesting robert sean leonard . as technically adept and cerebrally engaging the film is , by the time les miserables was over , my emotions had only been superficially involved . while i was touched by valjean 's relationships with fantine and cosette , i was not moved . not even reaching the " touching " level is the cosette - marius pairing . my only previous experience with les miserables is with the musical ( as i am sure many others ' is ) , and i was dismayed to see eponine , a friend of marius 's who selflessly dies in the name of her unspoken love for him , almost completely jettisoned from this adaptation ( the daughter of the thenardiers , here she is only briefly seen as a child ) . her presence would have added some much - needed conflict and emotional heft to the youthful romance , but i suppose august and yglesias felt one tragic heroine ( fantine ) was enough . even so , as 1998 creeps into summer blockbuster season , les miserables is a thoughtful , well - made , entertaining film , one that will sate moviegoers hungry for a dose of drama before popcorn no - brainers invade the multiplex .

1POS

an entertaining 2 hours awaits the audience in this film set in the early 80 's . sevigny and beckinsale play disco chicks alice and charlotte , who are on the lookout for love . alice is mousy , shy , intellectual , charlotte is bitchy , out - going and fun . we join their adventures as they go through a variety of adventures , and men , all to the background of the local disco . whit stillman has both written and directed an interesting and believable story . alice and charlotte are both well written characters , and the actresses who play them are n't bad aswell . sevigny delivers an honest performance , and makes the audience feel for her character . beckinsale plays extreme bitch personified , yet her character never becomes completely unlikeable . the huge supporting cast also play a part in making sure this movie is thoroughly entertaining . the dialogue is sharp and well written , with many funny set pieces . for example , there 's a great discussion about lady & the tramp by the main characters . the disco tunes playing in the background also make sure that this admittedly long film is good fun . the direction is good , bringing out the drama and comedy in the scenes . but their are slight flaws with the movie . firstly , although it is supposedly set in the 80 's , the characters are very , very 90 's . the way they dress and act have a very 90 's feel to them . although the male hairstyles look slightly 80 's , frankly the 80 's atmosphere just was n't conveyed , which is a shame . also , as mentioned above , the film is too long , and some parts do lag . the charm of the characters do help these moments , but generally the editing could of been a bit tighter . the plot also side - tracks into a silly cocaine dealing bust , which seemed out of place in this movie . finally , their are almost too many characters in the film , and despite the running time , the film never really spends enough time on them . some of the characters are very slight , which is a shame . the conclusion , while funny , is also surprisingly weak , and certainly not strong enough . but despite these qualms , the last days of disco is a funny , warm movie , which is certainly worth seeing , and is a fitting homage to the disco era of the 80 's . worth a look . overall rating= review by david wilcock ? 1998 " you know , for kids " - norville barnes

1POS

gordon fleming ( peter mullan ) is in a bind . he has a new , unexpected baby and his business , hazardous material removal , is in danger of going under . when he and his crew get a job opportunity at the long - abandoned danvers state hospital , he underbids the competition to secure the contract and promises to get the three - week job done in one . it will prove to be a fateful week for them all in " session 9 . " gordo gets the job to remove asbestos and other hazardous materials from the spooky old mental hospital in preparation for relocating town offices there . their guided tour of the facility by a local official , bill giggs ( paul guilfoyle ) , brings them through some of the creepier parts of the former asylum . but , a job is a job and , if they finish in a week , as promised , there is a $ 10000 bonus in store . as they get down to their work , things , normal and not so normal , begin to happen . gordon hears a disembodied voice beckoning him . phil ( david caruso ) is conflicted working with a guy , hank ( josh lucas ) , who is seeing his old girlfriend . mike ( co - screenwriter steven gevedon ) has discovered a cache of audiotapes and transcripts from old psychiatric sessions ( hence , the title ) with inmate mary hobbs , a multi - personality patient with a dark secret . gordo 's nephew , jeff ( brendan sexton iii ) , suffers from night phobia and is afraid to venture into the dark bowels of the hospital . as the agreed upon week draws to an end , hank mysteriously disappears from the workplace after a nocturnal confrontation with someone ( something ? ) in the hospital . tensions mount and distrust build among the rest as they watch their chance for the bonus start to slip away . but , there is more , much more , at stake as the hospital and its history of insanity weigh on them all . i do n't want to give away too much of the story of " session 9 , " so i 'll stop there . what we have here is a spooky horror flick that uses none of the jump - out - at - you - from - the - dark cheap shots that have become part and parcel with horror films since the advent of " halloween " and " friday the thirteenth . " there is no cat leaping out of the dark or the shock of suddenly seeing oneself in a strategically placed mirror . with the exception of one shadowy and chilling image at one point spooky interlude in the film , there is little that you can get your arms around as far as what , specifically , is " frightening . " as i watched " session 9 " i became aware of the subtle things that built up during the story that make it a true horror movie . the striking high - definition video camera work by uta briesewitz ( who worked with the director , brad anderson , on his " next stop wonderland " ) helps to build up tension with close - ups , fluid camera movement and odd angles in a way that would make alfred hitchcock proud . music , too , is used to intense effect , joining with the camera to make simple scenes frightening , even horrifying . couple these tech feats with an intelligent story that uses elements of " the shining , " " the blair witch project " and , even " the texas chainsaw massacre " and you get a decent , intriguing horror flick . additionally , the brilliant decision to shoot at danvers state hospital gives the film another starring character , the institution itself , which lends even more chills to the equation . acting is another factor that raises " session 9 " above the usual dreck presented in recent horror hits like " scream , " " i know what you did last summer " and their sequels . those films took good - looking , though generic , young actors and actresses and put them to use to build up a body count , substituting mayhem for real horror . anderson opted , instead , to use mature , experienced actors like peter mullan and david caruso to fill his characters ' shoes and the difference in casting quality is notable . mullan , in particular , puts an arc on his character , gordon , as the troubled guy who slowly and inexorably falls under the pressures of family , job and , finally , danvers state hospital . the rest of the small cast fit the bill as people , not just fodder for the mayhem . david caruso , as gordo 's senior man and near equal in the business , shows just how good an actor he is . he made the jump from tv 's " nypd blue " to film far too soon and his decisions in the roles he took ( i 'll never forget the horrendous " jade " ) were less than star making . he rolls his sleeves up and does the job well here . gevedon , lucas and sexton are more than fodder , too . the only problem with " session 9 " lay in the uninspired ending . it takes on a fairly conventional finale that covers old ground and is a bit of a disappointment after the terrific ( and inspired ) build up . the pleasure is getting there and i wish that anderson and gevedon had kept up the steam they had so ably built during the bulk of the film " session 9 " is an unusual feat . it is scary , does n't use cheap tricks and raises goose bumps with its intelligently rendered , subtle horror . because of the local interest of danvers , it should do well with the northeast crowd . i hope it gets the national distribution it deserves . i give it a b+ .

1POS

the latest epos from lars is a blast , although a rather moody one . this lovestory is situated in a small town in the rough dreary cliffs in the vestern part of scotland in the 1970 something . the church ( calvinistic ) is so strict that the church bells has been removed from the clocktower , they are considered being too unrestrained . in these surroundings we find the to - be - weds jan and bess , played by stellan skarsgaard and the remarkable new movie actress emily watson . jan is on leave from the oilrig and bess . . is just bess , a bit naive and innocent ( in every aspect of the word ) , at first . at the wedding party we are told an anecdote , illustrating her infinite kindness , she once lend a bike to an stranger , her best friends bike however . but bess is suffering in this scary religious society . we soon take part in a funeral where a man , fallen off the orthodox path , is laid to rest while doomed to hell . women are not allowed to attend funerals or speak up in the church . when the end of the honeymoon approaches we see bess idolizing jan in such an intend , almost manic , that her friends try to calm her down a bit . the time has come when jan is to return to the rig , bess is falling into the darkness of depression , her yelling of grief and sorrow are heard above the breaking of the waves . she ca n't stand the thought of life without her husband . we witness her dialogues with god ( she speaks both parts , paranoia ? ) convincing god to return jan from the oilrig , and her prayers are heard . an accident on the rig bring him back , paralysed from the neck and down . now he ca n't satisfy her need for physical love , he try to persuade her into finding a lover , with the ulterior motive to make her describe these affairs to him in every detail . at first she resist , but her love for jan and his assurance that this will make him recover more rapidly make her comply . imagine what this is doing to the poor girl ? the story is cleverly divided into eight chapters parted by beautiful pictures made by danish artist per kirkeby , accompanied by music from the era ; procol harum , deep purple , t - rex and others . the use of hand - held camera and lack of any make - up make the characters solid and help to separate this movie from others in the sentimental genre . the incredible performance from the actors makes the movie brilliant , though a bit too gloomy for my taste . i would say that it is in the genre of betty blue ( 37 . 2 le matin ) and bitter moon ( lunes de fiel ) . emily watson as bess and katrin cartlidge as her best friend dodo deliver outstanding performances , this must be the reason for giving it the " grand prix du jury " in cannes this year ( although we had hoped for the " palme d'or " ) . the screenplay is now available in print , the transformation being made in the period from ultimo may to july , just in time for the danish premiere .

1POS

anastasia contains something that has been lacking from all of the recent disney releases . .. ( especially hercules ) . .. emotion . all the wacky characters voiced by celebrities and fantastically animated adventure sequences are n't going to hold anyone 's interest unless there is an emotional core to hold it all together . not since disney 's beauty & the beast has there been such a compelling animated film with interesting characters and drama that works . the story of the romanov family , the rulers of russia , and their downfall begins the film . anastasia , one of the daughters , narrowly escapes the mad monk rasputin ( voiced by christopher lloyd ) with her grandmother ( voiced by angela landsbury ) . but anastasia gets lost , and grows up with no memory of her royal origins . the grandmother lives in paris , hoping to someday find her beloved anastasia , the only member of the family to survive the russian revolution . a young woman named anya ( voiced by meg ryan ) runs across dimitri ( john cusack ) and vlad ( kelsey grammar ) , who are trying to put together a scheme to create an anastasia to fool the grandmother and get the reward money . they pick anya to pose as their princes , and of course , it is soon revealed that anya is in fact the lost anastasia . dimitri realizes that he can never win her love as he is a commoner , and meanwhile , rasputin is not dead , and plots his revenge against the last romanov . the plot is actually quite well structured . there are a lot of complexities that may have to be explained to the kids later , but it moves along fast enough that they 'll never have time to be bored . what this really means is that the adults wo n't be bored by it either . there is a great deal of banter between anya and dimitri that is very funny , and their relationship develops quite naturally as the film progresses . there is , of course , lots of comedy for the kids , including rasputin 's pet bat , bartok ( hank azaria ) , who is easily the funniest thing in the film . however , the comical scenes never distract from the drama , but are worked into the plot almost seamlessly . the animation is gorgeous - the characters seem to come to life through the talented animators . not since beauty & the beast have animated characters had so much life to them . even without the voices , they act . the musical number in paris is a show - stopper , with some of the backgrounds rendered in an impressionist painting style . as with all recent animated features , there are songs , however , these songs do more than just provide fodder for top-40 singers to get on the radio ( although there are three of them during the end credits ) . the songs are all very catchy , and advance the plot , instead of just being showpieces ( except for the paris number , but that 's so much fun , it 's okay . .. ) . i ca n't reccomend anastasia highly enough . it 's a wonderful film that ranks right up there with other animated classics . kids and adults alike will enjoy it , and it 's also nice to have a quality animated feature film from another studio besides disney .

1POS

i can hear the question already . what on earth do these two movies have in common ? to most people , not a lot , except that both are by renowned directors . as i saw them , however , both movies have flawed romantic scripts wrapped in distinctive packaging of lavish visuals musical numbers . but oh , how differently the packages affect their films . while " everyone 's " production numbers make an otherwise ordinary woody tale something special , jane campion 's imaginative visuals only serve to emphasize how pompous and uninvolving laura jones ' script is . i left " everyone says i love you " not remembering a lot about who loved whom , but its infectious happiness put a grin on my face . i left " the portrait of a lady " not remembering a lot about who loved whom , and i could have cared less . " everyone " features nothing allen has n't done before storywise . woody is again desperately in love with a beautiful woman ( roberts ) , and against the odds they manage to click for awhile before allen is left wondering what went wrong -- again . similar situations happen to his family and friends . some of the more outlandish comedy scenes even hark back to his " early , funny " films . the scenes between tim roth and drew barrymore could have come out of " take the money and run , " his directorial debut . however , nothing allen has ever done prepared me for this one - of - a - kind display of sheer good spirits . in fact , in this movie , the feeling itself is what 's most important . yes , the movie would have been better -- among his very best , i think -- if it had a meatier story . but what it lacks in substance it makes up for in feeling . and what better way to express feeling than through music ? love is often best expressed in a song , and the numbers the cast break into here cut straight to the heart . some are a tad too goofy , such as the number where a lot of ghosts prance around in a funeral parlor , but i admired allen for even putting them in there . it also helps that as usual , allen has a top - flight cast working with him . their singing voices range from quite good ( goldie hawn ) to not quite good ( allen ) to literally unlistenable ( barrymore , whose real voice was dubbed by a professional ) . but while their vocal abilities differ , all the actors do a great job of putting joy up there on the screen , and making it rub off on the audience . granted , some people will simply never accept characters singing in movies , but for those attuned to it , this film should work wonders . jane campion , too , has a top - flight cast working for her in " portrait of a lady , " too , but even their considerable skills can do nothing to keep the film from being a stilted , virtually lifeless mess , albeit a visually interesting one . campion and her cinematographer stuart dryburgh come up with a great variety of eye - filling images that linger in the mind . unfortunately , what did n't linger in the mind for me was the story the visuals were supposed to be reflecting . i remember very well shots of a train with its light beaming and shots of men vanishing around nicole kidman , but i can remember very little of what happened between all these people . even worse , i do n't find myself feeling bad that i 've forgotten . the problem , i think , lies not with the cast , which seemed to be trying very hard for the material . it was the script that could n't convince me to care about anyone . the characters were putting out all kinds of emotion , but i found no reason to connect with any of them . i understood that the story was about cold , emotionally vacant characters , but for me to care about them , i have to identify with them somehow and want them to inject feeling into their lives . jones ' script never simply gave me that opportunity . in the end , it almost seemed as if campion was trying to inject some life of her own into the proceedings with her visual flourishes . unfortunately , as she kept painting these dazzling pictures , they only served to push me further away from the material and remind me that there was no connection between me and the film . in the end , the movie 's one strength ended up hurting it . so here we have two films with pretty uninteresting plots , and yet i was able to truly enjoy one of them . why ? with both films , my head cared about neither story , but only " everyone says i love you " was able to make my heart sing .

1POS

you 've got to think twice before you go see a movie with a title like maximum risk . the title is generic . it 's meaningless . and i ca n't believe it 's good business . when you pick up the phone and dial 777-film , how in the world are you supposed to remember that the new jean - claude van damme movie , the one that looked kind of cool in the trailers and is directed by some chinese hot shot , is called , geez , maximum risk ? yuck . the movie itself deserves your attention . for sweet bloody thrills , this one beats the summer blockbuster competition hands - down . only mission : impossible came close to delivering as skillful a thriller , and i 'll give maximum risk the edge simply because it 's not as slick as the tom cruise picture , and therefore more gratifying in its execution . much to my surprise , van damme continues to develop as a pleasant , unpretentious action hero . his track record is n't as solid as schwarzenegger 's , but he 's a hell of a lot more adventurous than arnold . in 1993 , van damme worked with hong kong 's premier hardcore action director , john woo , on a fairly lame movie called hard target . ( if you can find a bootleg copy , woo 's radically different director 's cut is much better than what was eventually released . ) this follow - up is directed by ringo lam ( city on fire , full contact ) , whose hong kong films are distinguished action pictures that have consistently played second fiddle to woo 's more operatic offerings . the surprise here is that maximum risk is a more effective hollywood action flick than either hard target or woo 's subsequent broken arrow . here 's the rundown . van damme plays a french cop named alain moreau who is shaken when a policeman friend ( jean - hugues anglade ) finds a corpse that 's alain 's exact double . turns out alain was separated at birth from his twin brother , michael , who has been killed by some russian heavies ( and some strangely american looking cops ) . alain does some investigating . he finds that michael had booked a flight to new york city , and received a message from someone there named alex bohemia . assuming michael 's identity , alain flies to new york and gets tangled up with michael 's girlfriend ( natasha henstridge ) , the fbi , and the russian mob in little odessa . that 's as much as you need to know . the story is adequate , but not overly involving -- and the major plot points are basically explained to you twice , just in case you go out for popcorn at the wrong moment . there 's a love story , too , but i did n't find it terribly convincing , partly because ex - model henstridge is too high - strung in her high - profile debut ( she had precious few lines as the alien ice queen in species ) . she 's great to look at , and she can certainly read a line , but what she does here ca n't really be described as " acting . " of course , " acting " is n't really what she was hired for ( i lost track of whether her shirt comes off more often than van damme 's ) . the movie is exceptionally violent , bordering on gratuity . ( keep that in mind when planning your date . ) the stunts are spectacular , and the fact that you can spot van damme 's stand - in makes his work no less impressive . there 's only so much you can do with a car wreck , but this movie makes crisp , effective use of pile - ups in a handful of frenzied destruction derbies . and lam has a surprising , innovative sense of exactly where the camera should go to catch any bit of action . the main difference between lam and woo , i believe , is that while woo relies on sheer spectacle to gas up his action show pieces , lam has figured out more about using cinematic space and double - barreled points of view to make things run . do n't get me wrong -- when chow yun - fat soars through space pumping bullets out of two pistols and chewing on a toothpick with glass and confetti littering the air around him in woo 's hard - boiled , it 's an amazing moment . but it 's a moment that 's hard to reproduce in hollywood . ( for one thing , hollywood does n't yet have chow yun - fat ! ) while woo 's hollywood movies look like the work of a talented upstart , maximum risk is a surprisingly confident picture . the very first shot of the film is an awkward overhead view of a chase through the streets of a european city , but lam 's use of odd camera angles becomes more efficient later on . the film editing is a particularly savvy complement to lam 's shooting style , accentuating rather than amplifying the action . the performances could have used some fine tuning ( in particular , there 's an annoying , overwritten manhattan cab driver in the early scenes who should have been toned down or jettisoned completely ) , and the movie does n't always overcome the limitations of its genre . the story is a little mundane , although there are some effective moments involving van damme 's unrequited feelings toward the brother he never knew he had . but it 's not often that hollywood cranks out a truly satisfying action picture , and it 's doubly surprising that this one should come with a mere whisper of publicity . van damme fans should treat themselves to what may well be the man 's best movie , and international action buffs will no doubt savor this flavorful hong kong / hollywood hybrid .

1POS

in many ways , " twotg " does for tough - guy movies what la confidential did for police stories . there 's savviness in its writing and a mature patience in allowing the material to unfold . but , i suppose , we would n't expect less from christopher mcquarrie , who was responsible for giving us " the usual suspects " . his writing talents are still in tact as he brings to us a bloody yet intellectual tale of two unabashed but dimwitted thugs and a plan gone awry . the two goons are parker and longbaugh ( ryan phillipe and benicio del toro ) . these two men show the hardened wear of those who have always had it tough . their troubled youths have forged two nihilistic souls who use their amazing gunplay skills to survive . given the choice of minimum wage or petty crime , they 'll always choose the latter . yet , they are incredibly foolish planners . actually , these two never really have a plan . they just improvise along the way , hoping that their bravado and arsenal of guns will take care of anything that they might have overlooked . their next scheme , which they cook up about as fast as a mcdonald 's burger , is to kidnap some surrogate mother named robin ( juliette lewis ) that was hired by some well - to - do family . if all goes well , they 'll receive a nice bit of ransom money and life goes on . what parker and longbaugh do not realize is that robin is carrying a baby for the chidduck family , whose patriarch is a feared crime boss . moreover , two bodyguards ( nicky katt and taye diggs ) constantly escort her . these two protectors find an eerie sense of pleasure when being confronted and tested in life and death situations . they would rather die than fail ; thus their bravado level is equally high . but it seems that the testosterone levels of parker and longbaugh are a bit higher , and they employ some unusual but fun - to - watch tactics to pull off the kidnapping and to outrun the pursuers in a sort of slow - motion car chase down a series of alleyways . the next hour or so , we watch the chidduck camp regroup and assess their situation . during this time , additional plot lines come into play and more and more details are revealed . because the chidduck 's can not go to the police and because of the special circumstances involving the kidnapping , we are introduced to more characters that will help to influence the outcome . we discover that not everyone in the chidduck camp is loyal to the cause . as a result , there are undercurrents of a conspiracy , and elements of betrayal and subterfuge . the sepia - toned atmosphere is made all the more fascinating thanks to a terrific soundtrack which emits velvet forebodings , shrills of intrigue and crescendos that tell us of life and death situations that are about to occur . the momentum and the coolness of the film , however , begins to fizzle in the last 30 minutes , which featured an overly extended shootout where our two desperados try to make their way off with the ransom money . you can expect lots of bloodletting and an odd denouement . in fact , you may admire this film more than you like it . yet , for the most part , " the way of the gun " stays on target . it feels cool with its elements of conspiracy and gunplay , and smart for its invective dialogue and tough guy poetry .

1POS

marie ( charlotte rampling , " aberdeen " ) and jean ( bruno cremet , " sorcerer " ) are a comfortable , sixty - ish married couple looking forward to a peaceful vacation at their second home in lit et mix . on their first , full day , marie sunbathes as jean goes for a swim . hours later , marie 's initiated a full scale search when jean has n't returned , but no trace of him is found . marie returns to paris and resumes her life , including chats with jean at the end of each day in francois ozon 's " under the sand . " marie 's ex - pat british friend amanda ( alexandra stewart , " frantic " ) and her french husband gerard ( pierre vernier ) try to snap marie out of her denial with a dinner party , where they introduce her to the handsome vincent ( jacques nolot , " nenette et boni " ) , yet marie suggests that gerard accompany her and jean to their gym the next morning . eventually marie does begin dating vincent , but she discusses him with jean and even smiles at jean , hidden behind a bedroom curtain , when she makes love to vincent . slowly , though , reality continues to chip away at marie 's fantasy life . her bank advises her that without access to jean 's account , she needs to reduce her spending . one of her university students ( she 's reading virginia woolf 's " the waves " ) turns out to be one of the young men who participated in the beach search . then police arrive asking her to identify the clothing of a body they 've found washed up from the ocean . that night , jean 's not at home when she returns to their apartment . her mother - in - law ( andree tainsy ) cruelly insists that jean simply abandoned her out of boredom . finally , marie goes to the police , insisting on viewing the body . horrified ( she 's been warned it was in an advanced state of putrefaction ) , she laughs when handed a bagged watch , insisting that this is not her husband . " under the sand " is a character study and melancholy portrait of aging ( ' i 've lost my youth , ' marie declares ) and loss . charlotte rampling , given the chance to portray an older , yet still sexual , woman runs with it , bringing us into the mind of the character . her chemistry with bruno cremet is startlingly natural . as marie returns from her first date with vincent , she sits on the couch with jean . ' did he kiss you ? ' he asks . the mood the two create is incredibly intimate and sad . ozon ( " water drops on burning rocks , " " see the sea " ) , who cowrote the script with emmanuelle bernheim , marcia romano , and marina de van , has turned in a more mature work than his previous , creepy " see the sea . " while he cleverly never lets us see jean enter the water that fateful day , leaving a number of possibilities - accident ? , suicide ? , escape ? - open , he definitely tips his hand towards a certain outcome . cinematography by antoine hiberli and jeanne lapoirie ( " water drops on burning rocks " ) glides around marie ( their 180 shot as she initially searches the ocean 's horizon for a sign of jean conveys her panic ) or captures rampling 's exotic face in mood divining closeup . in an inventive fantasy scene , marie imagines jean 's hands massaging her feet while in a state of auto - arousal . his two hands become four , then more combined with her own , becoming almost a one person orgy and recalling roman polanski 's " repulsion . " original music by philippe rombi quietly adds to the overall melancholy . " under the sand " is a unique portrait of loss . it would make an fascinating double bill with liv ullmann 's " faithless " from earlier this year , another character study of a woman facing loss for different reasons .

1POS

is it just me , or have disney films gradually lost their appeal ? i was almost stunned by the quality of " who framed roger rabbit ? " , a fun , unique look at a world where cartoons and people lived together . " the little mermaid " harkened back to , and perhaps surpassed , the classic disney animations from the first half of the century . however , the endless stream of " the little mermaid " wanna - be 's is getting to me . you know the spiel : a lame plot recycled from some well - known story , colorful , almost psychedelic animation , the lead character who learns a valuable moral lesson , the comedic sidekick / sidekicks , the seemingly unattainable love interest , a few catchy songs , a few in - jokes for adults , and the occasional out of place warner - brothers - coyote - fall - off - the - cliff type joke . it 's a formula , and like any formula , it gets tiresome . that 's why i 'm delighted to hear that disney recently picked up the international distribution rights to the works of ghibli , a japanese cartoon studio . from what i 've seen of their movies ( " kiki 's delivery service " and the already english - dubbed and american- distributed " my neighbor totoro " ) , foreign audiences are in for a treat . these movies , particularly " kiki 's delivery service , " are wonderfully original and entertaining . " kiki 's delivery service " starts with an unusual premise : kiki , upon hearing forecasts of clear skies , decides it is time for her to leave home . this is unusual because kiki is n't a college student or a young adult making her start on the world , but a thirteen year old girl eager to begin her training as a witch . her mother is also a witch , and as thirteen is the obligatory age for such training , her parents treat her leaving understandingly and put up only token resistance . just the idea of a witch heroine may scare away some audiences , but no mention is made of the occult , and the subject is dealt with harmlessly throughout the movie : kiki 's mother acts as a village doctor , and kiki is able to do no more than fly on a broom . kiki must choose a city to move to , and what she chooses is the co - star of the movie : a german seaport town , far removed from the country life she has been used to . initially lost in the impersonal hugeness of her surrounding , she 's discouraged , and unable to support herself though her rudimentary skills as a witch . on the verge of leaving for a new town , she uses her power of flight to deliver a pacifier to a baby who dropped it . the favor eventually blossoms into her working as a courier , a one - persons delivery service . this is where the movie becomes shockingly good . kiki 's job is a catalyst for her realizing the beauty of the city and the world around her . the townspeople she is put in contact possess an inner worth that does n't seem forced or artificial , but merely derived from looking at ordinary people in a different light . they 're three- dimensional , impossible to quickly evaluate , possessing of faults , and understandably reserving in kindness towards a strange girl . however , each one has something about them , some interest or trait , that makes them interesting and unique . the personal beauty of the citizens is complimented by the beauty of the surroundings : the seaport town genuinely looks impressive , capturing the european charm of a medieval city adapted to the more modern needs of the 1950 's . this beauty is beauty with depth ; for every detail left in , dozens are only hinted at . i could probably go on all day , but i wo n't ; suffice it to say that many of these minor details could have been the highlight of the movie . some of my favorites are kiki 's relationship with the baker 's husband : although he 's quiet , never shown speaking to kiki throughout the movie , and he initially scares her , his kindness wins her friendship . in the garage of a deliveree 's house can be found a vintage model t. two old ladies have a relationship evolving from master - servant to friend - friend . such details gives the impression that the beauty shown in the movie is only the tip of the iceberg . added on top of this is a lesson on the importance of self - worth . kiki initially seems to derive much of her self - worth from the beauty of her surroundings and the people around her , but an encounter with a rude girl crashes down her bewonderment , making her question the importance of such beauty . this causes kiki to lose faith in herself . however , kiki comes to realize not only the beauty of her surroundings , but the innate beauty inside her . seeing kiki regain faith in herself is marvelous , and the principal device used to do it is so sublime that i do n't even want to hint at it . the ending of the movie has a subtle charm combined with a sense of awe and , ironically , the most disney - esque moment i 've ever seen ; if you do n't hold your breath in wonder you might want to get medical attention . the movie steers free of many of the disney conventions : there is no violence , however cartoonish , no song - and - dance number , and kiki 's pet cat jiji is more a friend than a comedic sidekick , although jiji is given many funny lines and scenes . however , i would be surprised if disney does n't give jiji more jokes , or at least the voice of some comedian . refreshingly enough , the moral lesson of the movie is not self - contradicted , a habit disney movies have gotten into . " beauty and the beast " 's beautiful belle , for instance , learned that beauty was derived from a person 's inside , and was then rewarded by having the beast turn into a handsome prince in snazzy clothing . kiki , on the other hand , learns to separate her wardrobe from her self - image , and nothing more is made of her early desires for better clothing than illustrating her increased maturity at the end of the film . another difference with disney movies is in the style of animation for " kiki 's delivery service " : not as colorful and dynamic as disney animation can be , but with a greater attention to realism and detail , it fits the movie to a t. this is particularly true with scenes of kiki 's flights . the extreme realism of the birds in flight near kiki is magnificent to behold , and helps these scenes capture the wonder of flight better than any other film i 've ever seen . i 'm not sure when or how this movie will be released in the united states . disney tentatively plans a theater release of " monoko hime " shortly following the summer ' 97 japanese release , and should start releasing the other ghibli films after that . i 'd guess that some will be released on video and some will be theatrically released in peak seasons with no competing disney release . although the wait is unfortunate , it 's good to know that it 's being released at all , for " kiki 's delivery service " is definitely a movie worthy of widespread promotion and release . watch this movie . along with " man bites dog , " and perhaps something by woody allen , this is the best movie i 've ever seen .

1POS

insane ( but inspired ) musical about alferd packer , the first man ever tried for cannibalism in america . as the story unfolds we learn what events led to packer ( trey parker ) supposedly killing and eating the five men who got lost while accompanying him through the mountains of colorado in search of gold . throughout , packer must contend with evil trappers bent on stealing his prized horse , a tribe of ` ute ' indians that does n't seem quite on the mark , and a terrible winter storm that leads to the eventual cannibalism . parker obviously knows his musicals very well , because the viewer is also treated to some of the most maddeningly catchy songs to appear in a film ( he would accomplish this again in his post - cannibal ! musical motion picture , south park : bigger , longer , and uncut ) . apart from the inherent interest of seeing a pre- " south park " parker and stone in their first effort , cannibal ! also offers up some pretty decent laughs . the aforementioned ` ute ' indian tribe that packer 's group encounters is a definite highlight , as are two rousing musical numbers about snowmen ( one of which ends on a comedically deadly note ) . stone 's humphrey character steals the show , especially when complaining about the prospect of having to ` eat butt ' or revealing what 's underneath his muff cap . jason mchugh 's character of mr . miller is the stand out performance though , as he offers a hilarious dissenting voice to the proceedings . as i mentioned before , parker 's songs are very catchy . you 'll be hard pressed to get ` it 's a shpadoinkle day ' out of your head once you 've heard it ( incidentally , the braniff logo that appears at the end of every " south park " episode is scored with a few notes from this song ) . other songs you 'll find yourself humming include ` when i was on top of you ' ( a love ballad ) , ` the trapper 's song ' ( the villains leit motif ) , and ` hang the bastard ' ( the rousing finale ) . thankfully , none of these songs are quite as embarrassing to find yourself singing in public as south park : bigger , longer & uncut 's songs are . released as a pick - up through troma studios , the film is available on videocassette and dvd . the videocassette includes an intro by the beautiful jane jensen and an interview segment with lloyd kaufman , discussing his admiration for parker and stone and the fact that they had been hired for a zucker brothers film ( which turned out to be the hilarious baseketball ) . there are also multiple trailers for upcoming troma films . as for the dvd . .. well , that 's a different story . probably one of the best dvd packages of the year ( and potentially of all time ) , cannibal ! the musical ! the dvd is a massive achievement . presented in 1 . 33 : 1 ( full frame ) only , the disc has the usual troma inclusions : the tour of troma , the troma intelligence test 2 , trailers for upcoming releases , but where the disc truly shines is in its cannibal ! specific extras . the first thing i must note is , the transfer is about as beautiful as any i 've ever seen on any disc . the picture is crisp , clear , and free from any noticeable artifacts . add to that one of the funniest commentary tracks i have ever heard , featuring trey parker , matt stone , jason mchugh , dian bachar , and andy kemler getting drunker and drunker as the track continues and you still have n't scratched the surface of the extras . there 's also behind the scenes footage of the shooting of the film , a clip with trey , matt , and lemmy ( of the band motorhead ) from the film terror firmer , an index for easy location of all of the songs in the film , and finally , an index of all the songs as performed by the cast of a stage production of cannibal ! . it 's good to see this film finally get the treatment it deserves . kudos to the entire production staff at troma and aix for making one of the most entertaining dvds i have seen in a very long time .

1POS

allen , star of many a brian depalma movie in the early eighties , has a brief , throwaway part towards the end of " out of sight , " as the maid of a crooked financier . in keeping with her past performances , allen wears little more than a green velvet victoria 's secret ensemble which begs the question , did they really need a costume designer for this ? " out of sight " is not likely to secure ms . allen the kind of plaudits bestowed upon pam grier , who likewise returned from out of obscurity to appear in another recent elmore leonard adaptation , " jackie brown , " but it is intriguing to see her name kicking off the " also starring " credits given her limited screen time . the real stars of " out of sight " are george clooney ( " batman & robin " by way of " e. r. " ) and jennifer lopez ( " selena " ) , whose winning chemistry , coupled with steven soderbergh 's freeze - frame directorial technique , help the film retain the charismatic charm of leonard 's original work . with the success of " get shorty " three years ago , filmmakers have realized that adapting an elmore leonard novel can be an easier proposition than trying to dream up a storyline from scratch . in " out of sight , " clooney stars as jack foley , a career criminal who specializes in unarmed robbery -- he just waltzes into banks and politely makes a withdrawal , claiming that his " partner " ( just another customer it so happens ) will shoot the manager if the teller does n't comply . for all of jack 's nice - guy charm though , he 's not very lucky . his latest scam lands him in florida 's glades correctional facility . federal marshal karen sisco ( lopez ) coincidentally arrives at the prison just as jack and his buddy ( ving rhames , typically appealing ) are breaking out . there 's a brief struggle and jack bundles himself and karen into the trunk of the getaway car . it 's in these cramped confines , pressed intimately together , that jack and karen start falling for one another . the mutual attraction continues as the couple on opposite sides of the law slip in and out of one another 's grasp . karen follows jack to detroit , where he 's about to pull off another heist , this time a cache of uncut diamonds from incarcerated businessman richard ripley ( played by a toupee - sporting albert brooks , almost unrecognizable in the prison scenes ) . it 's during this final caper - gone - awry that allen makes her scant appearance . clooney 's range as an actor is limited , but he has undeniable charm . lopez , too , is easy on the eyes , but she demonstrates more depth in her portrayal of karen , a tough yet tender professional . she dispenses with hit men as easily as she out - maneuvers sleazy pick - up artists in a bar . especially cute is a sequence in which karen fantasizes about jack in a motel bathtub . admirably supporting clooney and lopez are don cheadle as fellow felon maurice ' snoopy ' miller , steve zahn as the perennially stoned glenn michaels , and dennis farina as karen 's dad , who affectionately buys her a piece . add a couple of uncredited cameos from " jackie brown " cast members and " out of sight " proves to be a lot of fun . not as hip and clever as " shorty , " perhaps , or as complex and colorful as " brown , " but loads of fun nonetheless .

1POS

synopsis : in phantom menace the galaxy is divided into power groups whose interests will inevitably collide in later sequels . there is an overarching galactic united nations - type organization called the senate presided by a weak chancellor . within the senate two camps are at odds : a bickering , isolationist alliance called the republic and their aggressive rival the trade federation . preserving law and order are a council of jedi knights who are meanwhile searching for a prophesied chosen one of virgin birth . manipulating events behind the scenes is a dangerous , reemerging clan called the dark lords of sith , so shadowy and secretive that they comprise a " phantom " menace . jedi knight qui - gon jinn ( liam neeson ) and his apprentice obi - wan kenobi ( ewan mcgregor ) witness an invasion of teenage queen amidala 's home planet naboo and befriend a gungan named jar jar ( ahmed best ) . on the desert planet of tatooine the two jedi , jar jar , and amidala ( natalie portman ) attend a lengthy drag race involving the young boy anakin skywalker ( jake lloyd ) . the five protagonists try to solicit help for freeing naboo by visiting the city planet of coruscant where a lot of debate and political maneuvering takes place . can they free amidala 's helpless planet ? opinion : on tv last night i watched young , wannabe celebs pay $ 400 a ticket and come running out of theaters to bask in front of news cameras , gushing with testimonials of the phantom menace 's greatness in exchange for a few seconds of being on national television . given this kind of media mania i wondered if phantom menace , the most anticipated movie of 1999 , could possibly live up to the extraordinary hype that preceded it . does phantom menace match the exaggerated hype ? director george lucas answers , " it 's only a movie . " to me , any movie with russian - sounding accents for bad guys , jamaican accents for good guys , and middle eastern - sounding accents for seedy gamblers accents can be expected to be more tongue in cheek than profound . visually , star wars : episode i --the phantom menace ( 1999 ) is a kid show where parents can take their young ones to marvel at child - friendly cgi characters and wondrous backdrops even if the character dialogue ( mostly geopolitics ) is beyond the level of children . it is left to parents to patiently explain the conversation : droid origins , family lineage , the definitions of terms like blockade , appeasement , federation , alliance , symbiosis , satellite - controlled robots et cetera . at least this much is clear : there 's plenty of eye candy , and in the last few minutes it 's good guys and joe camel lookalikes versus a caped , horned red devil character and his mechanical hordes . weaknesses : weaknesses lie in the writing and in the performance . at first it seems like the film is to be an invasion story , but then phantom takes an hour - long detour to cover one chariot race before returning to the invasion theme . this dilutes the central story . additionally , smaller scenes seem written self consciously , as if they were added more to fill us in on extraneous background information for other movies rather than form an integral part of the present movie . veteran actors liam neeson and ewan mcgregor noticeably outperform the other acting leads . better ensemble chemistry between the five leads and background information that is central to a tight story line could have made have given phantom stronger performances and storytelling punch . strengths : on the bright side phantom menace as a big - budget production is far ahead of the competition in terms of making whimsical creatures , worlds and vehicles appear real . the film boasts sophisticated , top - of - the - line visuals and quality exotic costumes , a musical score entertaining enough to stand alone , and three worthwhile sequences in the second half . bottom line ? seeing the film is entertaining and informative , like a visual theme park with star wars filler information serving as dialogue between impressive money shots . we are bound to be completely inundated by star wars publicity , music and tie - ins for the next few months .

1POS

at one point during brian de palma 's crime epic scarface , the radiant michelle pfeiffer turns to a ranting al pacino and pops a question that the audience has no doubt been wanting to ask for themselves : " ca n't you stop saying ' fuck ' all the time ? " fucking good question , that . it may not be an honour that instills the filmmakers with pride , but as far as i can tell oliver stone 's script contains the said expletitive more times than any other film in cinema history . yet it would be a shame if bad language is all de palma 's scarface is remembered for , because this is a damn fine gangstar flick . the overall structure is similar to howard hawks ' 1932 original , but this time the scene has switched to miami , florida and our anti - hero 's chosen vice is cocaine traffiking . pacino , sporting a thick cuban accent , gives one the best performances of his career ( golden globe nominated ) as tony montana , a cuban refugee with a criminal past who flees castro and comes to america to live the american dream . and live it out he does , with lashings of violence , abuse , murder and the funny white powder . from his earliest jobs as a drug runner for various middlemen , tony montana makes it clear to everyone he meets that he 's not a man to be fucked ( sorry ) . soon he 's the king of the cocaine heap , but his hot head and an increasingly out of control drug addiction prove his undoing . " never do your own stash " , warns one character early in the film . as sure as night follows day , the emperor of miami eventually falls . writer oliver stone and director brian de palma make an explosive combination here . stone 's script offers solid storytelling and some fine character development . montana is fascinating ; uneducated but calculating , a straight shooter who speaks from the heart ; an ambitious , violent man yet one with a conscience . a man fiercely protective of his beautiful 20 year old sister , not wanting her to be sucked into the glitzy , dangerous world which he inhabits . pacino is dynamite , taking to the role with a brooding , bristling energy which in his more recent films has often degenerated into just simple overracting . pfeiffer also registers strongly as the gangstar mole with no inner life . only once does tony express real affection for her and his desire to have children , and even then you sense all he really wants is a regular screw and a beautiful object to show off to his friends , and she 's happy to oblige . this is n't as meaty a role for pfieffer as sharon stone 's was in casino , but its an effective one nonetheless and she aquits herself well . as director , de palma sets up a number of dramatic scenes with his typical stylistic brauva . the escalating tension he creates in various mob situations - a drug deal gone wrong , an assination attempt - is often thrilling , and in this respect he is every bit the equal of scorese and coppola . where he differs from , say , coppola 's godfather trilogy is in his overall treatment . coppola gives his crime sagas an operatic sweep , whereas in scarface de palma opts for a grittier feel . and it perfectly suits the material . the only major botch is giorgio moroder 's mostly crap synthesier score . it 's just not right , and unfortunately compromises the impact of some otherwise good scenes . as expected , scarface is very violent at times , but you should n't be watching gangster movies if that upsets you . at over two and a half hours in length it 's a true epic , and if you 're a fan of the genre you 'll love f * * k - filled minute of it .

1POS

for any groom on the verge of proposing marriage to his girlfriend , there are certain rules that he needs to follow . firstly , fill her life with happiness and romance during the courtship . secondly , buy her a beautiful ring that glitters as brightly as her eyes . thirdly , find the perfect moment and location to propose . finally , the groom - wannabe should probably get her parent 's blessing . of these four , the last one can be a nightmare . meeting parents is a rite of passage , fraught with unexpected questions , bouts of nervousness , the reality of being disliked , and the inability to make a positive impression . if you 're lucky , things will go smoothly . but , if you 're greg focker ( ben stiller ) , everything will go wrong . and with a name like that , how could it not ? when greg first meets his fianc ? e 's father , jack byrnes ( the grimacing robert deniro ) , greg immediately feels overwhelmed and is put on the defensive . when he tells jack that he 's a male nurse , the incorrigible dad shoots back , " not many men in your profession , huh , greg ? " it 's definitely not a good start . but greg is determined to win him over , and it 's this desire that fuels the movie . he first takes small steps such as agreeing to say grace before dinner . it does n't matter that he 's jewish . if daddy byrnes asks him to say grace , then that 's what he 's going to gamely do . " oh god . .. you 're such a good god " , he moons . his discomfort at trying to force out a simple prayer will make you chuckle , but when jack gives him the " deniro squint " ( that familiar , unsettling gaze that gives deniro that aura of invincibility ) , it 's pretty hard not to grin . things get progressively worse for greg . and that 's too bad because he 's a genuinely likable guy with a romantic heart . eventually , he begins to try so hard that he starts to mess everything up , committing a host of gaffes that embarrass , humiliate or injure other people . it 's a never - ending ordeal of missteps , miscues , and mistakes . he buys some champagne , but uncorking the bottle leads to disastrous circumstances . he tries to find jack 's missing cat . but his method of solving the problem leads only to more trouble . and there are several other episodes , each one trumping the next in outrageousness . the more our well - meaning beau screwed up , the more the audience groaned in sympathy . we liked greg . and , we liked this movie . " meet the parents " is a farcical comedy that certainly has its moments . just sit back and watch greg get into trouble . no matter what the situation , whether its playing a harmless game of water volleyball or sneaking a smoke on the roof of the house , things will horribly go wrong . we laugh at greg 's expense , but love often makes a person do dumb things , and ben stiller has the knack of playing the romantic fool . deniro is also affable , tough on the outside yet sentimental on the inside . their tug - of - war is often funny , the slapstick is elaborate , and there are several topical throwaway gags ( mostly targeted at the airline industry ) to make this film an amusing yet smart lampoon about future in - laws from hell .

1POS

i like movies with albert brooks , and i really like movies directed and written by albert brooks . lost in america and defending your life are two of my favorite comedies . his humor is of a kind that is not very prevalent in movies today , inundated as we are with films which revel in their aim toward the lowest common denominator . you will rarely see any slapstick in an albert brooks film , while the dialog will not be as oppressive as in some of the independent " talk films " which are finding their way into theaters . the situations in which his characters find themselves are ones we can often identify with , but even if we ca n't , brooks has the talent to make them comfortable , and therefore we laugh . teenagers and jim carrey fans probably wo n't find an albert brooks movie very funny , but people who look for more than what we could find on television probably will . put simply , brooks ' comedy is intelligent . mother is albert brooks ' latest film , and it does not disappoint . brooks plays john henderson , a middle - aged science fiction writer just coming off his second divorce . he makes an attempt at dating , but fails miserably . he then has dinner with his brother jeff ( rob morrow ) , a successful sports agent who seems to live the ideal life . jeff has a good job , a loving family , and most of all , a warm relationship with their mother beatrice ( debbie reynolds ) . after dinner , john witnesses a telephone conversation between jeff and beatrice , and is at the same time amazed and sickened by how hunky - dory the dialog is . in comparison , beatrice always hints at a fault in john and his career every time she talks with him , and john gives it right back to her . at the end of one of their conversations where beatrice has just picked apart john 's life , she says , " i love you , " and john replies with , " i know you think you do . " the thing is , beatrice is not overt with her criticisms , but instead gives them in that mothering way which is tantamount to nit - picking and guilt loading . it 's the kind that goes something like , " yes , dear , i think you do that wonderfully , but . .. . " it seems as though nothing he does makes her happy . there 's always the big but . john believes that his mother is somehow connected to his failed relationships with women , either because of his flawed self - esteem caused by his need for validation , or perhaps because he tends to unconsciously seek out women who remind him of his mother in an oedipal manner . he comes to the conclusion that since his problems are rooted in his boyhood home , he should move back in with his mother for a while just to see what kinds of feelings come out , and by that be able to sort out why his life is the way it is . " a great experiment " , he calls it . brooks ' own brand of humor really shines in this film , especially in the interaction john has with his mother . there 's a scene where john has just arrived at his mother 's house , and after having driven from los angeles to sausalito , and having explained to his mother about the " great experiment " , beatrice asks , " now explain to me again why you do n't want to stay at a hotel . " she still does n't get it , and it is absolutely hilarious . in the same scene , we get little glances at the life his mother leads when she tries to feed him food that is no longer fresh . she apparently buys in great quantities and refrigerates it until the lettuce is wilted and the sherbet is iced over . when john points out the ice on the sherbet , beatrice tells him not to worry about the protective glaze . " you 've named the ice ? " asks john . he 's also surprised at the variety of items beatrice keeps in the refrigerator , such as a twenty - pound block of cheese . " the freezer was a good invention , " says john , " but it 's not supposed to be used for everything . that 's why it 's smaller than the refrigerator . " it 's something most of us find strangely familiar . brooks is also a master at employing the non sequitur . for example , in defending your life , his and meryl streep 's characters are in a comedy club having a discussion . when they 're finished and walk out , brooks cuts to the comic on stage who is just at the point of delivering his punch line , " and so the moral is , if you have to fart , go outside ! " you do n't know what the joke was because you could n't hear him during the entire scene , but i must have laughed for the next five minutes , it seemed so out of context . in this film , brooks uses the same trick a couple of times to open or close a scene . i do n't want to give them away , but suffice it to say they work just as well as they have in the past . john 's purpose for staying with his mother is to learn , and we as the audience learn right along with him . his mother is not the fascinating type to begin with , but as john spends more time with her , we learn things about her personality and her lifestyle that give her depth . watching the character of beatrice unfold is every bit as enjoyable as the humor that accompanies it each step of the way . on screen , brooks does an excellent job playing this kind of character : you get the feeling he often believes he is the only sane person in an insane world . in a way , he 's very much like yosarian of catch-22 , expect with something of an attitude . casting debbie reynolds as beatrice is perfect . she assumes the part with ease , even moving and speaking a little slowly , and is just so adorable it 's hard to get mad at her character . this only helps the audience to share the frustration john feels when dealing with her . as his first choice , brooks originally wanted to lure nancy reagan out from her acting retirement to play beatrice , but the former actress and first lady could not leave her husband , who was beginning to show symptoms of alzheimer 's disease . that may be just as well , since reynolds lends a softness to the character which enhances it immensely . rob morrow also does a good job at playing the younger brother who has always been mother 's favorite and , for all his success in his job and family , is slowly exposed as a mama 's boy . the only things that hold this movie back from being better are a couple of plot holes . a solid connection is not really made between john 's troubles and his reasons for living with his mother . additionally , the end results of the experiment do not necessarily jibe with the stated goals , and although this may have been sloppy screenwriting , how can you be mad at the guy who also wrote this ? : beatrice : you must think i 'm some kind of moron . john : no , i think your someone who thinks i 'm a moron . beatrice : well , it takes one to know one .

1POS

( note : there are spoilers regarding the film 's climax ; the election , of course ) we see matthew broderick , a man torn to a primal state ; he 's been unfaithful to his wife , lied to and manipulated his students , and by the same token they 've demeaned his masculinity , his self - respect , his desperate attempt at changing the world . and yet , he equates the cause of his pain , his torment , with tracy flick ( reese witherspoon ) . no matter how many students have come and gone , and disappointed him as an educator , she 's the real threat . about to give in , and divulge that she 's won by only a lone vote , broderick 's mccalister turns in defeat , sees tracy 's euphoric celebration in the outside corridor and says , ' no ' . the fact that he simultaneously lusts after her ideologically further illustrates that freudian foundation of entitlement which all men , no matter how obscure , have in their relationships ; a traditional expectation of success , to usurp and surpass women as a proverbial industry . she ca n't go higher than him . he wo n't allow it . and what 's amazing about " election " is that every word of that criticism is drawn from a rather opaque metaphor . early in the film we learn that tracy was romantically , and then sexually , involved with a now departed teacher . it 's like payne and taylor , his co - screenwriter , have taken tracy , a girl desperate for friendship , loyalty , and almost perversely drawn the mythological pattern of kids who were so utterly rejected by their peers , that they found sitting at the teachers ' lunch table more fitting , to an unlikely extreme with her as the protagonist . and it 's amazing the compassion that we have ; it seems so real to us , and not merely because it 's happened before , splashed all over the front pages , but , because of the all around " nice " persona of these people , we easily dismiss the truly wayward deeds of the characters . it 's with mandy barnett 's " if you 'll be the teacher " playing winsomely over the closing credits that payne skewers the tenets of his detractors most ; a final , viscous injection of bittersweet irony . sexuality , though , is not the only basis for payne 's satire , or its success . it also makes a telling point about politics , friendship , and class boundaries . satire is required ( or ought to be , anyway ) to take itself seriously , or act so , while the audience does not . it 's a fine line to straddle , but some films ignore it altogether ( " drop dead gorgeous " leaps infuriatingly to mind ) . payne and taylor hit the right chord ; their characters are real people : neither is perfect , but rather both of the leads are flawed , misguided individuals who retain , somewhat , noble intentions at heart . we sympathize with them , but still , as a satire , their idiosyncratic behavior , and their wrongdoing , is taken to an extreme for the audience to knowingly chuckle , but also reflect and meditate , about . minus half a point , though , for payne admitting not to having seen " ferris bueller 's day off " . whatever .

1POS

martin scorsese 's films used to intimidate me . because of his reputation , i felt obligated to appreciate them as deep film art rather than as great flicks . as much as i enjoyed them , i usually felt like i missed something . i learned from scorsese 's casino that whatever techniques he uses are merely there to enhance the story . no mystical interpretation is required to appreciate his movies . for example , in casino he uses subtitles when robert deniro and joe pesci are using code words with each other . there was no meaning more exotic than that subtitles were the most succinct way for him to tell the audience what was really going on . or toward the end , when he uses three quick dissolves to compress a scene of a car backing away from a building . again , the simple , mundane explanation is that it helped the pacing . i do n't mean to say that his techniques are not creative or good - looking . but he simply uses the best tool for the job . it should n't have surprised me , then , that kundun , a film about a mystical religion , actually turned out to be quite straightforward . the movie follows the life of the 14th dalai lama , the spiritual and political leader of tibet . the movie 's title is another name for the dalai lama which means " ocean of wisdom . " his story is told in strict chronological order and there are only a few cinematic visions to embellish the literal story . ( one of which makes an interesting statement : pay attention to the film 's opening shot and watch where it is repeated . ) we first glimpse the dalai lama when he is two years old . his curiosity and self - assuredness capture the attention of a monk wandering in search of the new lama . a test is arranged to see if this boy really is the reincarnation of the 13 dalai lamas who have gone before . several items belonging to the previous dalai lama are laid before the boy alongside some other items . the child is asked if he recognizes any of the items as his own . the boy picks correctly , proving that he is the new , and the old , dalai lama . scorsese and long - time editor thelma schoonmaker were kind enough to allow the possibility that the child was taking his cues from the monk . before selecting an item , he would look at the monk , perhaps for some sort of confirmation . sometimes he picked right the first time , and sometimes he made a second choice . either way , whether through reincarnation or quick human perception , the tibetans were assured of choosing a boy who could be a wise , perceptive leader . > from this point on , the boy is raised as the reincarnation of the lama 's spirit and the future leader of a nation . it is a great weight to put on the mind of a child . in the u. s. it might be grounds for a call to social services . but the young lama accepts his destiny without any apparent emotional damage . neither the great power nor the awesome responsibility keeps him from becoming a genuinely likeable , well - rounded person . certain patterns take shape over the years . for example , the dalai lama is fascinated by technology . radios , clocks , and telescopes are some of his favorite toys . when he is old enough to accept his leadership , he makes plans to modernize isolated tibet . he also has a soft spot for creatures who are suffering or in pain , including herd animals . it 's nearly a running gag that he will buy sheep to keep them from being herded to slaughter . but the most ominous constant throughout his life is the presence and threat of tibet 's gigantic neighbor , china . tibet and its leaders prove correct in fearing china , as , first the propaganda , then the political pressure , and finally the armies , come across their common border . the chinese invasion is so successful that the lama 's life is in danger if he stays . the movie ends when , after much agonizing , the dalai lama leaves tibet for india . the story does n't lead up to a cinematic climax as strongly as most feature films do . it just does n't fit that mold . if it were forced into such a shape it would have been a completely different movie ( perhaps more like seven years in tibet , which is good in its own right ) . the pacing of kundun is more calm and level than that . the structure of the film is made to fit the characters and events , not vice - versa . perhaps because the pace is slower , we have more time to notice the beautiful art , vestments , and architecture of tibet . a mandala , ( tibetan sand painting ) with beautiful , vibrant colors is shown throughout the movie . the robes and hats of state are bright red and gold . the bricks are a rich reddish brown , not unlike the skin tone of the tibetans . even the touchstone pictures logo before the movie ( which is usually light blue ) is the red and gold of tibet . philip glass composed the music for kundun , and he was the perfect choice . for those who do n't know of glass , his music is like a tibetan mandala . his building blocks are lots of small notes , tiny grains of music , which are first grouped , then repeated in patterns . these patterns create interesting textures which are themselves part of a larger composition . people wo n't be flocking to kundun for it 's great ending , or talking about its outstanding plot , but it does have a lot to offer : an interesting lifetime , exotic sights , rich cinematography , and innovative music . it gives interesting insight into tibetan buddhism and takes a warm look at the dalai lama as a person . on top of it all is the cinematic mastery of martin scorsese , who gives the film a strong , beautiful , consistent look .

1POS

robert redford 's a river runs through it is not a film i watch often . it is a masterpiece -- one of the better films of recent years . until 1994 , it was my second favorite film of all time . the acting and direction is top - notch -- never sappy , always touching . a friend of mine once reported that he avoided it because " i was afraid it would just be really politically correct , and tick me off . " all i could do was tell him to go in unbiased , and enjoy . it is one of the few movies that has completely reduced me to tears . but certain memories should not often be rereleased -- in the last few shots , you have to cry . upon my first viewing i left bawling . it is not flawless -- but it is so very good , that you ca n't help but be effected . the opening is dangerously nolstalgic and sentimental -- watching these shots of people who have been dead so long , gives you a feeling of perspective and history observation that you will find in very few other films . martin scorsese once described the movies as a dream state -- like taking dope , and immersing yourself in an alternative world . that is what a river runs through it does . it exploits the unique power of cinema to engross you and help to forget your real self . both times i 've seen it , its been hard ( again to quote scorsese ) waking up . but the dream is lovely .

1POS

richard gere is not one of my favorite actors . however , i like courtroom dramas , and this film looked good enough to take a chance on . i was n't disappointed . it was n't a great film , but it was interesting , and took several unexpected turns . one thing : what 's with the title ? not only is it extremely forgettable , it does n't really have much to do with the film , as far as i could determine . in the long run , it will probably hurt the film , as people wo n't be able to think of or remember it . martin vail ( richard gere ) is a grandiose defense attorney . he loves the money and the fame that go along with defending ( successfully ) rich scum , such as mafia men and drug - dealers . once he sees that the accused killer of a prominent chicago archbishop is a baby - faced alter boy , he wants in on the case , presumably for the press he 'll get . we soon find out that the prosecutor assigned is a former lover , janet venable ( laura linney ) . vail himself is a former prosecutor , and quit because of tensions between himself and the district attorney , played very well by john mahoney ( frasier 's father on the tv series ) . there is an underlying theme of dichotomy in the movie : people have public faces , and private faces . we see this in the murdered archbishop , in the accused , and , most strongly , defense attorney martin vail . richard gere does a fairly good job . at first , he appears to be a money- and attention - grabbing lawyer , with no consideration of the truth . but we see another side , as he becomes a seeker of justice , and comes to believe in his client . alfre woodard , as the judge , is capable , though somewhat wasted in a standard role . laura linney also does journeyman work ; nothing spectacular , but acceptable . her relationship with vail is believable ; their verbal fencing adds to the film . the actor who playes vail 's investigator ( unfortunately , i do n't remember his name ) is quite good . his female assistant ( she looked very familiar , but i ca n't remember where i 've seen her ) was also capable , but unspectacular . the best performance in the film was by edward norton . he was excellent , as the timid altar - boy turned alleged " butcher boy of st . mike 's " . i was impressed by the depth of the plot ; there are red - herrings , and dead - ends , that in a lesser film would lead to a predictable ending . i liked the plot twists the film took , and most of the supporting characters , thus i give primal fear a respectable b+ rating .

1POS

" when you get out of jail , you can kill him . " starring ashley judd , tommy lee jones , bruce greenwood . rated r. double jeopardy is a lurid , prepostrous thriller that 's also one of the year 's most enjoyable . it 's an uncompromisingly brutal , cheerfully anarchic , hyperactive actioner that has a mission and never diverts from it . there is not a moment here when the events on screen do n't have a direct bearing on the plot ; once the film gets going it never stops . it has been branded as the female version of the fugitive and that 's probably a correct assessment of the plot , but the film itself has little in common with the 1993 andrew davis / harrison ford collaboration besides the presence of star tommy lee jones . not even bothering with character introduction , director bruce beresford floors the gas pedal from the get - go and never finds the brake . we meet , rather hastily , libby and nick parsons ( ashley judd and bruce greenwood , respectively ) a seemingly happy married couple , with a son matty , age 4 . they go out on a sailboat one night , and after a period of some rockin ' sex , they go to sleep . libby hears a strange noise , wakes up and discovers that she is covered with blood . she follows a red trail to the upper deck , where she finds a knife and , out of astonishment , picks it up . at that convenient moment , the coast guard shows up and libby is arrested . her lawyer , a friend , puts up a defense in court , but though we know she is innocent , the evidence against her is too compelling . her friend adopts her son and she goes to prison . once in prison , she makes a phone call to her friend . her friend gives her son the phone . nick walks in the room . little matty screams " daddy ! " the phone goes dead . libby realizes that the man she is imprisoned for killing is n't even dead . she gets some advice from a prisoner / former lawyer , who tells her that since the state already convicted her of killing her husband , they ca n't convict her of the same crime again , meaning that when she gets paroled she can kill him and they ca n't touch her . after a weirdly short amount of time , she gets out of parole . she is sent to live at a house with other recent parolees , under the command of parole officer travis lehman ( tommy lee jones ) . she sets out on a mission to find her husband and get her son back , which turns out to be much more difficult than anticipated . she winds up tracking him all the way to new orleans where she finds out that he has long killed his girlfriend and her son 's " adopter " . double jeopardy is based on an assumption that is legally false . the law stating that nobody can be convicted twice for the same crime assumes that it is the same crime : same time , same place , same circumstances . it 's not like it matters . this is a rollickingly good thriller ; intense , exciting , fast and furious . it 's silly alright , but this is the kind of film you just do n't question . in some films , plausibility is everything . double jeopardy , however , is not concerned with making sense : its sole purpose is to entertain , and it does . judd helps the film tremendously in a difficult role . this is her breakout box - office performance , and she is terrific . she brings some emotion to what could have been a one - dimensional role , giving the movie a little soul to go along with its effective chase scenes and action set pieces . tommy lee jones basically just reprises the role for which he won an oscar in the fugitive , but the movie makes good use of his stone - faced wit . thankfully , too , double jeopardy refrains from developing a romance between libby and travis ; a subplot which doubtlessly would have interfered with the film 's story . this is one of those movies where cops are the bad guys , and i took a sort of sick pleasure in that . the sheer anarchy of the proceedings was nothing short of wonderful , as ashley judd kicks the crap out of every authority figure in the book . after all the idealistic hollywood features featuring hero cops , deft fbi agents and the virtues of the american legal system , it 's great to see a movie that does n't so much demonstrate their fallacy as it delights in their failure . double jeopardy is really good , but it is n't the kind of good that is remembered or recognized with awards . it 's one of those movies better viewed with the brain turned off , otherwise , your brain will be busy ruining your experience . this is a thriller that is n't concerned with being smart or plausible . instead it diverts all attention to the action , which , this year , is second to none .

1POS

let 's say you live at the end of an airport runway . large jetliners continuously pass over your house , rattling your windows and allowing few moments of peace . let 's say the ground beneath your feet is also contaminated with toxic substances , and high voltage power lines run across steel towers only yards from your home . now let 's say an airport conglomerate wants to buy your property in order to lengthen the runway , and offers you more than it 's worth . would n't you jump in the air and have your bags packed before you landed ? of course you would . but what if this bit of land was your idea of paradise , and the house your castle ? that 's what they are to darryl kerrigan ( michael caton ) , and although he 's happy that a multi - national corporation would like to buy his home , sorry , it 's not for sale . unfortunately , the corporation wields quite a bit of influence over the australian government , which serves darryl and his family with what amounts to an eviction notice . not about to take this lying down , darryl enlists the help of his inept attorney friend dennis denuto ( tiriel mora ) and makes a determined , albeit pathetic , attempt to fight back . the castle , an australian comedy by rob sitch , is perhaps one of the simplest movies i 've seen in recent memory , yet also one of the funniest . in fact , it is this film 's reliance on simplicity which makes it so successful . the good guys and the bad guys are clear , the humor is straightforward , and the storyline is as uncomplicated as it gets . it 's the perfect setup for a relaxing , hilarious good time , and as much as i hate to admit it , i liked the fact that i did n't have to think all that much while watching this film . i just sat back and enjoyed myself . the situation is one we 've seen before : regular joe fights back against the government , or big business , or whatever . what makes this film different is its characters . darryl thinks he 's got the best life in the world - he tells his family that living next to power lines is a constant reminder of the success of mankind , he asks who would ever want to go out and eat in a fancy restaurant when he 's got the meat loaf feast prepared by his wife sal ( anne tenny ) , and he swells with pride when his son dale ( stephen curry ) digs a hole in the yard . steve kerrigan ( anthony simcoe ) constantly combs the buy and sell ads looking for " investments " like jousting sticks and overhead projectors , while wayne kerrigan is in jail , as a result of dennis denuto 's incompetent courtroom maneuvers . the great thing about the kerrigans is that they are n't so stupid that they get annoying . they 're just a group of simpletons whose naive nature is perfectly harmless and even endearing . we look upon them with a little bit of pity , but a whole lot of affection . screenwriters sitch , santo cilauro , tom gleisner , and jane kennedy pit this lovable bunch of unlikely crusaders against a stoic court system and a condescending business conglomerate , further polarizing the extremes and deepening our feelings for the kerrigans . sympathy for their situation , the laughter they bring us , and the family 's wonderful characterization , simple as it may be , leaves us with a degree of emotional investment that causes us to actually care about what happens to them . i suppose one might wonder how deep characterization can go when your characters are as inane as the kerrigans , but trust me , it works . i particularly noted that the writers did not have to use slapstick in order to get laughs . do n't get me wrong - slapstick , when executed well , can be genius . it 's just that too often , a film will resort to it 's use as a shortcut to amusing the audience , not always successfully . instead , the jokes in the castle are all hinged upon the dialog uttered by these people who have no idea that they are totally skewed to the rest of the world . when they are by themselves , the are funny , and when they are with normal people , they are hilarious . one of the few problems i saw with this film was a detour taken about midway though . the kerrigans go out to a vacation spot for seemingly no reason other than to pack in a few more jokes and increase the film 's running time . luckily , it 's a funny little detour that , while slightly distracting from the film 's main drive , is still quite enjoyable . with all the levity abound in the castle , the film still manages to take on a pretty heavy concept , that of the innate right of a citizen to keep his property , an issue which has been bandied about in courts across the civilized world with differing outcomes . i 'm not certain the courtroom monologue near the end of the film would actually hold up in real life , but it brings to the forefront the essence of the constitution ( of australia ) and certainly sounds impressive at any rate . and , for that matter , it 's more than i would have expected out of a light hearted film like this .

1POS

in this good natured , pleasent and easy going comedy , bill murray ( ghostbusters , 1984 ) plays grumpy weatherman phil conners , who , every year , is sent to punxsutawney , p. a , to report on groundhog day . the groundhog day ceremony involves a groundhog being lifted out of a box , and if he dosen't see a shadow , it will be an early spring . phil really hates the ceremony , and not even his producer rita ( macdowell ) can change his mind . however , fate has a cruel trick for phil , and he starts re - living groundhog day over , and over , and over , until he gradually likes it , and rita falls in love with him . groundhog day is a well written , totatly unoffensive and funny comedy . the screenwriters , director ramis and danny rubin , have written a funny , warm , but never overly senitmental comedy . although the idea of a day repeating over and over may sound tedious , there are enough good jokes to hold the audiences attention throughout the whole film . ramis 's direction also helps , and although he dosen't try any flash director tricks , the film is directed well enough , and the jokes are set up well . and the editing is also good , especially when it shows one part of the day over , and over again , such as when phil tries to have the perfect night with rita . the performances are also excellent . bill murray is great fun , and his transistion from cynical to happy is smooth , and delivers his lines in his usual smary style . andie macdowell is good as rita , although sometimes she is just a little bit too sweet in some parts of the film . there is chemistry between the two leads , thankfully , otherwise the whole film would probably fall part . chris elliot , as the cameraman larry , is also funny , although you have to like his goofy style , otherwise you are really going to hate him throughout this film , and it will lower your enjoyment of the film overall . the supporting cast are n't bad either , with stephen tobolowsky hillarous as phils old school mate ned ryanson , and even director ramis popping up as a neurologist . in fact , there is not one dud performance in this film , and even the groundhog gets a funny scene involving a car chase . overall , there is really nothing wrong with groundhog day at all . it almost seems perfect . however , the film can get a bit soppy sometimes , and some people may get irritated by the day repeating over , and over , and over , and over . also , there 's not much of an music score , and the music there is is pretty bad . but these criticisms hardly affect the audiences enjoyment at all . overall , then , groundhog day is a funny , smart , and also has some room in there for some heart . an excellent comedy . overall rating= (

1POS

" no man is an island , " one character quotes john donne in apt pupil , effectively summarizing the movie 's themes . while hardly a great film , singer 's ambitious adaptation of king 's short story * is challenging nonetheless ; perhaps the most shocking aspect of this inclement psychological thriller is that a major studio got behind it . apt pupil is a bleak picture destined to be misunderstood by the masses . 1984 . wonder - bred high school honours student todd bowden ( renfro ) conducts his own extracurricular investigation of kurt dussander , a nazi war criminal who fearfully fled berlin in the 1960s and was never heard from again . bowden suspects arthur denker ( mckellan ) , the lonely german senior citizen who lives nearby , is actually a pseudonymous dussander - much research and dusting for fingerprints proves young todd 's theory . bowden strikes a deal with dussander : in exchange for not revealing his identity , dussander must satisfy bowden 's intense curiosity by recounting the atrocities of the holocaust from the nazi point of view . the stories he hears keep todd up at night and haunt his daydreams , but like a bystander at a traffic accident , todd 's desire for gory details overrides his repulsion . bowden revives in dussander feelings dormant since the end of wwii . marching in a mock uniform around his kitchen is wholly cathartic for dussander : it leads to his torture of a cat and the torment of his " student " , among other things . bowden , who has taken on very hateful qualities ( he kills birds and doodles swastikas on his notebook ) , engages the veteran in an endless game of one - upmanship . dussander stands to lose his freedom , and bowden his credibility - in effect , his post - secondary school future . all of this winds down to a fairly unpredictable ( and unsettling ) conclusion , one which requires leaps of faith from its audience yet is more satisfying than the source material 's excessive climax . singer has yet to get keyser s ? ze out of his system . his the usual suspects and apt pupil are both about evil masquerading as innocence ( verbal 's tics and todd 's golden - boy reputation are plausible ruses ) ; they showcase morally bankrupt anti - heroes to whom telling the truth is not an option if they are to achieve their goals . apt pupil is a richer film than the usual suspects , a movie famous and popular partly because its plot machinations were not germane to the outcome - there was no way you could see the ending coming , as it was all a hoodwink , anyway . thankfully , singer has gotten most of the usual suspects ' film - schoolish geek theatrics out of his system . some scenes in apt pupil feel overdirected and/or obvious ( the dream sequences were extraneous ) , but the majority of the film is subdued - and singer 's handling of the violent scenes is boldly restrained for a film about a murderer and a murderer - in - training . mckellan 's and renfro 's performances contribute enormously to the overall success of the film ; while most people will focus on british stage vet mckellan 's finely - tuned realization , i 'd like to single out renfro 's daring work . he is n't afraid to play someone largely unappealing and cold - hearted ; he strips his character of vanity , something many of his peers would n't do . ( can you picture kieran culkin or jonathan taylor - thomas in the same role ? ) renfro was recently charged with possession of cocaine - i hope he does n't continue down that path , because he has a big future in good movies waiting for him . as guidance counsellor edward french , " friend " schwimmer also deserves mention . he wants to be the parent to todd that todd 's own well - to - do folks are not ( todd , like most modern kids - and only - children - has mom and dad wrapped around his pinky finger ) , and his sincerity makes the apt pupil 's blackening - heart even more apparent . but one of the film 's ultimate questions , are we born evil or do we learn evil ? , might be answered in french , whose motives are the slightest bit ambiguous . no man is an island , indeed - we all have the capacity to make the " right " or the " wrong " choices . schwimmer winningly plays one of a trio of fascinating characters who make the unconventional apt pupil laudible . -october , 1998 * the excellent collection king 's stories called different seasons spawned not only apt pupil , but the shawshank redemption ( originally titled rita hayworth and the shawshank redemption ) and stand by me ( originally titled the body ) .

1POS

i rented this movie with very high hopes . this movie got praise as one of the best films of 1998 , and unfortunately , was not as good as i hoped , but was still very intriguing and thought provoking . first of all , the casting for this film is great . tobey maguire and reese witherspoon are the future of hollywood . they play their roles as the parker brother and sister perfectly . with a plot as unbelievable as this film , you need chemistry and honest acting from your cast . tobey and reese ( bud and mary sue parker ) play their roles perfectly and display their characters with honesty and believability . william h. macy , an actor i have grown to love over the past year , turns in another great performance as the tv dad who is torn over his wife , a " colored " person and his friends , the " non - colored " ones . he also displays believability and must display a certain lack of chemistry with his wife . he does this perfectly and yet again shows why he should be one of the top actors in hollywood . joan allen is equally great as betty parker , the ideal tv mom . her character is the most ambitious . she is very na ? ve , and must display this well to make her character believable and she does just that . her lack of chemistry with macy , which the role calls for , and her developed chemistry with jeff daniels is terrific , and if daniels would have been as stellar as the rest of the cast , then this film would even been even better . as said before , jeff daniels gives a bad performance . his character displays the change going on throughout the town , yet he does not display it with enough conviction . his character is very confusing and he is not very believable . this film could have been elevated to a whole new level had daniels been able to give a better performance . the movie is very provocative . it challenges the issues of racism that existed in the past and that still exist today . i really was not expecting all of the elements they brought up , but they pulled them off with such flair that it was mind blowing . they demonstrate the racism issue without a hitch , but do it in a slow pace . the only major flaw in the film besides the performance by daniels is length . some films are not meant to be that long . pleasantville is one of those films . this film could have been so much better had they not moved so slowly to it . first , they are amazed by the implementation of color . then they want to have it . then they do not want to . then the war ensues between the colored and non - colored . this is all strung out over two hours , which was way too long . some movies need a lot of time . saving private ryan was a little bit under three hours long and i thought it could have used more time . this film is only two hours long , and seems much longer . length is everything in films . if you can nail down the perfect timing and pace , you can win half the battle . pleasantville can move at a good pace at times , but it is not consistent enough . overall , pleasantville is a very pleasant and provocative departure from the predictability of most films these days . i went in expecting a light - hearted film about change . i left learning an important lesson about racism and the way things change . luckily , pleasantville teaches this lesson in such a way to make it appeal to all audiences . only if it could have done in a shorter amount of time .

1POS

few films in 1999 have divided the critical consensus as sharply as alan parker 's adaptation of frank mccourt 's memoir angela 's ashes . many dismissed it as an humorless , sentimentalized , uninteresting version of the hugely popular novel ; others hailed it as a heartfelt , sincere portrait of the human spirit . i 'm somewhere in between , leaning strongly towards the latter . it 's certainly well - made and it never becomes tedious like some literary adaptations have a tendency to be . but i have a feeling that parker filled the movie with pseudo - lyrical shots of rain falling on the homely streets of ireland just so it can have the two - and - a - half hour running time that screams " i 'm important ! " mccourt 's book of the same name was about him and his family moving from the us to ireland in the early 1900 's , a time when most people were desperately trying to get into the us . as he comments , " we were the only irishfolk to say goodbye to the statue of liberty . " in ireland , frank ( played by joe breen as a small child ) , his 3 brothers , his mother angela ( emily watson ) and his father malachy ( robert carlyle ) get financial help from angela 's mother , a stereotypically strict catholic who chides her daughter for marrying a northern irishman . she helps them get a rat - infested apartment and malachy goes looking for a job . positions are scarce and when he does finally find one , he is unable to hold on to it because of his fondness for drinking . meanwhile , frank goes to an uptight catholic school , where the instructors beat students with blunt wooden objects as often as their heart desires . two of frank 's brothers soon die , crippled by the dreadful living conditions and malnutrition . as if the poverty and the suffering were n't intense enough as it stood , malachy and angela have another baby , worsening the situation further . i imagine this does n't sound like much of a plot . that 's probably because it is n't one . these are people . this is their story . director alan parker ( the commitments ) knows how to tell a good story and angela 's ashes , despite its relentlessly literary tone remains interesting . though the film occasionally indulges too much in its gloomily picturesque irish setting , it avoids looking like a glorified travelogue . supplementing parker 's able direction are the engaging , often poignant performances of the leads , some of them seasoned thespians , others relative beginners . carlyle , the charismatic british actor who has shown astonishing range by hopping from the lead in a rowdy slapstick comedy to the villain in a james bond movie and now to sentimental melodrama , perfectly portrays his rather pathetic character . we empathize with the guy , but we do n't like or admire him . emily watson turns in a heartfelt , sincere supporting performance . it is mostly she who implants that lump in our throats . also worthy of mention is little joe breen , whose face graces the film 's superb poster . it is breen 's first feature film and he 's extraordinary as young frank . not unlike sudden oscar darling haley joel osment of the sixth sense , you can peer into the character 's soul through breen 's sad eyes . on the flip side , one thing that could have vastly improved angela 's ashes is a more decisive editor . while gerry hambling sure makes the most of the scenery , he and parker also leave in at least a half an hour of unnecessary footage . the first half , especially , could have been trimmed down , bringing the film to a more reasonable running time and doing our bladders a favor in the process . things pick up at about the halfway point , sort of dismissing a lot of the criticisms i accumulated during the opening hour , but i maintain that the aggressively deliberate pace parker and co. set in the first half was ludicrously unnecessary . * spoiler warning ! skip next paragraph if in suspense ! * the film 's final message is somewhat conflicted , as frankie , in effect , leaves his family famished in ireland while he himself goes back to america . what , exactly , are we supposed to make of that ? his mother does n't seem to mind because she wants the best possible future for her son , as any mother would , but it still seems inconsiderate of him . i have n't read the book , but i 'm sure that mccourt justifies his actions therein ; therefore , i 'm suspicious . another thing that 's never made clear in the movie is the meaning of the title , which , i 'm sure , is also explained in the memoir . if seen as a film onto itself , rather than an adaptation , angela 's ashes stands tall . despite a few minor setbacks , it is a captivating story of people forced to live in the trenches by an merciless society where those of weaker character are shoved to the bottom of the financial ladder .

1POS

now that " boogie nights " has made disco respectable again ( well , fashionable at least ) , we should n't be surprised to see more films glorifying that dubious era . the latest art house interpretation is whit stillman 's " the last days of disco . " stillman , who made " metropolitan " and " barcelona " using some of the same actors , uses disco 's final hours to highlight what is another conversation - heavy movie that benefits from typically astute writing from the director . the young , upwardly - mobile professional ( do n't call them yuppies ! ) men and women of " the last days of disco " frequent a prestigious new york city nightclub pulsating to the bass - pounding rhythms of earth wind and fire , amy grant , and andrea true connection . here they talk and talk and talk , intellectualizing about such things as dating , success , and being liked , accepted , and admired . if talk is cheap , " the last days of disco " must surely have been an extremely inexpensive movie to shoot . what makes the film so entertaining is that this preppie , harvard - educated jet set actually have something to say and say it with wit , perception , and style ( including , at one point , a riotously inventive deconstruction of " the lady and the tramp " ) . na ? ve alice ( chlo ? sevigny ) and sophisticated charlotte ( kate beckinsale ) are recent college graduates who work as assistant editors for a new york publishing house . charlotte is confident and outspoken -- perhaps a little too outspoken ; alice is shy and introverted , " like a kindergarten teacher . " the two friends often doll themselves up and head out to the nameless nightspot , looking good and looking for excitement ( and that ms . beckinsale sure looks good on a dancefloor ! ) . here they meet , or re - meet , a variety of eligible men , many of whom they knew in college . des ( played by stillman favorite christopher eigeman ) is one of the club 's managers whose job is on the line for sneaking his ad agency buddies in the back . des has reached a crisis point in his life : he just found out -- last wednesday , in fact -- that he 's gay . whether it 's true or not , it makes for a convenient excuse to dump his latest girlfriend ( jennifer beals in a small but soul - baring turn ) . charlotte observes cattily that the only gay thing about des is his mouth . jimmy ( mackenzie astin ) is the advertising exec who , by the end of the picture , winds up heading for a new job opportunity in spain ( visions of " barcelona " ? ) . josh ( matt keeslar ) is an assistant district attorney who dreams of being able to say , just once , " book this clown ! " and robert sean leonard plays another one of alice 's revolving suitors ; the two have an amusing exchange about the true definition of virginity . any film that can make robert sean leonard palatable is worthy of respect in my book . in fact , the entire ensemble is appealing in that well - spoken stillman way . while the eschewing of " ferocious pairing " is a favored topic of conversation in the film , the protagonists tend to slip in and out of love , lust , and trouble with each other in an emotional merry - go - round that cleverly develops its characters through the " preferred " dynamics of social group interaction . more mature than stillman 's previous two films , " the last days of disco " is as consistently droll as it is stimulating . it 's a movie you should definitely get on down to .

1POS

this has been an extraordinary year for australian films . " shine " has just scooped the pool at the australian film institute awards , picking up best film , best actor , best director etc . to that we can add the gritty " life " ( the anguish , courage and friendship of a group of male prisoners in the hiv - positive section of a jail ) and " love and other catastrophes " ( a low budget gem about straight and gay love on and near a university campus ) . i ca n't recall a year in which such a rich and varied celluloid library was unleashed from australia . " shine " was one bookend . stand by for the other one : " dead heart " . > from the opening credits the theme of division is established . the cast credits have clear and distinct lines separating their first and last names . bryan | brown . in a desert settlement , hundreds of kilometres from the nearest town , there is an uneasy calm between the local aboriginals and the handful of white settlers who live nearby . the local police officer has the task of enforcing " white man 's justice " to the aboriginals . these are people with a proud 40 , 000 year heritage behind them . naturally , this includes their own system of justice ; key to which is " payback " . an eye for an eye . revenge . usually extracted by the spearing through of the recipient 's thigh . brown , as the officer , manages quite well to keep the balance . he admits that he has to ' bend the rules ' a bit , including actively encouraging at least one brutal " payback " . ( be warned that this scene , near the start , is not for the squeamish ) . the local priest - an aboriginal , but in the " white fellas " church - has a foot on either side of the line . he is , figuratively and literally , in both camps . ernie dingo brings a great deal of understanding to this role as the man in the middle . he is part churchman and part politician . however the tension , like the heat , flies and dust , is always there . whilst her husband - the local teacher - is in church , white lady kate ( milliken ) and her aborginal friend tony , ( pedersen ) have gone off into the hills . he takes her to a sacred site , even today strictly men - only . she appears to not know this . tony tells her that this is a special place , an initiation place . he then makes love to her , surrounded by ancient rock art . the community finds out about this sacrilegious act and it 's payback time . the fuse is lit and the brittle inter - racial peace is shattered . everyone is affected in the fall out . to say more is to give away the details of this finely crafted film . suffice to say it 's a rewarding experience . bryan brown , acting and co - producing , is the pivotal character . his officer is real , human and therefore flawed . brown comments that he expects audiences to feel warmth towards the man , then suddenly feel angry about him . it was n't long ago that i visited central australia - ayers rock ( uluru ) and alice springs - for the first time . the wide - screen cinematography shows the dead heart of australia in a way that captures it 's vicious beauty , but never deteriorates into a moving slide show , in which the gorgeous background dominates those pesky actors in the foreground . the cultural clash has provided the thesis for many a film ; from the western to the birdcage . at least three excellent australian films have covered the aboriginal people and the line between them and we anglo - saxon ' invaders ' : " jedda " , " the chant of jimmie blacksmith " and " the last wave " . in a year when the race ' debate ' has reared up in australia , it is nourishing to see such an intelligent , non - judgemental film as " dead heart " . the aboriginal priest best sums this up . he is asked to say if he is a " black fella or white fella " .

1POS

i think the first thing this reviewer should mention is wether or not i am a fan of the x - files . first , let me assure you that no prior experience with the series is required to fully enjoy this movie . the producers are not stupid , making a movie just for fans of the series is not profitable . you have to reach for a larger audience . therefore , the movie is quite user - friendly . altough , non - fans will only fail to understand certain emotions behind the looks many characters exchange . but fear not , duchovny and another man later on provide more than adequate background info on what is going on . you will never feel as if you just walked in on the third act of some great opera . in any case , the answer is no . i am not a fan of the x - files , i only watch it when nothing else is on and i prefer millennium . however , since the fox network as been so kind as to air several key episodes for several weeks before the movie 's opening weekend i took that opportunity to test the movie . i taped all of these episodes and watched them only after seing the movie , i am glad to report that i learned nothing new . everything you need to know is explained to the viewer by duchovny and others . i know i am going maybe a bit too far to make my point but everybody should get the chance to experience this movie . warning : major spoilers follow ! please do not read to fully enjoy this movie , you must not be able know what is coming , what exactly is over that hill and what that weird " hummm " sound is all about . you have been warned . the x - files is what a summer should be . exciting , scary , great special effects ( unlike other summer movies the effects do not take over the movie and are only there when it is really necessary ) and good performances . this is coming from a guy who thinks david duchovny is the human equivalent of a wooden plank . from start to finish , this movie does not let go of you . when i compare it with last summer 's movies the best way to describe it would be : take the excitement and great score from face / off and the deadly use of sound from event horizon . this flick is scary , not in a b movie kind of way where you always know where and when the critter will jump at our heroes . in fact , the first time the critter in this movie makes an apperance it is totally out of the blue . you might as well bring ear plugs because this thing is louuuudd ! the last time a monster scared me that much was when i first saw aliens as a six year old kid . you know , when you are affraid to put your feet on the floor because the creature might be under the chair , or when you keep trying to cover your throat with your shirt ? so yeah , the x - files is scary . and guess what ? you never even have to see the monster but your imagination works overtime and it sure beats having to watch a flawed , computer generated , babyzilla , it looks like you could walk right through it not even scarier than your grandma in undies type of monster . do not think that the x - files is a monster movie . in fact , the creature is there for maybe three minutes total . no , the x - files is definately a mulder episode of the series . scully is at his side , of course , but gillian anderson gets maybe half the screen time . she has a couple of good scenes with duchovny , but she gets kidnapped during the last half hour of the movie so she does not get to do much . no , this is mulder 's time in the spotlight . by now , you have heard of the scene where mulder " showers " independence day . if you have not then i will not spoil it for you , let 's just say that due to recent events mulder should be " showering " godzilla instead . to those of you wondering if mulder discovers that the truth is indeed out there . .. who cares ! ? if he did find it the series would over anyway so what are you complaining about ? the dialogue in interesting and the director is marvelous . the camera is almost always looking over the shoulder of our heroes so we feel as if we are right there with them when they open a door or climb a hill . the script is spotless , every thing that happens happens for a purpose . if you are confused by something , do not worry because it will all become clear later on but , and i can not stress this enough , pay attention ! ! ! unlike most summer movies , the dialogue is twice as important as the effects . miss one vital piece of information and , like most people who talk during movies , you will go home and tell all your friends how this movie made no sense . also , to those people who need to go to the bathroom during movies . .. do n't ! the person who watched the movie with me had to go twice and twice she missed an important conversation . there is no time to take a breather between scenes because , again unlike most summer movies ( godzilla anybody ? ) the x - files does not need to fill scenes between the suspense and the action with useless subplots , every scene is crucial and serves a purpose . who needs to see the blond chiouaoua have a " big emotional scene " between godzilla attacks ? so far this summer i have seen only one movie who ranks higher on my list of movies i 'd recommend and that is the truman show but it only wins by a nose . but the truman show is not what i would call a summer movie , the x - files is . what more do you ask from a summer movie other than the chance to be excited ? cool effects ? it 's got some . pulse pounding ? hell yes ! strangely enough , i think that fans of the series will hate this movie while non - fans will have a good time . it does not provide answers to the show 's many questions , the status quo remains nearly the same and , no , mulder and scully do not get together . rating : four and a half out of five stars for the best movie yet this summer , several jump right out of your seat thrills , many " whoah , i never saw that one coming ! " moments , four " holy shit , where the hell did that come from " and one heck of an ending . you may wonder where this movie lost half a star . well , i swore never to give a movie the full five stars so i had to find something about the in his ice truck , the tracks it leaves in the snow behind him go on for several miles but then they just stop . it 's pretty obvious the film 's makers drove the truck for several miles to give the appearance that mulder had been driving for a long time , but in the end it looks like mulder just dropped from the sky and started driving .

1POS

trees lounge is the directoral debut from one of my favorite actors , steve buscemi . he gave memorable performences in in the soup , fargo , and reservoir dogs . now he tries his hand at writing , directing and acting all in the same flick . the movie starts out awfully slow with tommy ( buscemi ) hanging around a local bar the " trees lounge " and him pestering his brother . it 's obvious he a loser . but as he says " it 's better i 'm a loser and know i am , then being a loser and not thinking i am . " well put . the story starts to take off when his uncle dies , and tommy , not having a job , decides to drive an ice cream truck . well , the movie starts to pick up with him finding a love interest in a 17 year old girl named debbie ( chloe sevigny ) and . .. i liked this movie alot even though it did not reach my expectation . after you 've seen him in fargo and reservoir dogs , you know he is capable of a better performence . i think his brother , michael , did an excellent job for his debut performence . mr . buscemi is off to a good career as a director !

1POS

i wish i could say that there is something more to the new star wars installment than what you see in the commercials , but there is n't . george lucas is an expert at crafting triumphant , special effects - bound flicks and he has done it again . this is the first star wars film i 've seen on the big screen , so , of course , the impact was much greater than when i watched the three original episodes on video . what is compelling about the phantom menace is not its disposable story , but its amazing visuals . basically , the film 's plot is centered around trade disputes between two planets . qui - gon ( liam neeson ) and his young apprentice obi - wan kenobi ( ewan mcgregor ) set out with the animated jar - jar binks to fix the mess that may result in war . when their ship breaks down and they are stranded , they find a young boy , anakin skywalker ( jake lloyd ) and his slave mother . qui - gon strongly believes that anakin is destined for jedi greatness and immediately takes him under his wing . anakin participates in a heart - pounding podrace , one of the highlights of the film , to get the equipment needed to fix qui - gon 's ship . however , most everyone is doubtful about entrusting the future to some unknown slave boy . meanwhile , queen amadala ( natalie portman ) is frustrated and at wit 's end , being na ? ve and young and having so much responsibility on her shoulders . there are hardly any emotional scenes in the film- even when we discover that anakin will be leaving his slave mother behind to begin jedi training , the frenzied excitement of the whole film wears down the poignancy to the size of a crumb . this does not prove that the phantom menace is poorly made for it is brilliantly made . in all the star wars films , human emotions that we , the audience , can identify with are usually nil , but the films are for pure enjoyment , not for uplifting purposes . despite the fun of watching the movie , the phantom menace is not without flaws . for starters , we have the ill - conceived , moronic character jar - jar binks who should be considered a threat to star wars galactic society and to the audience . what a klutz ! george lucas clumsily tried to create a fun character that would be as memorable as , say , yoda , r2-d2 , or c3-po , but , alas , his efforts were in vain . secondly ( this may be good or bad , depending on your point of view ) , the movie 's atmosphere is so different from the familiar comic - book feel of the previous three star wars installments . this is due , perhaps , to the utter complexity to this movie 's plot and the higher level of sophistication of the visual effects used here . the movie seems to be reaching for epic proportions . i ca n't say much about the acting , though acting has never been what you saw star wars movies for anyway . however , there is absolutely no pizzazz to the performances- they are straightforward and , at times , stale . natalie portman has a great presence , but her turn as queen amadala makes the queen a stoic , unfeeling ? enigma . there is nothing we can hold onto in her performance to make us believe the trade predicament is anything of importance . jake lloyd is the only actor here who has an ounce of evident spunk . despite the inevitable faults , there is so much to enjoy about the movie . the heightened excitement of the final sequences does n't quite surpass the famous the empire strikes back climactic scenes , but they are amazing and edge - of - your - seat fun in their own rite . the film is a treasure to look at . the visual effects are astonishing 99 . 8 % of the time- the awe - inspiring , mouth - opening , eye - popping sight of the underwater city is nothing short of production design and special effects genius . not since 1997 's the fifth element has there been a film as drenched in visual treats as this one . the production design is reminiscent of the fifth element , the previous star wars movies , kubrick 's 2001 , maybe even of fritz lang 's classic silent metropolis . however , all the sets are so original . the original star wars movies ca n't even match the grandeur of this film 's visuals and that is a sheer pleasure for the viewer- it gives us hope of even greater things for the upcoming episode . the costumes are remarkable and have jean - paul gaultier written all over them . whether its queen amadala 's gigantic wardrobe complete with gold - embroidery and feathers , or the jedis ' simple brown uniforms , the costume designer has fused talent with outrageousness . the costumes are one of the true delights of watching the movie . as for john williams ' score , i do n't think he 's done one as complex or powerful since ? i ca n't even remember . it is as epic as his schindler 's list score and as thrilling and zestful as jaws . it includes the bare bones of his music from the previous three films , but williams has added on , made the music much more intense and moving . what with the overwhelming hoopla that circled this movie , one might come in with high expectations and be disappointed . there is very little to hate in the film : it 's a very accomplished and skillfully made flick . it is the best " fun " film and the best big - budget film out today , most definitely .

1POS

lisa cholodenko 's " high art , " is an intelligent , quiet drama . its strongest quality , aside from the top - notch central performances , is the perceptive way in which the film , also written by cholodenko , observes its characters . they are all flawed people , some more troubled than others , but they are not judged . judging the characters in this picture would be a creative misstep on the filmmakers ' parts , because no one , no matter how bad off they are , deserve to be negatively judged if they are involved in some serious problems that they can not break free of . syd ( radha mitchell ) , a 24-year - old woman living with her longtime boyfriend james ( gabriel mann ) , has recently been awarded an ideal job at the high - profile photography magazine , " frame . " she very much enjoys where her career is headed , but is often not taken very seriously by her managers , who are always giving her petty jobs to do , when she knows she could be doing more important things . one night , while taking a bath , syd notices a leak coming from the apartment above hers , so when she goes up there to inform them of it , she meets lucy beliner ( ally sheedy ) , a thin , worn - out , and unhappy woman , who lives with her drug - addicted german girlfriend , greta ( patricia clarkson ) , a pathetic former actress who is usually so out - of - it that she often is in and out of conciousness . syd quickly strikes up a conversation with lucy , and discovers that she used to be an acclaimed photographer ten years before . lucy claims she does n't want to get back into the profession , but syd manages to convince the " frame " editors to do a piece on her work . all the while , syd begins to grow deep feelings for lucy , even though she has never previously been attracted to a woman , and lucy starts a battle with her personal demons . " high art , " is such an effective motion picture because it is never suger - coated or idealized , but instead an honest and convincing portrait of a handful of unhappy people whose lives are going nowhere , while syd 's luck begins to rise . the film in no way is about lesbianism , but about love , which was a refreshing change of pace from the usual stereotypical portraits of homosexuality . as lucy and syd grow closer and closer together , we really do believe that they are falling in love with each other , even if the relationship might be doomed . with this picture , ally sheedy 's star has risen once again , thanks to her touching , nearly flawless portrtayal of lucy , a woman who , in the course of a decade , has found her life consumed almost entirely by drugs , which has taken away her once - blossoming career . her characted really is tragic , and one particular scene involving lucy and her mother , in which lucy admits to her that she has a drug problem , and her mother matter - of - factly responds by saying she ca n't help her , is heartbreaking . although not autobiographical , sheedy has had drug problems in her past , and i suspect she brought that knowledge of already being in lucy 's footsteps to her role . also very good is radha mitchell as syd , who previously starred in the slight 1997 australian comedy , " love and other catastrophes , " wh caught me by surprise with her performance . easily being able to pass as christina ricci 's older sister , mitchell obtains the same natural charisma that has made ricci so popular recently . as accurate as almost every detail is in , " high art , " i wish the relationship had been more tightly written involving syd and james , who , played by gabriel mann , is left with a throwaway role . by the time he finds out about syd and lucy , he disappears from the film , and i wish there had been another scene where they confronted each other . this is a very minor fault , however , in a film that is full of riches . although many of the characters are stuck in a hopeless pit of despair , syd and lucy are intelligent people who recognize their problems . the character of dominique ( anh duong ) , the " frame " editor who decides to give syd a chance with her ideas , was also written to be far more mature than expected . and the one sex scene in the film was beautifully and originally done . for once , it did not invlove steaminess , or violent sexual activity , or gratuitous nudity , but focused on the actual characters , who love each other , and their insecurities involved in making the decision to actually have sex . " high art , " which won the screenwriting award at the 1998 sundance film festival , marks the superior feature film debut of cholodenko , as well as sheedy 's strongest , and best , role to date .

1POS

the relaxed dude rides a roller coaster the big lebowski a film review by michael redman copyright 1998 by michael redman the most surreal situations are ordinary everyday life as viewed by an outsider . when those observers are joel and ethan coen , the surreal becomes bizarre . when the life is that of jeff " the dude " leboswki , the bizarre falls over the edge into the world of " what'sgoingonaroundhere " . the marvelous sound of " the stranger " ( sam elliot ) 's voice - over introduces the film . at least it does until he forgets what he was going to say and gives up . the dude ( jeff bridges ) is described as the " laziest man in los angeles , possibly the world " , although he 's not so much slothful as he is relaxed . spending the last 30 years with a roach clip in one hand and a white russian in the other , he does n't have much of a life , but he 's having a good time . when asked what he does for fun , he responds " bowl , drive around and the occasional acid flashback " . lebowski 's passion is bowling . when he 's not rolling the ball down an alley towards a strike , things just happen to him . arriving home one night , he 's beaten by thugs attempting to collect money that his wife owes them . even worse , they urinate on his rug . the problem is that the dude does n't have a wife . his assailants realize that their target is a different lebowski when they glance around at his apartment . the " big " lebowski ( david huddleston ) is a multi - millionaire and his dudeness lives in two - room squalor . the next day , our ragtag hero visits his namesake 's mansion attempting compensation for his soaked rug . the carpet is important to him because it pulls the room together : not surprisingly since it 's virtually the only object there . when he 's denied any money , he picks up a replacement rug off the floor . on his way out , he runs into lebowski 's trophy babe wife bunny ( tara reid ) who offers to perform a sexual act that , according to rumor , is one of bill clinton 's favorites for a thousand bucks . the penniless dude wisecracks that he 's heading for the cash machine . later he gets an unexpected phone call enlisting his aid in being the bag man to deliver a ransom to bunny 's kidnappers . this begins the trademarked coen brothers crimes - gone - wrong sequences . the kidnappers are impossibly inept . the dude and his cronies are even worse . every plan goes awry . you can almost see lebowski 's brain churning in slow motion as he tries to figure out the clues . that 's the story , but to tell the truth it does n't much matter . there could be almost any plot and the film would be just as entertaining . the narrative only exists so we can watch the offbeat characters and the quirky predicaments they fall into . the dude 's bowling buddies walter ( john goodman ) and donny ( steve buscemi ) look like people you 'd see on the street but , like everything else in this film , they 're not quite what they seem . walter is a vet as stuck in vietnam as the dude is in the sixties . everything that happens reminds him of a situation in the nam . when a fellow bowler crosses the foul line but wo n't admit it , walter pulls a gun on him until he marks a zero on the score sheet . donny gets precious few words in between walter 's screaming and the dude 's rambling . when he does , walter shouts him down with horrendous albeit seemingly unintentional bowling puns . donny is " out of his league " and does n't " have a frame of reference " . the film is peppered with people for whom the term " character " would be an understatement . the big lebowski 's daughter maude , an avant - garde " vaginal " artist , paints while swinging naked in a leather apparatus like an s&m mary martin . the kidnappers are german techno nihilist bikers . bunny lebowski is a high school cheerleader turned porno star . most impressive is john turturro in his far too small role as a hispanic bowler . as the flamenco music swells , we see him putting on his lavender hose . the camera pans up to an all - purple skin - tight bowling outfit with " jesus " ( pronounced with a " j " , not an " h " ) embroidered on the pocket . he addresses the lane with intense seriousness and one painted fingernail . his tongue slowly snakes out and lovingly licks the glowing bowling ball . bridges works the dude as if he had been living him for decades and maybe he has . i ca n't think of anyone else who could have done a better job . buscemi has a limited role , but he plays it perfectly . the more that i see john goodman the more convinced i am that he 's one of the treasures of our time . it 's odd to think that most of the world knows him only as roseanne barr 's television husband . more like the coen 's " raising arizona " than their hit " fargo " , " the big lebowski " demands an open mind and even more open eyes . a mark of the coen brothers is that even with all wonderful dream sequences and the broad slapstick physical comedy on the screen , much of the humor is subtle and easy to miss . there 's so much going on that frequently it disappears before you can see it . walking out of the theater , i felt that the film had something important to say . on further examination , i was n't sure exactly what it was . " if you meet jesus at the bowling alley , it 's not going to be what you expect " ? " when the going gets weird , the weird go bowling " ? maybe there 's no real message . perhaps it 's just a roller coaster ride through a hilarious world . maybe that 's enough . ( michael redman has written this column for 23 years and just realized that he was so taken with the dude that he ran out of space to talk about " the man in the iron mask " starring that favorite of 14-year - old girls of all ages . redman@bvoice . com is the eaddress for estuff . )

1POS

i do n't box with kid gloves . i do n't play nice , i 'm not a nice guy , and i never , ever , go easy on a film . i consider it to be a breech of some sort of code of ethics for a movie critic . however , i do some favors , and these often come in the form of points that i hand to certain groups due to the artistic bravery . rigormortis , the production company that has been my prime example of how money does not need to motivate filmmaking , gets several of these points each time . i still , however , will not go easy on them . they recently sent me a vhs copy of their down with america trilogy ( which begins , quite wittily , with a disclaimer that they are not trying to undermine america with the making of this film . ) and i decided to spend an hour of my day watching it . in the famous lines of many martyrs , i have no regrets . well , i do have some regrets , but that is not the point in the previous sentence . the point of it was that down with america was a film that , from a critical standpoint , did not entirely disappoint me . sure , the risky use of vhs instead of super 8 mm or 16 mm was a pain , and the natural light was one of the most annoying things about public access films , but the movie itself was fairly enjoyable . down with america concerns a government agent , needless murder , and a book containing everything from the unabomber 's manifesto to the 1995 apple computer profit report . like the previous films of rigormortis that i have reviewed , it displays an off - kilter humor and intelligence ? it succeeds in making me laugh where countless studio films fail . the best way to see this film would be as a parody of the countless conspiracy films that we have been drowned in since the paranoia of the 80s . a dying movement from the day they started , these paranoid ` thrillers ' had the government always covering up something and had the same favorite word : ` roswell . ' in down with america , the line ` roswell ' is highly absent . with an about ten minute running time , down with america effortlessly sidesteps every clich ? that the conspiracy films fell into , makes jokes at them at the same time , and provides us with funny and memorable characters . again , i have seen movies that have gone on two hours with characters i could n't care less about . the film , as previously stated , concerns a federal agent ( peter roach ) , an obsessed librarian ( meri stevens ) , a mystery man ( joe kaczkowski ) , and two people obsessed with silence in the library ( robb sherman , kevin flowers ) . the plot : a book containing the secrets of all anarchists is hidden in ? a public library where it can be viewed by all . from there we go into a delightful parody . the federal agent claims his sovereign right to alter the truth , the librarian goes on a diatribe about the sanctity of books . we spend our time laughing at fairly idiotic jokes that are performed much too well considering the lack of coaching of the cast . although the actors and actresses are in small roles and give a whole new meaning to ` no - name ' , it ends up being the no - name people who do a good job , delivering better performances as comic villains than half the crap that hollywood turns out . for once , i do n't have a url that i know offhand to give you as to where to locate the film online . i can only say that you should find my previous reviews of l'auto and les x - files and look up the rigormortis productions site in and of itself . it 's almost as much fun as the film .

1POS

here is a film that is so unexpected , so scary , and so original that it caught me off guard and threw me for a loop . okay , it is n't quite original , considering it is a sequel to the box office hit species , but it certainly is smart . most films of this genre are reminiscent of those cheesy b - horror films from the 50s and 60s , and some even become them . however , as we learned with the 1995 small - budget horror / sci - fi film , sometimes expectations can be shattered . a lot of criticism has gone against this film ( from what i have read so far , anyway -- yep , all two reviews ) , and it makes me wonder why these types of films are automatically dismissed as gory , laughable pieces of trash . but , the thing is , it is n't . it 's well made , well acted , and quite intelligent . i can see most of the critics now complaining about the level of gore or the level of sexuality in the film . but the species series is n't about the lack of these elements . it 's about how much it can get into one film . and yet , behind it all , it has this basic premise that allows it to get away with doing so . species ii begins in the present day , though it seems to be an alternate universe . many films ( especially sci - fi ones ) create similar timelines as our realistic one , but change it to fit the film 's needs . species ii begins with the arrival of an american spacecraft , the excursion , landing on the surface of mars . aboard is patrick ross ( justin lazard ) , a very bright and very handsome astronaut . patrick is the son of senator ross ( james cromwell ) , who just wants patrick to succeed . well , it would seem that he has succeeded . landing on the surface of mars , he is the first human being to ever do so . of course , he is n't the first ever . about a billion years ago , an alien species supposedly landed on mars and destroyed the perfect living conditions that were able to sustain life . now , of course , the red planet is cold and rocky . no life lives on it . that is , no visible life . patrick , upon leaving the spacecraft and landing on the red soil , collects samples from the ground . he takes them aboard , and puts them in storage . unfortunately , one of the samples contains a form of life , and it gets loose when it is heated aboard the ship . just prior to heading back to earth , this life form creeps along the floor and inhabits the earthlings . they pass out for approximately seven minutes , and then shrug it off as nothing , because they ca n't even remember . they blame it on a technical malfunction . back on earth , patrick begins to have strong urges to mate with as many women as possible . as we know from the original , this is because the alien wants to breed and take over the planet . however , the children that are bred are half - human , as their father is . patrick is really looking for another alien to breed with , and he finds it in eve ( natasha henstridge ) . eve was cloned from dna taken from sil , the original alien . however , this time around , most of her " alien " urges have been either decreased dramatically , or lie dormant . the project is led by dr . laura baker ( marg helgenberger , reprising her role from species ) , and her motives seem respectable . since she was involved with the original alien attack , she wants to learn how to stop the alien should it come again . and it has . story - wise , species ii is much stronger than its predecessor , but it is also much stronger than , say , aliens ( hey , i love the film , but you ca n't tell me it was strong on story ) . what surprised me the most with this film was the incorporation of historical facts into the screenplay . in my search for extraterrestrial intelligence course in college , we learned about a piece of rock from mars which landed in one of the poles . this piece of rock contained fossils which may have been proof of life on mars ( later , it was proven that it was not a living creature that created it ) . the script uses this effectively , but also manages to provide a well - balanced plot . beginning with the first man on mars ( something i have always dreamed of seeing ) , i was hoping that the film would turn this element into a useful starting point for the movie . and it does it quite well . the characters are all smart , and they know what to do and what not to do . the only character that seems a little cliched is the general ( george dzundza ) , and yet , he remains logical in everything he does . there are the obvious flaws of course , mostly lying in the technical aspects . the special effects are only mediocre , and some are just plain bad . but for the most part , they remain believable ( i even noticed a homage to the alien series when the mothers gave birth to alien children ) . also , the most realistic ones are usually the goriest , ranging from people being torn open , or someone 's head being blown off . however , some plot elements also may elicit laughs from the audience , including a menage a troi that is all but necessary . many people dislike the species series because all it is is an excuse for sex , nudity , and gory violence . however , i tend to disagree . what were the alien films about ? and , if an alien species ever did come to earth , and their sole purpose was to destroy us , would n't you mate as quickly as possible with as many people as possible ? my only gripe with this is during the scene where patrick goes searching for a mate in a grocery store . i did n't realize that aliens were that picky on choosing women to mate with ( i just assume it is his part - human side looking for the most beautiful one ) . the acting is quite good for this kind of film . it is a vast improvement over the first film , at least . the acting is the key element to this film : if it was bad , it would have lowered itself into camp ; if it was good , it would have asked for comparison with films like aliens . okay , so it is n't that good . george dzundza is probably the most obvious mistake on casting , as his over - the - top impersonation of a general makes him annoying and distracting . natasha henstridge is limited this time around , as she is usually enclosed in a cage . however , she does manage a very impressive performance with this aspect hindering any of her talent . oh yeah , and she 's quite fun to just plain watch . marg helgenberger is immensely better this time around , and her performance is probably the best in this film . michael madsen is so - so , but he is n't annoying , and he soon becomes rather appealing ( with his nice cynic personality ) . james cromwell has a small part , but he makes it much better than what it could have been with a more incapable actor . as i say , any film with james cromwell dramatically increases in likeability . mykelti williamson gives an enjoyable performance , and he gives the film a more down - to - earth feel . and , of course , justin lazard . lazard has so far been ridiculed for his performance , but i think he is effective . sure , he is wooden , but is n't that what his character is like ? the moment when he touches the glass separating henstridge from him was extremely well done , due to the couple 's acting . species ii is rated r for strong sexuality , sci - fi violence / gore and language . this is definitely an r rated film that young kids should not see . more than likely , they would probably have nightmares and never have sex for the rest of their lives . hell , i do n't even know if i will . what is sure to be a critically lambasted film turns out to be the surprise film of the year . i probably wo n't see another film where i was expecting so little and got so much for quite a while . director peter medak has crafted a very suspenseful , and sometimes very scary movie out of a mediocre series . medak has also mastered the wonderful " jump ! " moments , and has probably the second scariest moment i have ever seen on film ( scream still has the first ) . strong acting , smart dialogue , intelligent plotting , and a sure - handed director , species ii is exactly what these films should be : entertaining .

1POS

plot : this movie takes place over one day . it 's a rookie cop 's narcotics training alongside a seasoned police veteran . the rookie does n't know much about " street justice " , so the older cop teaches him about the way things work in the " real world " . how even cops like themselves have to " bend the rules " and " break the law " every now and then , in order to catch the really bad guys . critique : a pretty intense little movie with solid acting across the board , some ups , some downs and a thrilling ending , despite a couple of small flaws . i really enjoyed this movie because it followed two extreme characters and put them in situations which had me wondering about what i would do if i were in their place . the film gets right into the " dirty " side of , well . .. the dirt on the streets , and proceeds to teach the rookie cop ( and us , the audience ) how things really work down there . of course , we 're receiving this lesson from a man who has put away a lot of scum in his time , but the things he seems to be doing are n't exactly on the up - and - up either . and therein , lies the fun of the film . do you agree that you yourself would need to break a few small laws in order to put away the people who break the really big ones ? well , as the film moves along , we 're given two points of view in respect to this predicament , and to me , both sides made sense at some point or another . and you got ta give a lot of credit to the screenplay for that , the director , who builds the film up wonderfully ( with the darkness of the day leading to the darkness in the script ) and the two actors who deliver their parts in spades . hawke , first off , because he rarely plays these " commercial " roles but does so perfectly here , with a vulnerable side which has you feeling for the bastard right off the top . and denzel , well , what can you say about mr . washington that has n't already been said before ? he comes through as per his usual high - level style here , and gives the audience a completely different side to his talent , of which , i personally would like to see more . he 's nice , he 's not so nice , he 's smart , he 's not so smart , he 's caring and he 's a dog all the way . the few problems that i did have with this film included the redundant nature of the whole thing at some point ( okay , we get it . .. you have to be nasty in order to deal with these nasty people . .. move on ) and this one really major " coincidence " which involved a bathtub , that saved the day for one character , but seemed a little too " convenient " for my taste . i also never really understood how washington 's character got out of a certain dire predicament , only to be seen driving his car in the very next scene . but obviously these small flaws did n't taint my overall enjoyment of this tense drama , a film that gets you right into the streets , into the nooks and the crannies , and into the moral dilemma which lies between the justice system and the day - to - day drug busts . see it if you want to wrestle with some of these issues yourself , see it if you want to see denzel and ethan strike up a palpable chemistry on - screen , and see it if you like holding on to your seat - handles real tight during a movie . in fact , see it for the scene in which ethan hawke plays cards with a host of gang - bangers alone . .. dang , now that 's intense ! where 's joblo coming from ? the corruptor ( 7/10 ) - crimson tide ( 9/10 ) - l. a. confidential ( /10 ) - lethal weapon ( 8/10 ) - requiem for a dream ( 8/10 ) - seven ( 10/10 ) - shaft ( 7/10 ) - traffic ( 8/10 )

1POS

a thriller set in modern day seattle , that marked marky mark 's migration from the " good vibrations " and " calvin klein undie ad " guy , to mark wahlberg , thespian - at - large , and a mighty good one at that . plot : boy ( wahlberg ) meets girl ( witherspoon ) . boy likes girl . girl likes boy . boy and girl begin dating . parents of girl are n't crazy about the boy . girl steps to boy 's defense . family problems occur . girl learns more about the boy . boy goes nuts . fun ensues . critique : ever wonder what would happen if your better half turned out to be someone other than the person that you had come to cherish and love ? well , if you ever have , then this film is definitely for you . it is n't the most original premise in the world , but it is handled pretty well here , and pretty quickly for that matter ( a speedy 90 minutes ) . i think one of the main reasons this film worked for me is the groundbreaking performance by mark wahlberg ( of boogie nights infamy ( 7 . 5/10 ) . he completely captured all the goodness , and badness , of the main character of this film , and always kept me wanting to see more and more of him ( his performance scored him a solid nomination from his core target audience , as " best villain " at the 1997 mtv movie awards ) . the soundtrack is also very effective in this setting , and of course , the slutty performance by alyssa milano is something we could all indulge in ( look for the nice bikini and butt shots . .. if you 're into that kind of thing , that is : ) . i did n't much care for the father / david relationship which seemed to be a little too contrived , but for the most part , i was really into this movie . then again , daddy dearest did have one of the coolest lines in the movie when his wife is asking him what the " big deal " was about his daughter dating david . his reply : " the big deal is that the guy gives me the creeps , and the girl is my daughter . " good point . all in all , the movie kicked some fun ass , mindless as it was , and effectively demonstrated every parent 's worst nightmare . mind you , i still ca n't tell if reese witherspoon is good looking or a douchebag , but hey , life goes on . and on a personal note , we finally decided to add some taco meat onto our nacho fiesta of usual , and let me tell you all . .. it was a flaming success ! ! another firm recommendation by joe schmoe ! little known facts : director james foley was the man responsible for the critically acclaimed glengarry glenross ( 8/10 ) back in 1992 , at close range ( 7 . 5/10 ) in 1986 , and even directed an episode of twin peaks in 1990 . mark wahlberg stands 5 " 9 , is born in massachusetts , dropped out of highschool ( later got his ged ) , and was convicted of several minor felonies before starting his career as the lead singer of marky mark and the funky bunch . his brother is donnie wahlberg of new kids on the block fame . he is also testing the waters on the acting front .

1POS

wow ! what a movie . it 's everything a movie can be : funny , dramatic , interesting , weird , funny , weird and strikingly original . yep that pretty much describes this movie . it starts out like a regular movie and ends up being one of the weirdest , funniest most original movies i have ever seen . it boggles the mind and some have to wonder why we can not get movies like this more often . besides being one of the best films of the year , being john malkovich may as well be one of the best movies ever . period . then again there are so many good movies , that one can not pick an all time favorite . john cusack plays a puppeteer craig schwartz a man out of a job , in search of a job . his wife lotte schwartz who is played by a completely un - noticeable cameron diaz who looks like something off the streets is an animal lover and has about every kind of animal you could think of . craig finds a job as a file at the 7 ? floor of a business building . .. you have to pry open the elevator doors open before it reaches floor eight , the 7 ? floor is just a floor between 7 and 8 . he is hired by his 105 year old boss ( orsen bean ) to be a filer . in his office , he discovers a little door , to which was boarded up and hidden . to his curiosity he opens it and starts to crawl toward it , he then gets sucked to the end and ends up in john malkovich 's mind . fifteen minutes later he is shot out onto the side of the new jersey turnpike . he returns to tell his co - worker maxine ( catherine keener ) that he has found a portal that will lead him into john malkovich 's mind , she does n't believe him but after she sees it it changes her mind . lotte also finds out about the portal and discovers that being someone else is good after all . john malkovich of course has no idea what is going on , and by the end of this bizarre film there are so many twists and turns , that we do n't know what really happened . john cusack is outstanding and utterly believeable in a role only he himself could play . he fits the role perfectly and to me was brilliantly cast . cameron diaz is outstanding and utterly one of the world 's most prettiest women , is made up here unnoticeable and very unattractive . she however gives a very comic performance and this could easily be her best role to date . catherine keener is very funny and sexy as maxine and of course the best thing of the movie is the magic himself john malkovich who is very brilliant and this movie plays big time homage ? to the master himself . the whole group combined gives us a wonderfully funny movie that is also smart and clever . spike jonze ( three kings ) makes his fabulous directing debut , and did a fantastic job of directing this new classic film . he lets the viewer go on the trip as well as let the viewer know they are watching a movie . by the time the ending rolled around my head was spinning from disbelief of how good this film was . the screenplay written by charlie kaufman was hilarious and often thought - provoking . the film also had a soft side to it and even though the ending is very surprising it is also a little sad and heart - warming . the whole movie was fantastic and had me rolling in the isles . from cameron diaz 's appearence to john malkovich 's explorations i laughed very hard , and it may as well be as funny as as good as it gets ( the funniest ! ) . there is n't a slow point in the movie , or an overused idea . there are no cliches except for the fact that this is the most original , inventie , witty , and smart movie i 've seen in a long time . i found myself amazed by everything : the direction , acting , writing and the whole idea of the movie . by the end i had to wonder why hollywood does n't want to make movies like this anymore . or why they do n't . all filmmakers watch this movie and get some ideas of movies to come out . this was a surprise hit as was american beauty . ' being john malkovich ' is in the top 5 movies of the year , and in the top 10 best films ever made . it has something that no other movies playing now has . in fact it may as well be the best movie out right now . i highly recommend ' being john malkovich ' and have no doubts you will be disappointed .

1POS

richard gere can be a commanding actor , but he 's not always in great films . everything comes together here . gere is a big time chicago defense attorney who takes on a seemingly unwinable case in hopes of even more publicity . it does n't go exactly as he expects . gere 's client , aaron ( edward norton ) , is a shy stuttering tennessee boy who is accused of brutally murdering and mutilating a catholic archbishop . the evidence is stacked against him . he was caught running from the scene covered in the bishop 's blood . his bloody footprints are all over the murder scene . he has a relationship with the priest . gere talks to the boy , believes that he is actually innocent and sets about finding the real killer . despite the lawyer 's proclamations that he does n't care about the guilt of his clients and that the real thrill is gambling with people 's lives , he becomes involved with aaron and is determined to free him . lots of complications and twists . the prosecuting attorney is gere 's former co - worker and lover . they both work each other 's motives to their legal advantages and it gets messy . her boss had major economic dealings with the archbishop that went sour and seems to have crime connections . aaron gets weirder and weirder as the trial goes on . gere 's case is falling apart and he is faced with about a dozen ethical dilemmas . gere is exceptional as the well - dressed reserved counselor , but just once , i wanted to see him kick back and come out of his " suit " persona . even when he loses it , you do n't see very far inside . norton 's aaron is convincing : he comes across as the backwoods kid misplaced in the big city . the supporting cast does a fine job of holding together the story . as with most of the effective courtroom dramas , the cinematography is crisp and rich . the story will keep you on the edge of your seat . nothing is what it seems .

1POS

glory -- starring matthew broderick , denzel washington , and morgan freeman -- is the true story of the 54th regiment of massachusetts , the first black fighting unit recruited by the north during the civil war . broderick plays robert gould shaw , the young white officer who led the black soldiers into battle . shaw , the son of well - to - do abolitionists , hailed from boston high society . the letters he wrote home to his parents during the war are on display at harvard , and were , evidently , the inspiration for glory . as the film begins in 1862 , shaw is a captain in the northern forces . like private eriksson ( michael j. fox ) in casualties of war , shaw initially is naive and idealistic about the war -- that is , until his company is attacked by enemy forces . shaw experiences first hand the horror and chaos of battle , witnessing mass slaughter and receiving a minor wound himself when a bullet grazes his neck . soon after his recovery , shaw is promoted to colonel and assigned to enlist and train blacks in the war effort . glory is the story not only of colonel shaw , but also of the black soldiers who laid down their lives to free their brothers from slavery . the film periodically jumps between shaw 's point of view and the perspective of the black soldiers . the movie introduces us to a handful of black recruits , and we follow them from their enlistment through basic training and finally into action . the large black cast is uniformly outstanding , especially washington who is electrifying as a runaway slave with a big mouth . he is brash and pushy , always getting into trouble and always looking for a fight . his bitter , tough guy facade is really just a mask for his loneliness and vulnerability . washington provides much of the film 's intensity and emotional power . in one heartbreaking scene , he is whipped for allegedly deserting the army . when he removes his shirt to receive the punishment , you cringe at the sight of his back , which is riddled with ugly scars from his days as a slave . it makes your blood boil . the humiliation of the beating is far more traumatic than the actual physical pain it brings ; a tear rolls down washington 's cheek -- and will probably run down your cheek as well . the episode becomes even more tragic when we learn that washington was n't deserting the army at all ; he left camp to look for shoes because his feet were covered with oozing sores . freeman is , as usual , a strong presence , even in a small supporting role . he plays a grave digger who has buried more white soldiers than he cares to remember . he quickly becomes a leader among the black soldiers , holding the group together and serving as a liaison to the white officers . colonel shaw recognizes freeman 's leadership ability and promotes him to sergeant major , making him the first black officer in the army . andre braugher makes an impressive film debut in the role of thomas searles , a free black who is one of shaw 's close childhood friends . searles is educated and refined , like a white man , prompting washington to nickname him " snow flake . " the burning question is whether searles is tough enough to survive basic training and to kill in combat . the road from marching drills to battle action is a bumpy one for the black regiment . the soldiers suffer innumerable hardships , but somehow they never lose their morale . the army treats the black soldiers like second class citizens , subjecting them to racism and discrimination . they are paid only $ 10 a month , whereas their white counterparts earn thirteen , and , for a long time , they have to go without shoes , guns , or uniforms . to make matters worse , the white military hierarchy is extremely reluctant to allow the blacks into action , preferring instead to use them for manual labor . eventually , however , the regiment receives its boots , uniforms , rifles , and right to fight , thanks to the stubborn resolve of colonel shaw . shaw has absolute faith in his soldiers , and he fights tooth and nail to get them what they deserve , even if it means threatening a general with blackmail . broderick , in fact , is most convincing in the scenes where shaw stands up for the regiment . unfortunately , however , broderick 's uneven performance is , in many respects , the weak link in the movie . in an effort to look more mature , broderick sports a mustache and a goatee , and throughout the film he slips in and out of a phony boston accent . he is never altogether convincing as shaw since much of the time his emotions seem forced . the film places too much weight on broderick 's character and not enough on the black soldiers , who are more intriguing . glory regains lost ground with its harrowing depiction of war . the movie shows the devastation of war without resorting to the unnecessarily graphic gore which marred born on the fourth of july . glory does not try to rattle you with nauseating blood and guts . except for a few bullet wounds and one exploding head , the film , for the most part , leaves the gore to your imagination , which is not to say that the battle scenes in glory are timid . to the contrary , they are chaotic and horrifying ; it 's just that director edward zwick ( the co - creator of " thirtysomething " ) films them with far more subtlety and restraint than oliver stone could ever muster . the key to glory is the group dynamic among the black soldiers . the movie depicts some of ( but not enough of ) their customs and rituals . in one scene , for example , the soldiers motivate themselves by singing prayers around the campfire . each man has a chance to relay a few words of inspiration . a couple of the movie 's most touching moments involve young black children looking up to the black soldiers with awe , disbelief and pride . the regiment 's greatest triumph comes when the soldiers distinguish themselves in battle , thereby earning the respect of their white peers and earning the honor of leading the climactic assault on fort wagner . like any war film , glory has its share of gloom and despair , but ultimately it proves to be a truly uplifting experience and an important history lesson , a valuable reminder that despite what the history books say ( or , more precisely , what they do not say ) , blacks played a critically important role in the north 's victory over the south -- forever changing the evolution of america .

1POS

steven spielberg 's second epic film on world war ii is an unquestioned masterpiece of film . spielberg , ever the student on film , has managed to resurrect the war genre by producing one of its grittiest , and most powerful entries . he also managed to cast this era 's greatest answer to jimmy stewart , tom hanks , who delivers a performance that is nothing short of an astonishing miracle . for about 160 out of its 170 minutes , " saving private ryan " is flawless . literally . the plot is simple enough . after the epic d - day invasion ( whose sequences are nothing short of spectacular ) , capt . john miller ( hanks ) and his team are forced to search for a pvt . james ryan ( damon ) , whose brothers have all died in battle . once they find him , they are to bring him back for immediate discharge so that he can go home . accompanying miller are his crew , played with astonishing perfection by a group of character actors that are simply sensational . barry pepper , adam goldberg , vin diesel , giovanni ribisi , davies , and burns are the team sent to find one man , and bring him home . the battle sequences that bookend the film are extraordinary . literally . there is nothing in film that has ever been recorded that will prepare you for the sheer onslaught of terrorizing violence in the film 's first 20 minutes . spielberg films almost the entire movie without music , leaving it up to the characters to generate emotion , and they do to perfection . the sequences in france , all of them , beginning with the battle and ending with the battle , are fabulous , especially the dialogues between the men as they walk through the hills and countrysides , trying to save private ryan . there are no words i can use to describe the true horror and power of these sequences . this is what coppola was looking for in " apocalypse now " , but could n't create . the sheer horror of these sequences all but condemn war . the performance by hanks as the leader of this gang is also extraordinary . he is head and shoulders above of the rest of the actors in the world , with his comic timing , dramatic flair , his quiet emotion that stirs an entire nation to tears . hanks is this country 's finest actor , and he proves it here . however , spielberg almost destroys his own masterpiece . with a chance to make it the one of the greatest films of all time , spielberg creates 10 minutes of purely worthless film . the sequence involving army chief - of - stafff george marshall and mrs . ryan is decent , but does n't hold up to the rest of the film , relying on wartime cliches to power it . but that is forgivable . what is n't is the bookends of the film , the cemetary sequences . the first one is quite good , a decent introduction into the lives of these men . the last sequence is atrocious . the forced emotion , accompanied by a ridiculous piece of music , is simply horrible compared to the rest of the magical film . these flaws are what downgrade " ryan " from the greatest film of our era , to the greatest war film of our era . spielberg should have trusted his own material , and he should have trusted hanks to deliver the most chilling line of the movie , to end his masterpiece right there . the use of the flag , though patriotic , is in contrast to the movie 's theme . the power of the bulk of the film , however , is astonishing . spielberg has truly made a wondrous work of art , that persists even after first viewing of the film , is extraordinary . this is the film of the year .

1POS

truman ( " true - man " ) burbank is the perfect name for jim carrey 's character in this film . president truman was an unassuming man who became known worldwide , in spite of ( or was it because of ) his stature . " truman " also recalls an era of plenty following a grim war , an era when planned communities built by government scientists promised an idyllic life for americans . and burbank , california , brings to mind the tonight show and the home of nbc . if hollywood is the center of the film world , burbank is , or was , the center of tv 's world , the world where our protagonist lives . combine all these names and concepts into " truman burbank , " and you get something that well describes him and his artificial world . truman leads the perfect life . his town , his car , and his wife are picture perfect . his idea of reality comes under attack one day when a studio light falls from the sky . the radio explains that an overflying airplane started coming apart . .. but then why would an airplane be carrying a studio light ? the next day during the drive to work , the radio jams and he starts picking up a voice that exactly describes his movements . he is so distracted that he nearly hits a pedestrian . when the radio comes back to normal , the announcer warns listeners to drive carefully . his suspicion aroused , he wanders around the town square looking for other oddities . the world appears to be functioning properly until he enters an office building and tries to take the elevator . the elevator doors open up on a small lounge with people on coffee breaks . a grip sees truman him and quickly moves a paneled door , made to look like the back of an elevator , into place . two security guards grab him and throw him out . truman is really suspicious now . it gets even worse the next day when his wife , a nurse , describes an elevator accident in the building where he saw the lounge . " it 's best not to think about it , " she says , trying vainly to change truman 's memory . truman becomes determined to see who or what is behind this apparently elaborate hoax at his expense . at every turn he is stopped by an amazing coincidence that just happens to keep him in his own little town . his last hope is to quell his fear of the ocean and sail to the edge of the world . you know by now that truman 's life is the subject of a television program . his actions are " real " but everything else is carefully scripted , from the death of his father to the choice of his wife . truman is determined to find out what the big hoax is . meanwhile , christof , the all - seeing creator of truman 's world does his best to keep him unaware and happy . it 's sort of like westworld told from the robots ' point of view , or jurassic park from the dinosaurs ' point of view . we root for the captive of the cage - world . our protagonist is counting on " chaos theory " to help him escape his elaborate trap . the story , written by andrew niccol ( writer / director of gattaca ) , introduces some interesting questions , such as the ethics of subjecting a person to this type of life , or the psychological impact of learning that your entire life has all been fake . although these questions came to mind , i do n't think the film itself asked them . it certainly did n't address them or try to answer them . i was particularly disappointed that the film did n't deal more with the trauma of learning one 's life is a tv show . carrey 's performance at the end showed a smidgen of truman 's pain , but i almost felt that he got over it too easily for the sake of the film 's pacing . earlier in the movie i found myself wondering if it would be better for truman to find out the truth or whether i should root for him to be well . the two seemed exclusive of one another , but weir and niccol did n't see it that way . perhaps it 's not fair to criticize a movie for what it is n't , but it seems like there were some missed opportunities here . but on its own terms , the movie is well made . sight , sound and pacing are all handled competently . much of the first part of the movie is the truman show . the scenes are all apparently shot from hidden cameras , with snoots and obstructions covering the corners of the screen . one hidden camera is apparently in his car radio , the green led numbers obscuring the lower part of the screen . the music is well - chosen and scored . the film opens with what sounds like family drama theme music , when truman 's world is still beautiful and perfect . when the movie ends , the score sounds more like a frantic , driven , tangerine dream opus , while still keeping the same timbre . philip glass ' epic music ( from powaqqatsi ) permeates truman 's scenes of suspicion and awakening . ( glass has a small cameo as a keyboardist for the show . ) and the pacing of the story was brisk . there was no unnecessarily long setup explaining the concept behind the truman show , just a few quick title cards , a few interviews , and then right into the show , and the movie . one of the first scenes is of the studio light falling ; there was no token scene of truman 's idyllic life before it falls apart , because it was n't necessary , we pick up the story at the first sign of trouble , and no sooner . there 's also no point in the movie where the plot slows down . it 's a quick , straight shot to the movie 's end . in terms of overall quality , i would compare the truman show to niccol 's gattaca . both films are well made with interesting stories set in interesting worlds . but neither film really felt like it capitalized on all the great ideas ; neither film " clicked " and became an instant classic . nevertheless , i look forward to niccol 's next film , whatever it may be .

1POS