The Film Guide - Vijay Means "Victory"

Well, well, well…

Vijay Singh took over Tiger Woods’s No. 1 ranking after a scintillating head-to-head battle at the Deutsche Bank Championship outside Boston. Singh has been the better the player all year, and it was good to see him take the arrogant Woods down in person. Woods, ever the “gracious” loser, refused to acknowledge Singh’s accomplishment, instead he focused on the phantom swing-changes he’s been making that has had him coming back to top form for the last year or so. Riiiight…

Poor Agassi, he comes this close to beating the best player in the world. This close at age 34! Still, it’s good to know that he won’t be hanging it up anytime soon. Henman’s unlikely run; Roddick’s shocking loss; Sargisian’s marathon matches; Mauresmo’s continuing run of mental fragility; and finally, that epic Capriati-Serena encounter. Phew! It all points to an incredible finish at this year’s US Open!

Poor Petyon Manning. Once again the Colts outplayed mad-scientist Bill Belichick’s Patriots, and once again they came up agonizingly short. Tom Brady may not be the next Joe Montana (simmah down now John Madden, simmah down), but it seems that Manning is well on his way to becoming the next Dan Marino.

So, try to watch some US Open this weekend, squeeze in a few movies before the NFL really gets going on Sunday, and try to tune out the nastiness that seems to have overwhelmed the GOP presidential campaign.

cheers!

The basu! Guide to the Movies

September 10th, 2004

The Very Definition of Master Craftsman

Collateral (The film is a huge technological breakthrough [it was all shot on high-definition video and captures LA in a way that it has never been photographed before], and the way it is filmed, cut together and the atmosphere it evokes is simply amazing. Great acting jobs from everyone, including Tom Cruise and especially Jamie Foxx. Michael Mann is a true master craftsman, and this time his overall directorial abilities are up to the task as well. This is the kind of movie that makes you glad that you harbor a secret desire to make films one day.)

One to Watch – Bollywood (aka All Bachchan All the Time)

Dhoom

Directed by: Sanjay Gadhvi

Starring: Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra, John Abraham, Esha Deol, Rimii Sen

Plot: A honest cop goes up against a gang of young thieves who use motorcycles to pull off daring robberies. Yes-it-is-a-Bollywood-“remake”-of-a certain-Vin-Diesel-film type entanglements ensue.

The Buzz: C’mon man, a Bollywood(!) remake of The Fast and the Furious, complete with large musical numbers, fast bikes, very slick (especially by Indian standards) visuals, tense melodrama, platonic heterosexual male love, and cheesy sentimentality – what more could you ask for on a balmy summer day when it’s too hot to think? Not much more, not much more…

Bottom Line: Those Lucky Few in Jackson Heights and Artesia: Theatres – Eventually; Others: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Yuva, Jalwa

One to Watch, Most Definitely – Independents

Hijacking Catastrophe: 9/11, Fear and the Selling of American Empire

Directed by: Sut Jhally and Jeremy Earp

Starring: George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Norman Mailer

Plot: A documentary that goes into the plausibly real reasons behind President Bush’s decision to go to war in Iraq. Incredibly-thought-provoking type entanglements ensue.

The Buzz: This is the flip side of Fahrenheit 9/11 – a sobering, thoughtful, academic film that methodically and forcefully digs deep into the larger forces at work behind the invasion of Iraq. This is frightening stuff, and extremely timely given the nasty direction the recent campaigning has taken. Granted, this is very one-sided, but at least the film goes into the kind of in-depth investigating that has all but vanished from more traditional news outlets. And it inspires a dialogue that needs to happen on a much larger scale. It does not matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on, this film will leave you shaken and wanting to find out more, which is quite a feat for any film these days.

Bottom Line: Those Lucky Few in Manhattan: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Fahrenheit 9/11, Control Room, Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism, The Corporation

One to Watch – Independents

Reconstruction

Directed by: Christoffer Boe

Starring: Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Maria Bonnevie, Krister Henriksson

Plot: A young man’s life changes completely when he falls in love with a stranger. And-I-mean-literally-changes type entanglements ensue.

The Buzz: Stylish depression, graceful despondence, refined dejection, polished misery – take your adjective/emotion combination, they all fit this strangely beautiful little film. Boe is a visionary, and this assured film was given the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2003. It’s not hard to see why: stunningly beautiful visuals are complimented by the reserved performances from the universally excellent actors, leaving the audience to fill a lot of it in themselves. The film continues to amaze after the gimmicky plot device gets the story moving, and the self-consciousness is eventually forgotten as its strange spell is cast on you.

Bottom Line: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Lilya 4-ever, Together

New Movies

Resident Evil: Apocalypse

Directed by: Alexander Witt

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Eric Mabius, Oded Fehr

Plot: An escaped virus unleashes an army of the dead, and only one woman stands between them and total apocalypse. The-highlight-of-15-year-old-male-nerds’-weekends type entanglements ensue.

The Buzz: The first film was a surprise hit, and a pretty good DVD rental. This is the rare sequel that is even better than the original. Producer Paul W. S. Anderson is the Spielberg of video game-inspired films (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil), and has a worthy heir apparent in Witt, who knows how to put stuff like this together. And kudos to b*tt-kicking babes Jovovich and Guillory, who make it seem eerily natural that mini-skirts would be the uniform of choice for battling the undead. However, it is hottie Fehr who steals the show. Fehr was the simmering warrior Ardeth Bey from the new Mummy movies (I’ll never forget the roar of approval he got from the female audience members during a preview screening of The Mummy Returns), and it seemed like he was going to go places. Many years, and one short-lived so-campy-it’s-fun TV show (UC: Undercover) later, he’s back in a major motion picture. Well, it may not be major major, but it’s always good to see him kick as** and take names. Welcome back Oded, welcome back!

Bottom Line: Me, and Other Male Nerds: Theatres – First Week; Other, More Sensible People: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Resident Evil, Dawn of the Dead (both Zack Snyder’s and George Romero’s versions), (the upcoming) Shaun of the Dead

Criminal

Directed by: Gregory Jacobs

Starring: John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Plot: Two con artists have to turn the swindle of a lifetime in 24 hours. Decent-little-noir type entanglements ensue.

The Buzz: Reilly is great character actor, but he is no match for the peerless Ricardo Darín in the original film this one is based on, Nine Queens. Darín was like a predator dancing around his young mark, and his performance was emblematic of the overall excellence of the original. Unfortunately, something gets lost in the translation, and this remake does not quite have that spark that ignited the original. Still, there are worse ways you could spend a weeknight at home. Reilly is a great actor, and is always fun to watch, even when he is not fully on top of his game. Luna has that rare combination of looks and talent, and this is a step in the right direction for him. Ultimately, it’s the amazing Gyllenhaal who once again proves that when it comes to the Gyllenhaal clan, forget what all those Teen Beat-style magazines say, she’s the one to watch.

Bottom Line: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Nine Queens, The Sting, House of Games, The Spanish Prisoner

Cellular

Directed by: David R. Ellis

Starring: Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham, William H. Macy

Plot: A young man is forced to save a woman and her child, after she accidentally connects to his cellphone. It-is-what-it-is type entanglements ensue.

The Buzz: Okay kids, it is time now to turn off your brains, relax, and luxuriate. Luxuriate in the bald bad-a**ness of the incomparable Statham, who’s been tearing it up since Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Luxuriate in the fact that science teachers can look like Basinger, drive a Porsche and live in Brentwood. Luxuriate in the very dudeness of Evans, who is sure to gain big-time heartthrob status in the upcoming Fantastic Four (hey, even my mom was asking about him after seeing the trailer). And finally, luxuriate in the incredible coverage that the hero’s cellphone seemingly gets in LA. I mean, I bet the poor bastard hasn’t heard of my carrier, one T-Mobile, that is the absolute worst cellphone carrier of all time. I mean, I don’t even get any reception at home. At least that’s what I think because my phone never rings. It never, ever rings…

Bottom Line: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): The Transporter, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

When Will I Be Loved

Directed by: James Toback

Starring: Neve Campbell, Fred Weller, Dominic Chianese

Plot: A young woman begins to explore life outside of her relationship after feeling rejected by her heel of a boyfriend. Definitely-not-for-the-kiddies type entanglements ensue.

The Buzz: Another brisk, cinematic slap in the face from aging enfant terrible Toback. This loose, sometimes shocking, always absorbing little film does not quite come together at the end, but the eye-opening ride it takes you on is an interesting one to say the least. Weller, who was excellent in that other battle-of-the-sexes film The Shape of Things, is a bracing presence who makes the film come alive whenever he’s on screen. Unlike the current state of Uncle June on The Sopranos, Chianese is a vibrant, clever actor, and uses his weathered experience to great effect. Campbell is the biggest revelation here. Far away from the Scream territory that made her famous, it is clear now that she is trying hard to reinvent herself as a daring young actress. She displays an intelligence, calculation and a sexuality that was not even hinted at before. Her self-conscious performance is not entirely successful, but is hopefully an indication of better things to come.

Bottom Line: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Two Girls and a Guy, The Company

DVD to Watch, Most Definitely – (Releasing September 14th)

Man on Fire

Directed by: Tony Scott

Starring: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken, Giancarlo Giannini

Plot: A bodyguard is forced to take matters into his own hands when his charge, the young daughter of a Mexican industrialist, is kidnapped. Watch-Denzel-kick-some-major-a** type entanglements ensue.

The Buzz: Oh yeah! Denzel once again indulges his dark side; and once again his director is up to the task. Scott’s films have always been accused of being long on style and short on…well you know. And this one is no different. Scott, however, has matured; and this shows through not only in the performances from the excellent cast (especially Fanning, Walken and Giannini), but also in the tender relationship that develops between Washington and Fanning. The film is a little long, and at times too over wrought; but it is so much better than most of this year’s actioners (I am talking to you The Punisher), and is always so fun to watch, that I can’t wait.

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Training Day, Crimson Tide, Collateral

Marlon Brando (by association) Movie to Watch

The Godfather: Part II

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg

Plot: A young Italian-American man struggles to expand his family’s olive oil import business. Even-better-than-the-original-if-you-can-imagine type complications ensue.

The Buzz: “It made me think of what you once told me: ‘In five years the Corleone family will be completely legitimate.’ That was seven years ago.” “I don't feel I have to wipe everybody out, Tom. Just my enemies.” “If anything in this life is certain, if history has taught us anything, it is that you can kill anyone.” “He was stupid. I was lucky. I will visit him soon.” “Hyman Roth has been dying from the same heart attack for the last twenty years.” “I know it was you Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!” “There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” “I make him an offer he don't refuse.” And on, and on, and on…

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): The Conversation (possibly my favorite Coppola film), Tucker: The Man and His Dream, The Deer Hunter

Top 10 Films Out Right Now That I Positively Have to See

Maria Full of Grace

The Corporation

Control Room

Bush’s Brain

Stander

I, Robot

Bright Young Things

Brown Bunny

Top 10 Movies of the Year (finally, I Can Put 10 On My List!)

Collateral

Fahrenheit 9/11

Spider-Man 2

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Garden State

Super Size Me

The Manchurian Candidate

Kill Bill Vol. 2

Hero

Ripley’s Game *

* Of course, since this premiered on DVD, it will not be eligible for my year-end list.

The Film Guide - Have a Great Labor Day Weekend!

Have fun during Labor Day weekend - go to a cabin somewhere far away, grill some meat, drink some beers, watch some US Open action (it's been fast and, well, furious) and see some movies!

cheers!

The basu! Guide to the Movies

September 3rd, 2004

The Very Definition of OMG

Hero (A $17.8 million opening weekend for a subtitled Asian movie with very little marketing – not that is just plain incredible! While not as emotionally devastating as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this visually stunning film is worth watching on the big screen. Christopher Doyle has to be one of the most amazing, and unheralded, cinematographers working in films today!)

The Very Definition of Dog Days of Summer

Man, one bad movie after another – what can I say?

One to Watch – Independents (Opened August 29th)

Vanity Fair

Directed by: Mira Nair

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Romola Garai, James Purefoy, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Gabriel Byrne

Plot: An ambitious young woman of modest means looks to climb to the very top of London society. Merchant-Ivory-meets-Bollywood type complications ensue.

The Buzz: The little-known fact that often gets overlooked is that Mira Nair is not a very good director. Yes, it is true that Monsoon Wedding was tons of fun and better than anything she had ever done before (I mean, once you get past the “cute” little slum kids of Salaam Bombay! what do you have?). Unfortunately, though, she returns to form in this plodding, earnest film that takes all the edge off the William Makepeace Thackeray novel. The cast is terrific, especially Byrne, and Witherspoon continues to prove that she has the acting chops to go along with her formidable star power. Nair tries to infuse some Bollywood-ishtyle verve into this costume drama, which Shekhar Kapur did to much better effect in Elizabeth. Hey, with all the horrid movies out there right now this one feels like a welcome breath of fresh air – so that counts for a lot.

Bottom Line: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Legally Blonde, Monsoon Wedding, Elizabeth

New Movies

Wicker Park

Directed by: Paul McGuigan

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Diane Kruger, Matthew Lillard

Plot: A young man’s life is turned upside down when he catches a glimpse of a former girlfriend who had disappeared. Some-things-are-better-left-to-the-French type complications ensue.

The Buzz: A haphazard thriller that only makes its French original (L'Appartement) seem ever better by comparison. Lillard is a fine actor, and is by far the best thing about this film – won’t someone please give him something better to do? Please? Someone? Anyone?

Bottom Line: Pass

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): L'Appartement

The Cookout

Directed by: Lance Rivera

Starring: Tim Meadows, Danny Glover, Queen Latifah

Plot: A rising basketball star decides to throw a big party to celebrate his signing of a huge professional contract. Didn’t-they-learn-anything-from-the-travesty-that-was-Soul Plane? type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Just plain awful. Spare a thought for Glover and Meadows – great actors who deserve better, much better. This is Rivera’s first film – up until now he had been a hip-hop producer. I guess that’s all you need to direct a film in Hollywood these days. I mean who needs a $100k Master’s degree from the best film school in the country, right? Now, who would be dumb enough to think that this is all it would take to make a movie? Tut, tut…

Bottom Line: Pass

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Friday

Paparazzi

Directed by: Paul Abascal

Starring: Cole Hauser, Robin Tunney, Dennis Farina, Tom Sizemore

Plot: A rising film star goes after evil paparazzi after they harm his family. Producer-Mel-Gibson-doesn’t-always-have-the-golden-touch type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Cole Hauser was in Pitch Black. Robin Tunney was in Cherish. Dennis Farina was in Get Shorty (among others). Tom Sizemore was in Heat (among others). Watch those movies instead.

Bottom Line: Pass

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Pitch Black, Cherish, Get Shorty, Heat

DVD(s) to Watch – (Releasing September 7th)

The Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection

Directed by: Only one of the greatest directors of all time, Alfred Hitchcock

Starring: Only some of the greatest actors/actresses of all time

Plot: Somehow they all seem to involve paranoia, murder, deception, psychological torture and cool, frosty blondes.

The Buzz: So, you know the term “Hitchcockian thriller” that gets thrown around far too often nowadays? Well, boil some tea, get the scones and crumpets ready, and pop in Foreign Correspondent, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Suspicion, Stage Fright, I Confess, Dial M for Murder, The Wrong Man, and Strangers on a Train, to find out what it truly means!

Trivia: When Hitch’s granddaughter was at USC, she took a class on him. She had Hitchcock write a paper on himself and then submitted it with her name on it. The professor said it was the worst paper he had read, and gave her a failing grade! Wait, now how much did I spend on USC?!

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Torn Curtain, The Birds, Psycho, North By Northwest, Vertigo, The Wrong Man, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Rope, Notorious, Spellbound, Lifeboat, Shadow of a Doubt, Marnie, Saboteur, Rebecca

Marlon Brando Movie to Watch

The Godfather

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, John Cazale, Sterling Hayden, Talia Shire, Abe Vigoda

Plot: An Italian-American family struggles to get a piece of the American dream. Modest-little-film-that-you-may-not-have-heard-of type complications ensue.

The Buzz: “In Sicily, women are more dangerous than shotguns.” “My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator.” “I believe in America. America has made my fortune.” “It's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.” “I'll make him an offer he can't refuse.” “Someday - and that day may never come - I'll call upon you to do a service for me.” “But I didn't know until this day that it was Barzini all along.” And on, and on, and on…

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): See any best-of movie list out there; chances are that more than half of those films will involve the talent in this film

Top 10 Films Out Right Now That I Positively Have to See

Collateral

Maria Full of Grace

The Corporation

Control Room

Bush’s Brain

Stander

I, Robot

Bright Young Things

Brown Bunny

Top 10 Movies of the Year (finally, I Can Put 10 On My List!)

Fahrenheit 9/11

Spider-Man 2

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Garden State

Super Size Me

The Manchurian Candidate

Kill Bill Vol. 2

Hero

The Bourne Supremacy

Ripley’s Game *

* Of course, since this premiered on DVD, it will not be eligible for my year-end list.

The Film Guide - It's Back! (and so is the US Open)

Hey Guys,

Sorry I missed last week and this one’s coming in a little late as well. A few major things happened that distracted me: Rulon Gardner, one of the most unexpected success stories in any Olympics, retired after winning the Bronze; the wonderful success of the Iraqi soccer team during the Games; the coming out party of Michael Phelps and the establishment of Ian Thorpe as one of the greatest athletes in the world; Bob Costas gave props to Jimmy Roberts, Justin Gatlin’s unexpected victory in the 100m final; El Guerrouj finally won an Olympic Gold with a gutsy performance, and then followed it up with another Gold; the incredible stamina of the Chilean Olympic tennis team in winning the country’s first ever medals of any kind; the disastrous defeats of the US Basketball team; the sad end to the sordid Marion Jones saga; Fani Halkia’s goose-bumps-inducing victory lap as the home crowd serenaded her with chants of “Hellas”; China's Xiang Liu equaling the world record in the 100m hurdles and winning his country’s first ever Gold in Track; Allen Johnson, as good a you will ever meet in Track and Field, stumbling to the ground during the semi-finals; Paul Hamm’s ungraceful handling of the whole judging controversy; the Russians getting scr**ed again (Neimov and Khorkina); the continued dominance of the Chinese divers; the shocking realization that Jan-Ove Waldner had not yet retired; the Gold medal won by the US women’s soccer team; Paula Radcliffe dissolving under the strain of giant expectations…

…and yeah, there was something else too, but can’t quite remember what that was ;-)

Don’t catch your breath just as yet though, because here comes the final Slam – the US Open. Starting this Monday you can catch the sublime grace of Roger Federer, the bombast of Andy Roddick, the probable swansong of Andre Agassi, the relentlessness of the Russian Big Babe Brigade, the resurgence of the Williams sisters, the beautiful backhand of Justine Henin-Hardenne, and the exciting flair of the French women.

So catch some movies this weekend while you still can, for on Monday, we watch some tennis!

cheers!

The basu! Guide to the Movies

August 20th – August 27th, 2004

The Very Definition of Scene-Stealing

Frances Fisher in Laws of Attraction (She is an absolute delight in an otherwise adequate romantic comedy, and completely steals the show from her not-that-much-younger-but-more-famous co-stars. Pierce Brosnan is in great form as the rakish leading man, and Julianne Moore shows a hitherto unrealized ability with comedy. However, it is the glamorous and blithe Fisher who is the best thing about the movie and has one the most priceless movie lines of the year – Brosnan: “Are you really 56?” Fisher: “Parts of me are.” Brilliant!)

One to Watch – Bollywood

Fida

Directed by: Ken Ghosh

Starring: Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapur, Fardeen Khan

Plot: A big heist is the focal point of a romantic triangle. Not-sure-what-to-make-of-this type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Veteran video director (never thought I would say that about an Indian filmmaker) Ghosh’s second film is only in this guide because my usual source of all things Bollywood Aniket Khosla (who will always be Chotu to me) failed to come up with a good one this week. If you get burned by this blame him, not me.

Bottom Line: Thos Lucky Few in Jackson Heights, New Jersey and Artesia: Theatres – Eventually; Others: DVD (I think)

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Raghu Romeo

One to Watch – Independents (Opened August 20th)

Bright Young Things

Directed by: Stephen Fry

Starring: Peter O’Toole, Jim Broadbent, Stockard Channing, Emily Mortimer, Dan Aykroyd, Richard E. Grant

Plot: A group of the very elite of London society live it up while the specter of the second World War looms in the background. Another-fine-actor-turned-great-first-time-director type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Fry will always be Wooster to me, which is a pity, since he is not only an actor of great ability (his is probably the definitive cinematic portrayal of Oscar Wilde) but also, apparently, a director of some promise. This is a whirling, biting, sharply written film that almost bursts at the seams with its multitudinous plots, characters and situations. O’Toole and Broadbent manage to steal some of the thunder from the young ‘uns, and the criminally underappreciated Grant pops by to liven things up. This murderer’s row of young British thespians, led by the lovely Mortimer, is a pretty amazing group, and their varied and brilliant performances are what ultimately keep the whole enterprise afloat. Well done Fry, well done indeed.

Bottom Line: Theatres – Eventually

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Jeeves and Wooster, Wilde, Lovely and Amazing

Two to Watch, Most Definitely – Independents

Bush’s Brain

Directed by: Joseph Mealey and Michael Paradies Shoob

Starring: Karl Rove

Plot: A documentary that explores the shadowy king-maker behind George W. Bush’s presidency. Deeply-frightening-look-inside-the-halls-of-power type complications ensue.

The Buzz: An incredibly disturbing profile of the loathsome Rove, who pretty much made Dubya what he is today. Rove is smooth political operator, but he does not stop at just winning the battle at hand; he goes to the lowest depths of humanity to destroy everything that stands in his path. He is an absorbing figure, though, and his skillful manipulation of the system is certainly worthy of respect. Unfortunately, his tactics go way beyond the norms of decency, and it’s hard not to shudder and think about the powers that actually control the present White House.

Bottom Line: Theatres – First Week

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Fahrenheit 9/11, Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election

Hero

Directed by: Zhang Yimou

Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi

Plot: A Chinese mercenary defeats the Emperor’s three most ferocious enemies. Crouching-Tiger-meets-Chinese-art-film type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Finally, two years after the film was released to rapturous acclaim in China, and a full year after it was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 2003 Oscars, Miramax is releasing this incredible film. It may not be as emotionally satisfying as the earlier Ang Lee epic, but it is quite an achievement in and of itself, especially given Yimou’s previous small-scale films. What would otherwise have been another in a long line of wire-fu set-pieces instead is saved by some incredible performances by the leads. Li is not much of an actor, but his physical gracefulness compensates somewhat. Their imperious majesties from one of my personal favorite films of all time, In the Mood for Love, Leung and Cheung are at their very best here. The impossibly handsome Leung has never quite attained the worldwide recognition of his peers like Chow Yun-Fat and Andy Leung, which has always been a pity. His wonderful work here, subtle little flavoring that manage to stand out amongst all the martial arts wizardry, provides the perfect springboard for Cheung to strut her stuff. Ziyi, like in the earlier Tiger, is breathtaking. The beautiful little spitfire manages some dizzying emotional work that establishes her as the leading light of the next generation of great young Asian actresses.

Bottom Line: Theatres – First Week

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, In the Mood for Love

One to…Well, Not Quite Sure What – Independents

Brown Bunny

Directed by: Vincent Gallo

Starring: Vincent Gallo, Chloë Sevigny

Plot: A man crosses the country obsessing about his ex-girlfriend. Deeply-polarizing-film-that-defies-description type complications ensue.

The Buzz: This film certainly created quite a splash at Cannes last year, where it was practically booed out of the country. Then it created some more hullabaloo with its startling billboard above Sunset Boulevard (proving that there are some things that still shock the denizens of the famed Strip). What is lost in this media swirl, and that infamous final scene, is that Gallo is a true original. Of course, he is an extremely narcissistic, self-indulgent one, and this is very much in evidence in this oddball, never uninteresting film. Much of the initial furor was created by the climatic, uh, scene which would not be out of place in much less savory films – let’s just say that decorum, and spam filters, prevent me from explaining much further. I am not sure whether you should watch this film or not, but I am sure that you should not take your kids. Spare a thought for Sevigny, who has been nominated for an Oscar. Not only was this gifted actress brave enough to date that idiot Harmony Korine (Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy) but she takes a major risk here, and I really hope that she still finds projects worthy of her undeniable talent.

Bottom Line: Not sure what to tell ya…

Other Movies to Check Out: Buffalo 66, Boys Don’t Cry

New Movies (Opened August 20th)

Exorcist: The Beginning

Directed by: Paul Schrader Renny Harlin

Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Izabella Scorupco, Ben Cross

Plot: Father Merrin meets the Devil for the first time. Another-cynnical-exploitation-of-a-beloved-film-by-a-soulless-uber-studio type complications ensue.

The Buzz: The story behind the making of the movie is certainly more interesting than the movie itself. Paul Schrader (an inspired choice) was hired to direct the film from a Caleb Carr script. He shot the entire film and was finishing it up in the editing room when the producer decided that the film wasn’t scary enough. So he scrapped the entire thing, fired Schrader and hired Harlin (a terrible, terrible choice) to start the film from scratch. Harlin kept Skarsgård in the role of Merrin but replaced everyone else, including the screenwriters, and basically made a second film. And as we would expect from Harlin, it is not a very good one. Luckily, the studio has pledged to release Schrader’s version on DVD, so I would wait to see that one, and if you have too much time on your hands like I do, I would compare it to the Harlin version.

Bottom Line: Pass

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Paul Schrader’s The Exorcist: The Beginning, The Exorcist, Affliction

Without a Paddle

Directed by: Steven Brill

Starring: Matthew Lillard, Seth Green, Dax Shepard, Burt Reynolds

Plot: Three lifelong friends set out into the wilderness in search of the money stolen by the infamous D.B. Cooper. Another-terrible-teen-comedy type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Paramount, the worst studio ever (The Manchurian Candidate notwithstanding), delivers one of the more insipid, unfunny comedies of the summer. Reynolds is hilarious in his too few scenes, showcasing the deadpan humor that served him well in his heyday (which was too long ago, judging by this rubbish). Poor Lillard deserves a lot better than this, and considering his second-banana role in the upcoming Wicker Park, it doesn’t seem like he’s going to get it.

Bottom Line: Pass

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Deliverance, SLC Punk!

Nicotina

Directed by: Hugo Rodríguez

Starring: Diego Luna, Marta Belaustegui, Rosa María Bianchi

Plot: An unsuspecting computer hacker sets off an unexpected chain of events that engulfs a wide swath of the local population. Quirky-Quentin-Tarantinoesque-noir-with-a-Latin-flair type complications ensue.

The Buzz: This was a huge hit in its native Mexico, and it’s not hard to see why. A great cast – headlined by the emerging heartthrob Luna (trying to put the memory of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights far, far behind him) – a story that unfold in real time, and very slick visuals. Unfortunately, much like the titular drug in question, the initial high wears off pretty quickly, and you realize that there really wasn’t that much to begin with. Not quite a shining example of the burgeoning boom of Latin talent, but not a bad way to spend a weeknight.

Bottom Line: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Nine Queens

Mean Creek

Directed by: Jacob Aaron Estes

Starring: Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan, Josh Peck, Carly Schroeder

Plot: Things go horribly wrong when a young boy tries to get even with a bully. Fine-little-film type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Another in an impressively long line of well-made features from young, first-time directors. Of course, the director’s youth bubbles through when the film loses touch with its lyrical, thoughtful beginnings and the melodramatic plot kicks in. Still, this is an assured, artful debut and his adroit work with the young cast is a sure sign of greater things to come.

Bottom Line: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Freak the Mighty, Igby Goes Down, Bully, Kids

New Movies

Suspect Zero

Directed by: E. Elias Merhige

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley, Carrie-Anne Moss

Plot: A serial killer is killing other serial killers. Can-we-please-officially-close-the-book-on-this-tired-genre? type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Paramount, Paramount, Paramount…man how could you take a cast this talented, and a director this promising and turn out this kind of rubbish? Man, you really must be the worst studio ever (The Manchurian Candidate notwithstanding). It may be hard to believe, but Moss is good actress – just watch the not-very-good Chocolat, and the very-very-good Memento.

Bottom Line: If It Says Paramount, It Must Be: Pass

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Memento, Silence of the Lambs, Shadow of the Vampire

Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid

Directed by: Dwight H. Little

Starring: Morris Chestnut, KaDee Strickland, Eugene Byrd, Nicholas Gonzalez

Plot: An evil pharmaceutical company (is there ever any other kind?) sends in team to look for a special orchid that helps snakes grow without limit. Wait-did-they-say-snakes-growing-without-any-limits?! type complications ensue.

The Buzz: Okay, so I have an irrational fear of sharks and snakes, and 50-plus foot giant anacondas lurking beneath the water are certainly not up my alley. The first film was a hoot, and mercifully the titular reptile looked so fake that I could concentrate on laughing at the over-acting-with-irony performance from Jon Voight. Director Little knows the game at hand, and provides some old fashioned B-movie fun. Also, Gonzalez acted in my friend Manuel Bermudez’s student film, so if you do go to watch the movie, spare a thought for yet another talented filmmaker form USC trying to break into Hollywood. Now that, my friend, is a truly scary expedition.

Bottom Line: Me: Pass (shiver!); Other, More Sensible People: DVD (when they need something to take their minds off 12-hour workdays)

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Arachnophobia, Anaconda

DVD to Watch – (Releasing August 31st)

South Park: The Passion of the Jew

Directed by: Trey Parker and Matt Stone

Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mel Gibson

Plot: A young Jewish boy is forced to go on a journey of self-discovery after watching his forbearers blamed for the death of the Son of God in Mel Gibson’s controversial film. Typical-South-Park-satire-with-some-inspired-moments type complications ensue.

The Buzz: I think it’s safe to say that South Park’s moment in the sun has come and gone, but give credit to our intrepid duo for plugging away regardless. And it’s a good thing too, because once in a while they come up with satirical gems like this. It may not be the best work they have done, but it does provide some welcome relief, and perspective, after sitting through the mind-numbing brutality of Gibson’s film.

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): The Passion of the Christ, South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut

Marlon Brando Movie to Watch

Reflections in a Golden Eye

Directed by: John Huston

Starring: Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Forster, Brian Keith, Julie Harris

Plot: The troubled marriage between a Major and his outrageous wife unravels in spectacular fashion on an Army base. Dated-though-bursting-with-big-names type complications ensue.

The Buzz: With acting this broad, melodrama this florid, and the names this big, we are squarely in camp territory here. Brando is at his eccentric best, playing his swaggering masculinity against the simpering vulnerability of his character. Taylor is in fine diva form here, bedding or slapping practically every man she comes across. And Forster, years removed from his comeback in Quentin Tarantino’s much under-appreciated Jackie Brown, makes a physically striking debut. Even Keith and Harris manage to breathe life into their roles and while Huston has been much better, he nonetheless keeps the whole thing simmering along until the final, mad-cap explosion. Phew!

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Medium Cool, The Man Who Would Be King

Top 10 Films Out Right Now That I Positively Have to See

Collateral

Maria Full of Grace

The Corporation

Control Room

Stander

I, Robot

Bright Young Things

Brown Bunny

Top 10 Movies of the Year (finally, I Can Put 10 On My List!)

Fahrenheit 9/11

Spider-Man 2

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Garden State

Super Size Me

The Manchurian Candidate

Kill Bill Vol. 2

The Bourne Supremacy

Ripley’s Game *

Shrek 2

* Of course, since this premiered on DVD, it will not be eligible for my year-end list.