Well, here's hoping John Edwards manages to be everything Dick Cheney isn't - honest, ethical, sincere, selfless and a man truly of the people.

Now that you guys have recovered from the Fourth of July weekend, it's time to get back into the theatres and watch some movies this weekend.

Enjoy!

PS. I am also including my co-worker's softball report - mostly because yours truly hit a home run, pitched two innings, and then hit a left-handed double - all the while wearing work clothes. Given the dearth of athletic achievements of any kind - I thought this was momentous enough to share with all of you.

Oh yeah, we lost (again)!

The basu! Guide to the Movies

July 9th, 2004

One to Watch – Bollywood

Dev

Directed by: Govind Nihalani

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri, Fardeen Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Amrish Puri, Rati Agnihotri

Plot: An honest policeman struggles to survive against a backdrop of communal violence, corruption and crime. Not-your-typical-Bollywood-cop-drama type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: Nihalani brings his customary art-house sensibilities back to the big, bad world of Bollywood movies. The results in the past have ranged from inspired (Ardh Satya) to insipid (Karm Yodha); luckily we are decidedly in the former category here. Bachchan is in incredible form – and continues his remarkable late-career renaissance. No longer burdened with having to be a star, he has gracefully morphed into a solid, elegant actor. Paired with old hands Puri, Khan and even Agnihotri (one of my childhood favorites), Bachchan gives a layered, nuanced performance and plays off the supporting cast well; instead of dominating them as he usually does. Om Puri, as always man, is absolutely incredible and even Amrish Puri manages to breathe some life into an otherwise thinly drawn character. Naturally, they completely overshadow the young guns – Kapoor and Khan – who are unusually palatable here. Nihalani is an idiosyncratic director with a decidedly personal vision, and it’s great to see him continue to carve out a niche for himself in the otherwise artistically bankrupt world of Bollywood.

Bottom Line: Thos Lucky Few in Jackson Heights, New Jersey and Artesia: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Ardh Satya, Aakrosh

Two to Watch - Independents

Riding Giants

Directed by: Stacy Peralta

Starring: Laird John Hamilton

Plot: A documentary detailing the evolution of surf culture. Incredibly-cinematic-and-touching type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: The first documentary to be chosen to open the Sundance Film Festival, this film created some of the strongest buzz coming out of Park City at the beginning of the year. Peralta’s an old hand at this – his previous film was the excellent skateboard documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, and he knows how to create an involving, thoughtful, and ultimately touching story around a subculture that only recently has been embraced by the mainstream. Of course the whole thing looks incredible, delivering a visceral thrill rarely (if ever) seen in documentaries. The movie is a little long, and a little too polished – but the story of these daredevils pushing themselves to the absolute limits of what is humanly possible is worth it.

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

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Dogtown and Z-Boys

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

Directed by: Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky

Starring: James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Lars Ulrich, Robert Trujillo, Jason Newsted

Plot: A documentary about the personal issues that nearly torn the legendary band apart during the recording of their last album. Rockers-are-actually-sensitive-blokes type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: Okay, so I know what you are thinking, but believe me, whether you like metal or not this is a fascinating character study. Unfortunately like the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat before it, the subject matter may be enough to turn most cineastes (and I do not include myself in this category) off it – which would be a real pity. Rarely have the group dynamics and interpersonal relationships of males been studied in such detail before, and the results are quite startling. Like most men of their generation, the band members have to deal with impending middle-age. Unlike most men of their generation, however, they have to do this in the eternal-youth playground that is hard-rock music. Their existential struggles are gripping, painful even, to watch; but ultimately, we are able to identify with them in some regard. It also helps that the directors have made brutally honest, disturbing documentaries like Paradise Lost, before, and their steady hand provides welcome guidance. This is a fascinating, captivating documentary – so even if you don’t like heavy metal (which is what we called it in my day), or don’t even know who Metallica are, you should still see this movie.

Bottom Line: Those Lucky Few in Manhattan (and San Francisco): Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Beyond the Mat, Paradise Lost

New Movies (Opened Wednesday, July 6th)

King Arthur

Directed by: Antoine Fuqua

Starring: Clive Owen, Keira Knightley, Ioan Gruffudd, Ray Winstone, Stephen Dillane, Stellan Skarsgård

Plot: The “true” story of the man who inspired the legend that is King Arthur. Hollywood-revisionism-but-with-better-than-expected-results type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: I know, I know – it’s a Jerry Bruckheimer film. But the man who brought you such classics as Coyote Ugly and Kangaroo Jack has actually done well this time; choosing to discard the awful “hip” sensibility of “period” pieces like the awful A Knight’s Tale, and sticking to the earnest, thoughtful atmosphere of films like Gladiator. Of course this being a Bruckheimer film, and this being the summer, and Fuqua being no Ridley Scott, the film does not succeed entirely; but it’s an admirable effort. There is a lot more detailed characterization and intricate storyline that we have any right to expect, and the director shows some of the same panache he displayed so effectively in Training Day. Incredibly, there is not an American actor in sight – a bold decision that thankfully spares us the agony of having to sit through Kevin Costner-type accents. Owen – you know I am going to say this – brings some real authority to role of Arthur, and his tortured, subdued performance is one of the best you will see all year. The supporting cast is great – Gruffudd, Dillane and Skarsgård are always good, and shine through here. Winstone, who has been great in movies like Sexy Beast and Cold Mountain, is great fun, and manages to bring some real spark to the doom and gloom that pervades through the film. Knightley, of course, is brilliant as the decidedly un-Queen-like Guinevere, though her perky babe-with-‘tude act is in danger of wearing thin. Now, the main question is: where in the world did she find a medieval designer to adapt her armor and show off that impossibly flat stomach of hers?

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

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Gladiator, Camelot

New Movies (Opening Friday, July 9th)

Anchorman

Directed by: Adam McKay

Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steven Carell, Paul Rudd, Fred Willard

Plot: Newsmen in 1970s San Diego are threatened with the arrival of an anchorwoman. Inspired-wackiness type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: In the immortal words of Duff Man : “Oh yeah!” What can I say man, but I will now watch everything that Ferrell does – everything darn thing! I’ll even admit to liking A Night at the Roxbury (I know, I know – but I caught it on a plane, and was surprised by how much better-than-expected it was). This film does have the anarchic feel of an extended SNL skit (not surprising given that director McKay worked with Ferrell there), and some of it does not quite coalesce into narrative coherence. Ferrell, though, has been smart enough to surround himself with an exceptionally adroit ensemble – with Carell and the great, great Willard really getting in some laughs. Applegate is the surprise here, displaying a fine sense of comic timing one would guess she did not learn from her time on Married with Children. She holds her own against relentless scene-stealers like Ferrell, Carell and Willard, and may have carved out a career for herself in the process. Ferrell is amazing as the blithe, oblivious titular character – completely different from what he was in Elf. At this point it is pretty clear that he has established himself as a fine comic lead, and let’s hope he continues to build on his success and not devolve into a Mike Myer/Adam Sandler-type ham. Let’s also hope that Ferrell and Applegate’s old buddies Chris Katan and Ed O’Neil – fine, underrated actors – manage to get something going for themselves as well.

Bottom Line: Theatre – First Week

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Old School, A Night at the Roxbury

Sleepover

Directed by: Joe Nussbaum

Starring: Alexa Vega, Mika Boorem

Plot: Four barely high school girls enter a scavenger hunt and snare the hottest boy in school. I-don’t-know-how-the-he**-I’m-going-to-manage-a-daughter type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: USC alum Nussbaum alum made a wonderful parody short called George Lucas in Love. It was a witty, smart and well-made film; and he exhibited real promise as a filmmaker. This film, however, is just horrid. Nussbaum follows in the fine tradition of other recent, talented USC grads like Luke Greenfield (The Girl Next Door) and Tommy O'Haver (Get Over It), each of whom went on to make terrible tween comedies. Hey, at least they are making movies – which is more than I can say for myself. Man, I’d switch places with them in an instant. Hey MGM, if you’re looking for someone to make the inevitable, straight-to-DVD sequel Sleepover 2…

Bottom Line: Good God – Pass!

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Mean Girls, Freaky Friday, George Lucas in Love

Afraid of Everything

Directed by: David Barker

Starring: Sarah Adler, Daniel Aukin, Nathalie Richard

Plot: An airhostess becomes a shut-in after she loses her leg in an accident, and is carefully prodded by her care-free sister to break through her fears. Not-your-typical-seize-the-day type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: This is an accomplished, surprising film that refuses to give the easy, stock answers we have come to expect from similar movies. The conflict between the two sisters is unusually multifaceted, going much further than the standard happy-go-lucky vs. withdrawn modalities we have seen before. Barker is an assured, adventurous director and he coaxes some good performances from his actors. It is a safe bet that this film will not be seen widely, which is a pity. Let’s hope Barker manages to a build a career for himself from this.

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

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Tully, The Dreamlife of Angels

DVD You Must Watch – (releasing July 13th)

The Manchurian Candidate

Directed by: John Frankenheimer

Starring: Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury

Plot: A man running for political office may have been brainwashed into becoming an enemy agent. Prescient-paranoid-thriller type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: A bit of synergistic convergence here, as this is being re-released in time for the big-screen remake coming out at the end of the month. Frankenheimer was a great director at one time, and his supremely well-crafter thriller has seen its reputation grow with the passing years. Almost no film can be as good as the myth surrounding it, but this one comes close. Sinatra is amazing here, and gives one of the most surprising performances in movie history with his loose, unhinged portrayal as the paranoid Army vet convinced that the Enemy is trying to put a sleeper in the White House. The rest of the cast is top-notch, but man oh man, it’s Lansbury who truly stands out as the scheming, manipulative, ice-cold, original mother-from-he**. Legend has it that she was so shocked by what she saw on screen that she swore never to do another negative role again, which is just too da** bad. Murder She Wrote or not, Lansbury used to be a fine actress, and this film will show just how highly regarded she was at one point in her career.

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Seconds

Marlon Brando Movie to Watch

The Freshman

Directed by: Andrew Bergman

Starring: Marlon Brando, Matthew Broderick, Bruno Kirby, Penelope Ann Miller, Maximilian Schell

Plot: A young NYU student is hoodwinked into working for a very familiar looking Mafia boss. Underrated-comic-gem type intrigue ensues.

The Buzz: Brando was good at comedy when the stars were aligned, as they are here (and were in 1964’s Bedtime Story – the original Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). He has a great time playing off the persona he so indelibly etched into the public consciousness with The Godfather. Showing a great ability for self-parody (something that the Method actors from 1970s have displayed only sporadically), he dives into his role with singular focus, and comes away with one of the best performances of his career. It does not hurt that he is operating with a great supporting cast at the top of their game. The once-beautiful Miller shows why she once had a promising career in Hollywood, and worked opposite such heavyweights as Ah-nuld and Al Pacino. Broderick, Kirby and Schell are splendid in their roles – expertly tweaking their typecast personas into something entirely new. And then we come to sad story of the director Bergman. Before the woeful, career-killing Striptease, Bergman was a wonderfully nimble director of comedies adept and recasting the musty conventions of romantic comedies. He is at the height of his powers here, and it is bittersweet to see the wasted potential at work.

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Honeymoon in Vegas, Bedtime Story

I Cried Like a Littul Guhl

In America (Unabashedly sentimental, but beautifully made without the heavy-handed schmaltz that we have seen from other films of its ilk – this had me sobbing by the end of it. Don’t tell anyone though; I have an image to protect.)

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

Fahrenheit 9/11

The Corporation

Control Room

Lakshya

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story

The Terminal

Baadasssss!

The Story of the Weeping Camel

Bukowski: Born Into This

Man on Fire

The Passion of the Christ

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

Spider-Man 2

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Super Size Me

Kill Bill Vol. 2

Ripley’s Game *

Shrek 2

Miracle

Starsky and Hutch

Hellboy

The Day After Tomorrow

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

$23 million!



868 screens – a per screen average of $27, 558.



Are you feeling like a fool now, Mr. Eisner?



(Of course, Spider-Man 2’s $45 million opening day is an incredible achievement for a worthy film too.)



Don’t forget the Men’s and Women’s finals at Wimbledon this weekend. For the women it will be fascinating to see Serena Williams come back from injury and become the first woman since Steffi Graf to win three in a row. Don’t forget that her semifinal opponent Maria Sharapova is the one the youngest Grand Slam finalists in the Open era. The unflattering Anna Kournikova notwithstanding, Sharapova has major game and should be around for a while (which will make the Tennis establishment very, very happy). For the men, it will (hopefully – since rain has delayed the semifinals as I am writing this) be a fascinating struggle between the sublime grace of Roger Federer (quite possible the most talented athlete on the planet) and the brute force of Andy Roddick.



And spare a moment for Marlon Brando, a once proud actor who had devolved into a sorry spectacle over the last 15-or-so years.



Happy Fourth of July everyone!


The basu! Guide to the Movies



July 2nd, 2004



Good Night, Marlon Brando



Before he became a self-parody, Brando was the greatest actor of his generation, and quite possibly of all time. You will hear this ad nauseum, but none of the acting heavyweights from the 1970s onward would be where they are if they had not been inspired by him. Do yourself a favor and check out everything from The Wild Ones, through A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, Viva Zapata, Guys and Dolls, to Last Tango in Paris. You will see some of the greatest acting every put on film, but try not to think about what it means to be a self-destructive celebrity in the media saturated age that we live in.



Good night Marlon, and sweet dreams.



The Best Movie of the Year



Spider-Man 2



One to Watch – Bollywood



Lakshya

Directed by: Farhan Akhtar

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Om Puri, Singh, Raj Zutshi

Plot: A young man has to go to the most remote battlefield in the world, Kargil, to find himself. Oh, what a not-your-typical-Bollywood-merlodrama-with-some-pretty-slick-battle scenes type entangled web we weave.

The Buzz: Okay, so director Akhtar made one of the best Bollywood movies in the last five years (Dil Chahta Hai). That surpassingly good film about the coming of age of exceptionally wealthy young men who have been handed everything by their fathers must have rung true for him – after all he is the son of Bollywood royalty Javed Akhtar. This time around he is miles away from that urban milieu – figuratively and literally. Akhtar has made a war movie on location in one of the most remote regions on the planet (Ladakh), with a literal cast of thousands (no CGI for him), using only synch sound (a very rare thing indeed in Indian films), starring two of the biggest stars of their generations bouncing back after a string of forgettable films (Bachchan and Roshan) – and this time his reach has clearly exceeded his grasp. The film tries hard to keep the focus on the main character, but ultimately cannot resolve the many narrative threads running through the story. Roshan is better here than he has been recently, while Zinta continues to be annoying. The great Puri, as always, is fantastic in his role; while the underrated Zutshi might one day have the career that Puri has. Of course, no matter how big the film, Bachchan is bigger still. Dominating every second he is on film, this time he is given more to do than just stand around a give lectures; and he makes the most of it. The film might ultimately be a little too long, unfocused, and ultimately full of the clichés it had self-consciously tried to avoid; but the genuine talent of the young director manages to shine through pretty strongly. As they say, thank Raimi for small mercies.

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

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Dil Chahta Hai



One to Watch - Independents



The Corporation

Directed by: Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott

Starring: Noam Chomsky, Joe Bakan

Plot: A documentary that examines what it means to be a corporation. Oh, what a courageous-documentary-that-dares-to-raise-some-anti-capitalist-thinking-in-the-bastion-of-capitalism type entangled web we weave.

The Buzz: Thanks Antoaneta for bringing this to my attention. This is a truly remarkable film that mostly succeeds in its examination of what it means to be a corporation – a discrete legal entity, much like you and me. Of course, the examination yields what everyone already knows – that corporations are evil, terrible things that wreak havoc wherever they go. Of course, it is one thing for me to admire a film like this, and quite another for me to work for a powerful, global corporation. Granted, my company is a corporation that has professed to “do no evil,” but corporations, by their very definition, are at least capable of evil. The only reason for a corporation to exist is to make as much as money as possible – and this profit motive makes them inherently amoral. This thoughtful and absorbing documentary carefully examines the situation deliberately and precisely, refusing to serve up the easy answers of a Michael Moore. Unfortunately, though, like Moore, it has already made up its mind before the film in starts, and therefore does not look at the complicity that we as consumers must own up to. Corporations may exist to make money for themselves, but they do it by selling us things we do not need, yet cannot wait to consume – no matter what the moral implications. Of course, being the moral relativist that I am, I shall watch this movie as soon as I get my made-by-a-laborer-earing-60 cents-an-hour Guess shirt out of the laundry and finish up the porn campaign I need to post for the aforementioned do-no-evil corporation.

Bottom Line: Those Lucky Few in Manhattan (and Palo Alto): Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Super Size Me, The Hunting of the President



New Movies (Opened Wednesday, June 30th)



Spider-Man 2

Directed by: Sam Raimi

Starring: Toby Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina, James Franco, J. K. Simmons

Plot: All grown up in the big city, our favorite arachnid hybrid has to deal with that immortal burden of all superheroes: “with great power comes great responsibility.” Oh, what a this-is-so-much-better-than-the-first type entangled web we weave.

The Buzz: OH MY GOD! With all due apologies to Batman Returns, Superman (the first one, and yeah the second was pretty dang good too) and even Hellboy (don’t laugh – a lot more verve and imagination went into that one that we had any right to expect), this possibly could be the best superhero movie of all time. Darker, and much more developed than the first, the film exhibits a welcome sense of melancholy that runs through the very heart of it. Don’t get me wrong, there are some incredibly funny moments here (and some pretty self-reflexive ones as well – thanks Ki for pointing out the “My back” bit), after all this is a Raimi film. However, now that the filmmaker has been unburdened of his responsibility of setting up the universe within which these characters live, he is free to explore the dark underbelly of the protagonists’ existence. Eyebrows had been raised when Sony picked Laura Ziskin to produces these movies (the former producer of such hits as Pretty Woman and Fight Club had mostly been doing grown-up fare for HBO before that), but it was an inspired choice to say the least. Of course it did not hurt that her partner is Alvin Sargent, the writer of such decidedly un-blockbuster films like Nuts, Ordinary People and Julia. Sargent did some uncredited rewrites on the first Spider-Man, but is given full rein here to adapt the story written by, among others, the one-time “it” author (and, INMHO, somewhat overrated) Michael Chabon. Sargent fleshes out all the major characters, taking the time to develop them into fully realized human beings (well, human beings that can shoot webbing out of their wrists, control super-strong metal tentacles, and act in an off-Broadway production of The Importance of Being Earnest with the worst English accent imaginable), so that by the end of it we are invested in what happens to each and every one of them. Casting Molina as the villain was an inspired choice if there ever was one – he goes so beyond the cartoonish characterizations that we have come to accept in such films, that he makes the tortured, conflicted Doc Ock a riveting presence. Dunst, that awful trailer notwithstanding, actually manages to get in some real acting this time. Simmons is a hoot as the blustery newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson. Even Maguire, whom I positively detest, is fantastic here. In fact, this time around, his Spider-Man is as good as his Peter Parker ;-) Franco, however, is the one that really shines. Finally given something to do, he rises to the occasion and delivers a deeply layered performance, torn between his friendship with Peter Parker and the need to avenge his father’s death. Franco is the real deal man, he was absolutely astounding as James Dean in the TNT biopic, and acted circles around Robert DeNiro in the not-too-bad City by the Sea. Something tells me that he is going to get an even bigger showcase in the next installment. Raimi, god that you are, if you’re listening man, the way to go for Spider-Man 3, is to include a second villain – Venom. And if you’re looking for someone to play Venom, well, I’ll be your man. True story: When I was a kid in boarding school my house matron told us that if we prayed to God, all our wishes would come true. Well, I prayed every single day for Him and/or Her to make me Spider-Man (and in case that wasn’t possible, Batman would be an acceptable second choice). Well, since I found out the hard way that I could not, in fact, scale walls and jump from building to building, I am asking you again, Raimi, that Venom would be an acceptable third choice.

Bottom Line: Theatres – First Week! Anything else would be unacceptable!

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Spider-Man, Superman, Batman Returns, Hellboy, and even Hulk



New Movies



De-Lovely

Directed by: Irwin Winkler

Starring: Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathan Pryce

Plot: A biography that looks at the life of legendary composer, and bon vivant, Cole Porter. Oh, what a tries-hard-to-be-anything-but-a-standard-biography-but-ends-up-being-exactly-that type entangled web we weave.

The Buzz: Man, is it difficult trying to be “different” – believe me I know. The cleverness of the movie ends with its premise – that it is a stage show of Porter’s life being watched by Porter himself. Unfortunately, the ham-fisted Winkler butchers this into a boring, shallow quasi-musical that is so much less sexually adventurous than Porter that it’s laughable. A slew of contemporary pop stars, well, pop up to croon his tunes, and the results are as disastrous as you would imagine. Kline is a fine choice to play the title character, and his carefully cultivated screen-persona (with the obvious exception in A Fish Called Wanda) is a perfect fit for Porter. The normally luminous Judd is completely out of her depth here, and even the great Pryce is wasted. The film is too enraptured with the cleverness of its conceit and its, gasp, “daring” wink-wink depiction of Porter’s homosexuality to be anything but half-baked. Take my advice instead – grab a bottle of champagne, buy some cheap smoked salmon, invite some quasi-friends, and pop Night and Day into the DVD player. After all, as good as Kline is, he most certainly is no Cary Grant.

Bottom Line: Pass

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): All that Jazz, Night and Day



Before Sunset

Directed by: Richard Linklater

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

Plot: A couple, after having spent the night with each other in Vienna, reunite nine years later in Paris. Oh, what a I-can’t-believe-it’s-been-nine-years-since-I-saw-the-first-film-in-college type entangled web we weave.

The Buzz: Ah, the passage of time – that unrelenting sand through the hourglass thing – is something I know very well. And it is this somber underlying theme which gives this quirky little film its edge. Like the earlier film, it is a little too in love with its own idiosyncrasies; but unlike the earlier film, it has the lived-in confidence which comes only with age. Hawke has left most of his annoying I’m-so-cool-for-doing-this-indie-type-movies mannerisms behind, and infuses his character with a gentle insecurity that belies his arrogant exterior. What most people may not remember is that it was the wispy Delpy who was the real revelation in the first film, and once again it is her wry optimism which carries this film. Lines are now faintly visible on her face, and the bags under the eyes that once graced perfume ads all over Europe are indicative of the years that have passed. Her gradual transformation over the course of the film (shot mostly in real time) is enthralling, and it is a pity that Hollywood has never figured out what to do with this talented young actress.

Bottom Line: Theatres – Eventually

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Before Sunset, Waking Life



The Clearing

Directed by: Pieter Jan Brugge

Starring: Robert Redford, Willem Dafoe, Helen Mirren

Plot: A powerful businessman is kidnapped, and his wife discovers that he may not be as perfect a husband as he claims to be. Oh, what a wouldn’t-this-better-as-a-high-school-play type entangled web we weave.

The Buzz: This turgid, talky, purported thriller goes nowhere, and takes a long time getting there. Making an earnest thriller is one thing, but making one that takes away all the fun of a genre piece is another thing altogether. Dafoe is wasted in the unfocused role as the kidnapper, and Redford is at his deadly-boring worst. It is left to the amazing Mirren to do the heavy lifting, and she is more than capable. Oscillating between grief, anger, disbelief and guilt – often in the same scene, she delivers an exceptionally complex performance that must rank up there with what we have seen so far this year. It is a fascinating performance that is wasted in a mediocre movie. Mirren is an incredible talent, and if Fox Searchlight has any sense they will push her for an Oscar nomination when the end of the year rolls around.

Bottom Line: Pass

Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Ordinary People



DVD You Must Watch – (releasing July 6th)



Monsieur Ibrahim

Directed by: François Dupeyron

Starring: Omar Sharif, Pierre Boulanger

Plot: A shy Muslim man in Paris takes a young Jewish boy under his wing. Oh, what a great-little-life-affirming-movie type entangled web we weave.

The Buzz: A delicate, small, dare I say, tender film, which showcases, of course, the ageless virtuosity of Sharif. Matched with effortless grace by the young Boulanger, Sharif gives what is sure to be an Oscar nominated performance. Yes, we have seen this kind of film before. Yes, Sharif’s character might be a little too stereotypical in the fount-of-Eastern-mysticism mold. And yes, this modest, heart-felt little film will win me over from the opening frame.

Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Dr. Zhivago, Funny Girl



Wow, This Must Be One of the Greatest of All Time



Ikiru (An incredible, incredible film. What does it say that I so completely identified with a dying Japanese bureaucrat in a foreign black-and-white film made more than 50 years ago?)



Will Ferrell



Old School and the upcoming Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Ferrell has become one of our best comic actors and I can’t wait for Anchorman)



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



Fahrenheit 9/11

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story

The Terminal

Baadasssss!

The Story of the Weeping Camel

Bukowski: Born Into This

Control Room

Man on Fire

I’m Not Scared

The Passion of the Christ



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



Spider-Man 2

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Super Size Me

Kill Bill Vol. 2

Ripley’s Game *

Shrek 2

Miracle

Starsky and Hutch

Hellboy

The Day After Tomorrow



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

The Rich Chen! Guide to the Movies

June 25th, 2004

THE BIG ONE!

Fahrenheit 9/11
Directed by: Michael Moore
Starring: Michael Moore, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney
Plot:
The Buzz:
Bottom Line:
Other Movies to Check Out (as well):

One to Watch – Bollywood

Kagaar
Directed by: N. Chandra
Starring: Om Puri, Nandita Das, Amitabh Dayal
Plot: An idealistic young man becomes a police office after going to Bombay to search for his long-lost brother. He is put in a difficult spot, however, when the most dangerous criminal he has faced turns out to be his closest childhood friend.
The Buzz:
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well/instead):

One to Watch - Independents

Kaena: The Prophecy
Directed by: Chris Delaporte and Pascal Pinon
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Anjelica Huston, Richard Harris
Plot:
Bottom Line:
Other Movies to Check Out (as well/instead):

New Movies (Opened Wednesday, June 23rd)

White Chicks
Directed by: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans
Plot:
The Buzz:
Bottom Line: Me:
Other Movies to Check Out (as well/instead):

Other New Movies

The Notebook
Directed by: Nick Cassavetes
Starring: Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Joan Allen
The Buzz:
Bottom Line:
Other Movies to Check Out:

Two Brothers
Directed by: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Starring: Guy Pearce
The Buzz:
Bottom Line:
Other Movies to Check Out:

DVD To Watch (releasing June 29th)

Blazing Saddles: 30th Anniversary Special Edition
Directed by: Mel Brooks
Starring: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Mel Brooks
Plot:
The Buzz:
Bottom Line:
Other Movies to Check Out (as well/instead):

Other Topics



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


Top 10 Movies of the Year (so far – as you can see, I haven’t had the time to watch even 10 Movies, For Shame Rich, For Shame)

The basu! Guide to the Movies

June 18th, 2004

One to Watch – Tollywood (Independent)

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer
Directed by: Aparna Sen
Starring: Rahul Bose, Konkona Sen Sharma
Plot: A married Hindu woman and a Muslim man come to each other’s aid while traveling on a bus that is attacked by Hindu fundamentalists. The two have to stay together while the roads are closed off due to ethnic riots. Romantic-longing-across-religions type confusions ensue.
The Buzz: I was as skeptical as you before I saw this movie. But after the initial plot mechanics get out of the way, the film settles down into a gentle rhythm with a keen eye for human relationships. Sen Sharma (the director’s daughter) is incredible as the titular wife – never for a second did I think she was anything but a married South Indian woman. Bose does not fare quite as well, though his amusing ego does fit with his character. Their slowly evolving relationship is handled beautifully, and feels absolutely authentic given the context. Of course, this is an Indian film, so instead of a graceful, ambiguous ending (which happens before the actual end), the film goes on a little too long, and almost spoils everything with an emotionally over-the-top ending. Man, but isn’t it good to see Sen, the grand dame of Bengali films, still going strong after all these years? And man oh man oh man oh man, ain’t it grand that we are right in the middle of another Bengali film renaissance. Now, if only we could find someone with the aesthetics of Bengali cinema, but the technical training of Hollywood who is at home with both mainstream, populist films, and their more obtuse, independent cousins. Hmm…..
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): 36 Chowringhee Lane

Two to Watch - Independents

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
Directed by: Mike Hodges
Starring: Clive Owen, Malcolm McDowell, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Charlotte Rampling
Plot: A former criminal (Owen) has to revisit the trespasses of his youth when he investigates his brother’s murder. Deadpan-minimalist-classic-British-criminal-drama type confusions ensue.
The Buzz: The incredible Owen (already being upstaged as the title character in the upcoming King Arthur) first came to prominence in director Hodges’s Croupier – a tasty little film noir indeed. Even though the story here is little more than a rehashing of the director’s seminal Get Carter, the 72-year-old Hodges still manages to surprise us with his nifty stylistic flourishes. McDowell, as usual, is in fine form as the scenery-chewing villain, and the ageless Rampling still manages to get pulses running. Owen is in incredible form here – brooding, vicious, magnetic – and should be well on his way to stardom (hopefully) with the upcoming summer blockbuster King Arthur and Mike Nichol’s sure-fire Oscar heavyweight Closer (in which he outshines the likes of Julia Roberts, Jude Law, and Natalie Portman). While his profile is not going to be raised by this small film, it is still a fine showcase for him to strut his stuff, and prove that he truly is one of the few true leading men out there still.
Bottom Line: Those Lucky Few in Manhattan: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Croupier

The Hunting of the President
Directed by: Nickolas Perry and Harry Thomason
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Bill Clinton
Plot: A documentary that details the concentrated effort to bring down former President Clinton. I-can’t-believe-they-spent-million-of-taxpayer-dollars-on-this-rubbish type confusions ensue.
The Buzz: Remember the good old days, when all Presidents lied about were some marital indiscretions? Well this film certainly does. Based on the book of the same name, this earnest, doggedly researched, methodical film neatly lays out the vast coordinated efforts to bring down the presidency of Bill Clinton by any means necessary. Of course, a lot of the details are familiar to most people who have watched Fox News, but it is refreshing to get the perspective from the other side. Freeman’s terse, dignified narration goes a long way towards establishing the tone of the film. The filmmakers condemn Clinton for his infidelities, but make it clear that there was no way he deserved the attacks he had to weather throughout his tenure in the White House. The film does come close to veering out of control though, with its investigation of a shadowy organization, and mysterious figures straight out of Oliver Stone-land. Luckily the rest of this smart, absorbing film more than makes up for this. While it is obvious that those from the Right side of the political spectrum will dismiss it without ever having seen it, you will be well served by watching the film – especially since President Clinton’s own autobiography is due out next week.
Bottom Line: Those Lucky Few in Manhattan: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Primary Colors

New Movies (Opened Wednesday, June 16th)

Around the World in 80 Days
Directed by: Frank Coraci
Starring: Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, Jim Broadbent, and tons of cameos
Plot: An eccentric inventor (Coogan) must enlist the help of a common thief (Chan) in order to win his bet and get around the world in a mere 80 days. Harmless-family-fun-with-some-cool-cameos-especially-by-a-certain-former-Mr. Universe-turned-Guh-verninator type confusions ensue.
The Buzz: I think that Chan has always been much more comfortable in this milieu than the Rush Hour type films that catapulted him into the American consciousness. His nimble physicality has always been more Buster Keaton than Bruce Lee, and he gets to indulge those singular gifts in a big way here. Of course, saying that this remake is better than the original is the very definition of damning it with faint praise (the 1956 film is considered to be the worst films ever to win the Best Picture Oscar). Still, the laughs are plentiful, the cinematography is fine, the acting is competent, Coogan is a lot of fun, the cameos are enjoyable, and Chan does what he does best – and boy, is that fun to watch. So, forget about the narrative inconsistencies, the wooden dialogue, and the third-act problems; instead, grab your kids, pop open some milk, grab some cookies, and have a fine afternoon when this comes out on DVD.
Bottom Line: Me: Theatres – Eventually; Other, More Sensible People: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Shanghai Knights

New Movies

The Terminal
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chi McBride, Stanley Tucci, Diego Luna, Kumar Pallana
Plot: A Balkan traveler (Hanks) is forced to live in an American airport when his country is no longer officially recognized. While there he falls in love with a beautiful flight attendant (Zeta-Jones). Sentimental-romantic-longing-with-that-patented-sappy-Tom Hanks-stare type confusions ensue.
The Buzz: My love for Spielberg is as irrational as the love that people still have for a certain ex-president who died recently. And I’ll be d**ned, but I just can’t let go. I’ve sat through abject failures (1942), career-defining triumphs (E. T.: The Extraterrestrial), films that I loved even though I should have known better (Empire of the Sun), and unlikely films that mostly succeeded (Minority Report) or mostly failed (A. I.: Artificial Intelligence). This film, unfortunately, plays to his worst flaws (sentimentality) and not to many of his strengths (that incredibly visual story-telling ability). The director irons out any of the real-world complications that could plausibly sully this fairy tale, and after a while this benign utopia begins to blur around the edges. Hanks gives another one of his “fine” performances – but, at this point, it has become an old trick that simply does not excite any more. Tucci is stuck in heartless-villain mode, while the rest of the sterling cast (including Pallana, on loan from Wes Anderson) manage to make the most of what is given to them. Zeta-Jones is sparkling in her limited role, and manages to coax some life into Hanks’s bland everyman persona. Still, just when you are ready to write him off, Spielberg manages to surprise you with his innate ability as a filmmaker. Nobody, and I can say this with complete confidence, nobody can put together a movie like Spielberg. And it is to his eternal credit that no matter how sugary this little confection becomes, he still keeps you watching, and wanting to find out what happens next. And, just to put things into perspective: Spielberg was 26 when he directed Jaws. Think about that! 20-bloody-6!
Bottom Line: Me, and Other Spielberg Lovers Like Me: Theatres – First Week; Other, more sensible people: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Jet Lag

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring: Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Vince Vaughn, Rip Torn, Stephen Root
Plot: The beleaguered owner of a small gym (Vaughn) must win a dodgeball tournament in order to avoid a takeover bid by the owner of a giant fitness center conglomerate (Stiller). Inspired-wackiness type confusions ensue.
The Buzz: So, director Thurber was the guy behind those great Reebok Terry Tate Office Linebacker commercials, and the short film those were based on (and yes, apparently that fax coversheet line was an “homage” to Office Space, not a rip-off). And he brings that same absurdist lunacy to this delightful little film. Yes, it loses steam towards the end, yes it’s little more than a series of comic set-pieces, and yes there are some fairly obvious jokes – but man, it sure is funny. Stiller, much more at home here than in his bland, put-upon Everyman mode (Meet the Parents, Something About Mary, Along Came Polly, etc.), is great as the monomaniacal owner of the fitness conglomerate trying to obliterate the competition, and you absolutely love to hate him. Vaughn is his casually cool self, and once again shows just how much Hollywood is missing. I don’t know about you, but I just played dodgeball for the first time during training last week, and the sight of almost middle-aged corporate soldiers fiercely trying to dismember their colleagues with rubber balls was an absurd sight to say the least – and boy, it kinda makes this whole thing worth it, don’t it?
Bottom Line: Theatres – Eventually
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Zoolander

Facing Windows
Directed by: Ferzan Ozpetek
Starring: Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Massimo Girotti, Raoul Bova
Plot: A woman stuck in a dead-end marriage is given a new lease on life when her husband brings home a holocaust survivor. Piecing together his story, she must decide whether she will indulge her interest in the handsome neighbor who lives across from her. Languid-and-heartbreaking-with-some-melodramatic-flourishes type confusions ensue.
The Buzz: This swept the Italian Oscars last year, and it is easy to see why. The film is lushly photographed, stars impossibly beautiful people dealing with the unrequited love, romantic longing, the sage-like advice from a mysterious stranger, and even a Holocaust angle to boot. While Ozpetek keeps the melodrama to a minimum, the plot does begin to strain credulity as the film wears on. Whether you forgive the film as it begins to crack at the edges, will completely depend on whether you buy into the swoon-ey romanticism of its central message, and whether you buy into the notion that no matter how happy you are with where you are in your life, the idea in your mind of the “other” is what will always pique your interest. The actors all inhabit their roles with rare gusto, including the impossibly handsome Bova – so familiar to American audiences from Under the Tuscan Sun. Unlike the postcard cheeriness of that movie, Bova gets to explore the intricacies of his character quietly and subtly here – and go a long way towards proving that he might, after all, be more than just a pretty face.
Bottom Line: Those Lucky Few in Manhattan: Theatres – Eventually; Others: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Three Colors: Red

DVD You Must Watch You Absolutely Have To – (releasing June 22nd)

Bad Santa
Directed by: Terry Zwigoff
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Lauren Graham, Bernie Mac, John Ritter
Plot: A conman poses as a mall Santa Claus in order to rob the stores on Christmas Eve. His plans hit a bump, however, when he befriends a troubled kid. This-is-not-your-mother’s-Christmas-film type confusions ensue.
The Buzz: I really hope you didn’t miss this gem when it came out in theatres last year, but in case you did, here is your chance to catch it on DVD. Thornton is an absolute revelation here – believe me I was shocked as well. Funny, profane, miserable, wretched – insert your adjective here man, it all works. Zwigoff beats the dreaded sophomore jinx in his second outing as a fiction director, and just when you think things are going to become impossibly cute with the introduction of the Kid, he switches things up on you. The supporting cast here is great – Cox as his diminutive sidekick, Kelly as the Kid, Mac as the store detective, and Ritter as the mall manager (pity he was never given the credit he deserved while he was alive). Only Graham is the weak link, and perhaps it’s not her fault since the women in the movie are the ones that come off the worst. Still, if you have ever been overloaded on the Hallmark-sweet Hmovies out there (everything from Home Alone to Miracle on 34th Street), and on the corporate-mandated Holiday “spirit” in general, then this is the perfect antidote. Yes, unfortunately there is a cloying moral at the end of the film (probably mandated by the studio – after all, this is a Disney film), but the trip up to that point is so bracingly misanthropic that you are more than willing to forgive the film at that point. After all, a sequel wouldn’t be such a bad thing now would it Mr. Eisner?
Bottom Line: Uh, DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): The Ref

Why Did I Like Shrek 2 So Much?

Jennifer Saunders and Antonio Banderas (as the Fairy Godmother and Puss in Boots respectively. Saunders proves that there is life after Absolutely Fabulous, and is so gleefully amoral that you actually feel sorry for her when she gets hers at the end. Banderas sends up his own Zorro-inspired matinee idol persona as the fey, manipulative, insatiable assassin – and shows heretofore undiscovered comedic chops.)

What’s Up With All These Political Documentaries?

The Hunting of the President, The Corporation, Orwell Rolls in His Grave, Fahrenheit 9/11 (It’s about bloody time man, good to know that there is some semblance of free speech still out there.)

The Great Stephen Root

Root (the immortal Milton from Office Space) is one of the best character actors I have ever seen, and hopefully he will start to carve a niche for himself (I personally could see him play endless variations of his Jimmy James character from Newsradio – which I’m tellin’ ya, is better than Seinfeld!).

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

Baadasssss!
The Story of the Weeping Camel
Bukowski: Born Into This
Control Room
Man on Fire
I’m Not Scared
Mean Girls
Carandiru
The Passion of the Christ
The Stepford Wives
The Chronicles of Riddick

Top 10 Movies of the Year (so far – as you can see, I haven’t had the time to watch even 10 Movies, For Shame basu!, For Shame)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Super Size Me
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Ripley’s Game *
Shrek 2
Miracle
Starsky and Hutch
Hellboy
The Day After Tomorrow

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

The basu! Guide to the Movies

June 11th, 2004

One to Watch - Bollywood

Dhoop
Directed by: Ashwini Chaudhary
Starring: Om Puri, Revathi
Plot: A father has to cope with the death of his son in battle. Given a petrol pump as compensation, he struggles against corrupt bureaucrats to make it work. Thank-god-for-Om-Puri type dilemmas ensue.
The Buzz: My friend Ani brought this one to my attention. Chaudhary’s second film after the award-winning Ladoo; this film contains all his strengths – keen observation of small details, believable characters, engaging premise – as well weakness – poor camerawork, lapses in the narrative, unconvincing ending. However, given that his reach does not exceed his grasp, Chaudhary makes all of it work for the most part. The great Puri is in fine form here as the grieving father, whose internal rage makes him a difficult person to be with. Sparkling performances are turned in by the entire supporting cast, and the whole thing seems organic. Unfortunately, the familiarity of the milieu, as well as the last act, detract from the film – but by that point it has built up enough of a reservoir of goodwill that you are willing to forgive it for its minor faults. Om-bloody-Puri!
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Ardh Satya

One to Watch - Independents

Napoleon Dynamite
Directed b y: Jared Hess
Starring: Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Jon Gries
Plot: A nerdy high school student in Preston, ID, struggles to convince those around of him of his inherent greatness. I-can’t-believe-Fox-Searchlight-picked-up-this-quirky-little-film-at-Sundance-for-$3 million-and-then-barely-advertised-it type dilemmas ensue.
The Buzz: 24 years old! That’s how old the director is – 24! I can’t believe it, twenty-bloody-four! Here I am, an MFA from apparently the best film school in the country, toiling over spreadsheets for ten hours a day, and this kid has one of the most buzzed about Sundance films at 24! Then again, maybe talent, hard work, tenacity, drive, ambition, tenacity, creativity, originality, and finally, tenacity (again) may have had something to do with it. In that case, I am extremely lucky to be getting paid for doing anything at all – especially since these are all qualities that I most definitely lack. But, we are here to talk about a small, original little film that may not ultimately manage to sustain its premise, but still charms us with its honesty and verve. Heder is a complete revelation as the titular hero, refusing to let his universally-known character stoop into caricature. The acting, story, cinematography, pacing – none of it is polished, or even consistent. Yet, somehow (the generic happy ending notwithstanding) it all manages to be affecting at the end of the film. This signals the arrival of a major new talent – at 24 man! Twenty-bloody-four!
Bottom Line: Theatres – Eventually
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): The beautiful little Tully – thanks Rosanne for pointing this one out.


New Movies

The Stepford Wives
Directed by: Frank Oz
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, Glenn Close, Christopher Walken
Plot: A fired network executive (Kidman) moves to Stepford, CT, only to find that the frightening monotonic efficiency of suburban America extends to the wives as well. Massaged-by-studio-executives-to-the-point-of-incomprehensibility type dilemmas ensue.
The Buzz: Oh boy – the story behind the scenes is so much juicier than the film itself. First, both John and Joan Cusack drop out of the film. Then, Kidman is not happy with her replacement husband – the uber-dweeby Broderick. Then director Oz (a long, long, long way from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and What About Bob?) gets ill, and has a subsequent falling out with his cast. Then Midler and Close can’t stand to be near each other during filming. Then two endings are shot. Then the film tanks during test screenings. Then there are reshoots just one month before the release date. To begin with dark comedy is so hard to do – let alone for an expensive, star-heavy film for studio working hard to regain its reputation. Predictably, the movie is an incoherent mess most of the time – what little glimmer of pointed satire may have been in it has been buffed out by nervous studio executives. Kidman, of course, is the perfect woman to play the epitome of male-techno-fetishism (her striking physicality, unfortunately, is subverted pointlessly for most of the film), and does what she can in this mess. Close, unusually, gives a tone deaf performance that is matched only by Midler’s hamming. As always, and you know I am going to say this, it’s left up to the great, great Walken to make things bearable. Christopher-bloody-Walken!
Bottom Line: Other, more sensible people: Pass; Me: Theatres – Eventually
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – yes Oz could actually direct at one time.

The Chronicles of Riddick
Directed by: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Judi Dench, Colm Feore, Thandie Newton
Plot: When the all-conquering Nercomongers descend on their newest planet to conquer and enslave, the residents turn to Riddick – a convicted murder with the ability to see in the dark – to save them. I-can’t-believe-that-this-CGI behemoth-is-the-sequel-to-the-small-but-good-Pitch Black type dilemmas ensue.
The Buzz: Pitch Black first caused a stir when it was featured in a Super Bowl commercial after a big-budget movie from the studio failed to finish a trailer in time. It then went on to become a surprise hit at the box office, followed by a healthy run on DVD. A modest, strange hybrid of sci-fi, horror, suspense thriller, and finally, action, it managed to evoke genuine dread and terror. It also featured a breakthrough performance by Diesel – who undercut his usual stolid machismo with some real menace. However, the follow-up is everything that the original was not – big, dumb, loud, mind-numbing, and ultimately (worst of all) boring. Dench is obviously collecting a big, dumb, loud paycheck and the lovely Newton does what she can with a miniscule role. Feore revels in the role of the main villain, and brings some verve to the film. Diesel’s performance is a series of glowering, and the occasional squinting of the eyes. His terrible on-set behavior and tremendous ego have become the stuff of legend; too bad he doesn’t bother to inform his performance with these potentially interesting elements. Big-bloody-dumb!
Bottom Line: Me: Theatres – First Week; Other, more sensible people: Pass
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): Pitch Black.


Garfield: The Movie
Directed by: Peter Hewitt
Starring: Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Bill Murray
Plot: Our favorite comic strip cat steps into live action, and learns a lesson when he has to rescue the always clueless Odie. Nervous-Fox-executives type dilemmas ensue.
The Buzz: Oh Scooby-Doo (the movies, not the show), what hath thou wrought? The newspaper strip is not that funny to begin, and to stretch it into a feature length film is ludicrous. But such is the age we live in – where, bereft of any truly original ideas, studios leave no synergistic stone unturned in trying to earn the extra very quick buck. This film is only the latest odious confirmation of this. Thuddingly obviously, it is, however, mercifully brief. Murray is an inspired choice as the voice of the self-absorbed, self-loving, staggeringly selfish titular cat (I guess, in retrospect, it is an obvious choice), and brings the only spark to the film. The 3-D animation is crude and distracting, while the whole operation is over before you can say: Fox-bloody-executives!
Bottom Line: Me: DVD; Other, More Sensible People: Pass
Other Movies to Check Out (instead): The Black Stallion – a much superior kid’s film that also featured an animal in a major role.

Imelda
Directed by: Ramona S. Diaz
Starring: Imelda Marcos
Plot: A documentary that chronicles the rise and eventual fall of the wife of the former Filipino dictator. How-many-shoes?! type dilemmas ensue.
The Buzz: Yes, apparently she did own a few too many shoes, and yes, she did apparently siphon off about $600 million from the government into her own Swiss bank accounts. While the documentary does not reveal much about her history that we may not already know, it does however paint a frightening portrait of an unapologetic, arrogant, deluded woman who either has no idea of the pain and suffering she caused amongst her own people, or she simply does not care. Either way, the effect is chilling, and she is revealed over the course of the film to be a woman of considerable charm, intelligence, manipulative prowess and political savvy. Hidden behind all those stories of sartorial decadence lies the story of a calculating, driven, street-smart woman, who practically willed her way into the highest echelons of power only to become one of the most enduring images of moral corruption the world has ever seen. No, the Devil does not wear Prada, she sometimes wears one of her 1,200 pairs of shoes. Imelda-bloody-Marcos!
Bottom Line: DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Hearts & Minds – a bold, uncompromising look at American values during the Vietnam War (perhaps more timely than ever).

DVD to Watch (releasing June 15th)

The Station Agent
Directed by: Tom McCarthy
Starring: Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale
Plot: A dwarf (Dinklage) inherits an old train depot and befriends two other loners (Clarkson and Dinklage). I-can’t-believe-this-got-ignored type dilemmas ensue.
The Buzz: A beautiful, beautiful film that wowed at Sundance, but never quite found an audience in the theatres. In some ways, this unpretentious little gem is probably better suited for home viewing, where you are able to pay more attention to its subtle flavors. A film with a dwarf at its centre can easily slip into bathos; however this never happens in the film. The incredibly Dinklage (you’d have probably seen his great cameo as the prima donna children’s author in Elf) brings such world-weary dignity to his role, that his diminutive stature never propels his performance. Cannavale has never had a showcase like this and he takes full advantage. He does not let his character devolve into simple loutishness; instead he displays a knowing, layered sensibility that keeps things always interesting. For the longest time, it must be remembered, this film was being mentioned for the performance by Patricia Clarkson (who had previously always been in the ranks of “scene-stealing” character actors). Though the film eventually lost the which-movie-will-Patricia-Clarkson-be-Oscar-nominated-for sweepstakes to the decidedly more crowd-pleasing Pieces of April, it nonetheless cemented Clarkson’s place as one of the best screen actresses working in Hollywood today. If the cinematic summer onslaught is becoming too much to bear (and we are not even halfway through it!), then do yourselves a favor and pop this into your DVD player, invite your best friends over, put some tea on the boil, and let the fun begin. Station-bloody-Agent!
Bottom Line: Uh, DVD
Other Movies to Check Out (as well): Frankie Starlight

Mani Ratnam Does Not Have It Anymore…

Yuva (Abhishek Bachchan was great – who knew? – and it’s always nice to see Calcutta on screen, but the story devolves into a head-shaking amalgamation of the worst clichés of all Bollywood movies. Whose idea was it cast Ajay Devgan as a college student? I still don’t understand Vivek Oberoi’s appeal. Rani Mukherji – shorn of her usual glamour – is very good, though, and should be well served by a few more of these types of roles in better movies.)

…But Quentin Tarantino Still Does

Kill Bill Vol. 2 (The action scenes snapped, the story crackled, and Uma Thurman popped – boy did she pop! She looks great, acts great, and most importantly, fights great. Smaller in scope than the all-over-the-map-and-much-too-graphic-for-this-old-man’s-tastes Vol. 1, this one keeps the focus squarely on the characters, and the tragic story that binds them all together. David Carradine is the real eye-opener here, as the sinister title character Thurman has sworn to kill. Oozing menace, familial comfort, and plain weirdness; I am really hoping that this role catapults him into that very small space currently occupied by the likes of Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper – and by perhaps Val Kilmer in the future? One can only hope.)

Good Bye Gipper

Knute Rockne All American

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

Shrek 2
Baadasssss!
The Story of the Weeping Camel
Bukowski: Born Into This
Control Room
Man on Fire
I’m Not Scared
Mean Girls
Carandiru
The Passion of the Christ

Top 10 Movies of the Year (so far – as you can see, I haven’t had the time to watch even 10 Movies, For Shame basu!, For Shame)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Super Size Me
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Ripley’s Game *
Miracle
Starsky and Hutch
Hellboy
The Day After Tomorrow

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

The basu! Guide to the Movies

June 4th 2004
One to Watch - Bollywood

Hum Tum
Directed by: Kunal Kohli
Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Rishi Kapoor, Rati Agnihotri, Kiron Kher
Plot: Two lifelong friends realize that they were ultimately meant for each other. If this sounds familiar, well, it is…that’s right, this is the Bollywood remake of When Harry Met Sally.
The Buzz: Yes, Bollywood continues its fine tradition of ripping off Hollywood films. Of course, there is always that extra layer of masala added, and here it actually adds something new. Kohli, bless his heart, tries out a few different tricks – including an animated Indian “Greek” chorus. Khan continues his winning streak, while the lovely Mukerji proves, once again, that she is one of the more capable heroines in Bollywood. The surprise here is that the golden oldies – Agnihotri, Kher, and my mother’s old favorite Kapoor – completely steal the show. Displaying a light touch, and an easy confidence that typified the best films from the 1970s and 80s, the trio shows the youngsters how it’s done, and reminds us of the past Golden age of Bollywood films. The film ends badly, as it must, but has built up enough goodwill up to that point so you are ready to forgive it for this minor trespass. Rock on Golden Oldies, rock on!
Bottom Line: DVD

One to Watch - Independents

The Story of the Weeping Camel
Directed by: Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni
Starring: Janchiv Ayurzana, Chimed Ohin
Plot: A tribe in Mongolia tries to reunite a rejected camel calf with its mother.
The Buzz: My friend Dave told me about this – and he usually hates these cute third-world films. And he’s right about this one. A tender little film, its very simplicity is what makes it so satisfying. An ambitious mix of documentary and fiction, the film builds a moving portrait of a dying breed of people, managing to survive as a community against the ever-increasing encroachment of modernity. The images are stunning, the story heartwarming, and the characters are always engaging. Take my advice and skip that other movie opening this weekend – the real magic is in this one.
Bottom Line: Those lucky few in Manhattan: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

New Movies

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Michael Gambon
Plot: Harry and Ron undertake a road trip with an older teacher as they discover life outside of Hogwarts, and really grow up… wait, sorry, wrong movie. Got confused by Cuarón’s presence. Umm, Harry is put on alert when the man responsible for his parent’s death escapes from prison and heads his way.
The Buzz: Cuarón is an especially inspired choice to take over the reins from the spectacularly insipid Chris Columbus – a decision I was surprised that the normally risk-averse Warner Bros. would make. Darker, scarier, and more ambitious, the director signals his intent from the very first grainy, washed-out frame. Thompson joins the spectacular cast of adults, and dives into her role with gusto, enjoying the experience of playing against type (though, truth be told, it’s a sad indication of how far this great actress’s star has fallen in Hollywood that she has to resort to being in a Harry Potter film). The kids look older, and as the story moves in a more complex direction, it becomes increasingly clear that the children are very limited as actors. The exceptions here are Watson, who continues to develop Hermione into a fully realized spark plug of a young girl; and Tom Felton, who’s odious Malfoy becomes a splendid foil to the insufferably bland Harry Potter. The adults do what they can with what little they have to do – Thompson, Maggie Smith and Rickman are all uniformly good; while Gambon, stepping in for the late, great Richard Harris, makes his Dumbledore a more imposing presence than he had previously been. The books have become longer, and this poses a unique problem for the writers here; ultimately the narrative begins to lose its coherence as the film wears on. However, given the way the series has reinvented itself, this is a small price to pay. After all, it’s not every day that you get the director of the biggest kid’s film franchise in the world comparing the villains of his film to Bush and Cheney. Rock on Cuarón, rock on!
Bottom Line: Crazy, dedicated, refusing-to-grow-up fans: Theatres – First Week; Other, More Sensible People: DVD

Bukowski: Born Into This
Directed by: John Dullaghan
Starring: Charles Bukowski
Plot: A documentary portrait of the great American writer.
The Buzz: An absorbing, not-too-reverential, illuminating film that never puts its subject on too high a pedestal. This is probably the closest you will ever come to getting to know the real Bukowski, and it is a fascinating study. His hard-scrabble youth is never sentimentalized, and his own volatile behavior is never glossed over. The film, ultimately, is like Bukowski’s writing – lean, unsentimental, tough, with just that little hint of melancholy leaking through. Rock on Bukowski, rock on!
Bottom Line: Those lucky few in Manhattan: Theatres – Eventually; Others: DVD

DVD to Watch (releasing June 8th)

Cidade de Deus (City of God)
Directed by: Fernando Meirelles
Starring: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen
Plot: An intrepid photojournalist follows the intersecting lives of people living in the largest slum in Rio de Janeiro.
The Buzz: I approached the film with a healthy dose of skepticism – after all, a film set in a third world slum, prettied up with the visual panache of an ad-film director reeked of exploitation (which, of course, I would do in a heartbeat). Then I actually went to watch the film, and after I saw the shell-shocked expressions on Rich and Oliver’s faces as we walked out of the theatre (poor kids – I had forgotten that not everyone is as jaded and desensitized as me), I knew that we had seen something extraordinary. Bursting at the seams with visual trickery, violence, love, jealousy, politics, fear, courage, and all the vagaries of human behavior – this film is truly worthy of that infamous cliché: it grabs you from the very first frame, and never lets you go. The most tragic element in the film has to be Bené, the sweet hood – played by Haagensen – who tries to get out of the cycle of violence he finds himself in, and comes so tantalizingly close that it breaks your heart. This really is an unbelievable film, and if you missed it in the theatres, do yourself a favor and catch it on DVD. I promise you, this one will stay with you for a while. Rock on Meirelles, rock on!
Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Not Bad At All

The Day After Tomorrow (That first hour was incredible! Just incredible! Unfortunately, once we get into the teen survival story, things begin to slow down. However, you have to give the filmmakers credit for coming up with such an open-ended, and almost elegiac, ending for such a big-budget summer film. And the fact that the Vice President looking exactly like Cheney is no accident earns the film extra points in my book!)

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

Shrek 2
Baadasssss!
Control Room
Super Size Me
Man on Fire
I’m Not Scared
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Mean Girls
Carandiru
The Passion

Top 10 Movies of the Year (so far – as you can see, I haven’t had the time to watch even 10 Movies, For Shame basu!, For Shame)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Starsky and Hutch
Ripley’s Game *
Hellboy
Miracle
The Day After Tomorrow

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

The basu! Guide to the Movies

May 28th, 2004
One to Watch - Bollywood

Maqbool
Directed by: Vishal Bharadwaj
Starring: Irfan Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Tabu
Plot: Shakespeare’s Macbeth is transported to the Mumbai underworld. Indie-Bollywood shenanigans ensue.
The Buzz: Yes, this is the umpteenth variation of putting the Bard in a contemporary context, but believe me, the teeming world of a contemporary Bollywood film is a context like you’ve never seen before. Of course, this being Bollywood, Macbeth (Khan) is driven by his love for his wife (Tabu), rather a thirst for power, and is painted in much more sympathetic terms. Taut, clever, and appealing from beginning to end, this has to be one of the better Bollywood films to have come out in years. Neophyte Bharadwaj employs all the slick visual signatures that have become de-rigueur for young Indian filmmakers (well all except for yours truly – I don’t have a visual anything…unless you count my formatting of Excel spreadsheets – anyway that’s a story for another day), he nonetheless manages to make these fully realized characters the centerpiece of the story. Khan holds his own against a murderer’s row of great Bollywood supporting actors (Shah, Puri and Kapur), while Tabu turns in a career-defining performance. Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come for the Indian film industry.
Bottom Line: DVD

One to Watch - Independents

Baadasssss!
Directed by: Mario Van Peebles
Starring: Mario Van Peebles, Nia Long, Joy Bryant, Ossie Davis
Plot: Melvin Van Peebles, a young filmmaker in the 1960s, goes beyond the breaking point while making his seminal blaxploitation film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. Film (and familial) history shenanigans ensue.
The Buzz: You gotta love the idea of the younger Van Peebles actually playing his father in the movie. The brisk, enjoyable film tells the story of how the relentless tenacity of one man launched a whole new wave of cinema. The telling is fascinating, touching and funny – it’s one of these films that screams for the tagline “only the most amazing things are true,” but there is an extra layer of pathos ingrained with Mario playing his father. His portrayal, whether intentionally or not, points to the complicated relationship between a pioneering father and his talented son unable to step outside his shadow. Complicating matters is Melvin’s decision to cast a then 13-year-old Marion in Sweetback, a decision that still must have its repercussions being felt today. This complex father-son relationship permeates the film; ultimately making it so much more than the fond remembrance of a turning point in film history.
Bottom Line: Those lucky few in Manhattan: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD, then rent Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song

The Five Obstructions
Directed by: Jorgen Leth and Lars von Trier
Starring: Jorgen Leth and Lars von Trier
Plot: A semi-documentary that follows what happens when von Trier orders Leth to remake his groundbreaking short The Perfect Human five times, under different restrictions. Generational-battle-of-wills-type shenanigans ensue.
The Buzz: We all know about von Trier and his proclivity to make defenseless women suffer humiliation and tragedy, well cinematically speaking at least (Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark, Dogville). Here the victim is his idol Leth. What follows is an incredibly fascinating battle of wills between the two men – a battle across egos, generations, cinematic styles and personalities. While the younger filmmaker’s intent is to break down the elder statesman, and get behind his icy façade; what ends up happening is that we get a much fuller portrait of the self-styled enfant terrible von Trier. Absorbing up to the bitter end, one finally begins to get a glimpse of the man behind the madness, and it’s an engaging glimpse to say the least.
Bottom Line: Those lucky few in Manhattan: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

Saved!
Directed b y: Brian Dannelly
Starring: Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin, Patrick Fugit, Heather Matarazzo
Plot: The students at a fundamentalist Christian school turn on one of their own after she becomes pregnant with her gay boyfriend. Soul-searching shenanigans ensue.
The Buzz: Okay, so I know what you’re thinking, and no this doesn’t just blast the wave of Christianity that seems to permeating popular culture like never before. In fact, the film handles the entire thing with really gentle kid gloves, not indulging in any of the mean-spirited satire that could have given it an edge. The premise probably sounded delicious during the pitch meeting, but what we have instead is an absorbing, finely detailed high-school drama, one that just happens to be set against the backdrop of institutionalized religion. No matter though – none of the characters devolve into caricatures, and the narrative is always interesting. Malone gives yet another in a long line of fine performances. While other child stars may have gotten a lot more attention (including a certain someone who does an admirable job as a disabled student here), she has steadily put together a good career and it’s only a matter of time before she breaks through. The adults are all good; including the underappreciated Martin Donovan. But the real surprise here is Moore, who, apparently, is no longer content to just be Andy Roddick’s girlfriend. As the villain, she modulates between smarmy, tight-lipped friendship, and out-and-out hostility at the flip of a switch. If only the movie had followed her lead.
Bottom Line: DVD

New Movies

The Day After Tomorrow
Directed by: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum
Plot: Global warming causes a catastrophic series of storms to level the entire world – or at least New York and Los Angeles (after all, does the rest of the world really matter?). A scientist is forced to go to New York to save his son. Epic CGI shenanigans ensue.
The Buzz: Emmerich is the man who brought you Independence Day; only this time instead of battling aliens that can be stopped by a simple Mac laptop (wonder what Steve Jobs puts in those things) the enemy here is Mother Nature – who is mad as hell at Bush’s environmental policy and is not going to take it anymore! The first hour is loads of fun, as the film stays true to its pulpy B-movie roots. The effects are incredible, and they do provide that all-important adrenaline rush. Unfortunately, true to its B-movie roots, the film turns deadly earnest in the second half. And without a charismatic center to liven proceedings (like Will Smith in Independence Day), the energy gets sucked out completely. Quaid, enjoying a welcome mid-career renaissance, is effective as the scientist searching for his son. Unfortunately, that son happens to be Gyllenhaal, the poor man’s Tobey Maguire. Anyway, do you really care about these people? No, what you do want to see is that twister take down the Hollywood sign. I hoping it clears out traffic while it’s at it – commuting in Southern California is a b**ch.
Bottom Line: Me: Theatres – First Week; Other, More Sensible People: Theatres - Eventually

Raising Helen (aka Classic Hollywood Counter-programming)
Directed by: Garry Marshall
Starring: Kate Hudson, John Corbett, Joan Cusack
Plot: A young, upwardly mobile woman in Manhattan is forced to re-evaluate her life after she is forced to take care of her recently-deceased sister’s children. Heart-warming shenanigans ensue
The Buzz: A dumbed-down, quasi-remake of the much superior German Mostly Martha, this film resides in the same “Manhattan” as the one our gang from Friends did. Every little conflict is solved with a sprinkle of fairy dust, thereby allowing Hudson to keep that fake, plastic smile plastered firmly on her face. Now, it’s true that I am not a big fun of Hudson’s (the poor woman’s Goldie Hawn), but I do like director Marhsall quite a bit (I am definitely looking forward to The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement opening in August). Unfortunately, here he lays on too much schmaltz, and not enough of the bracing humor he sneaks into his best films. Though, one has to applaud the fact that a guy his age is still directing movies in Hollywood – though not sure what that statement that sends when other, less mainstream luminaries in his age bracket can barely get work (Sidney Lumet comes to mind). Oh well, that’s a story for another day.
Bottom Line: Pass, rent Mostly Martha instead

Soul Plane
Directed by: Jessy Terrero
Starring: D. L. Hughley, Snoop Dogg, Method Man, Mo’Nique, Tom Arnold
Plot: The maiden flight of the first black-owned airlines runs into some problems. Yo mama-type shenanigans ensue.
The Buzz: Snoop, D. L. Hughley, Method, Mo’Nique – for the love of God, why?
Bottom Line: Pass, rent Friday instead

DVD to Watch (releasing June 2nd)

Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
Directed by: Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill
Starring: Nick Broomfield, Aileen Wuornos
Plot: A documentary that follows legendary serial killer Wuornos (immortalized by Charlize Theron in Monster) up to and beyond her execution. Piggybacking-on-the-release-of-an-Oscar-winner-on-DVD shenanigans ensue.
The Buzz: Though not as engaging as the first documentary made by Broomfield on the same subject (1992’s Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer), this is still a fascinating look at the last days of the scarily charismatic killer. Broomfield goes beyond just her story though, and tries to cover the way Governor Jeb Bush exploits her execution for his own political gain. You have to take Broomfield with a grain of salt (he is something of an acquired taste), but he reins in his worst show-boating instincts and lets the sad, tragic life of this woman carry the load.
Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Brad Pitt’s Personal Trainer

Troy (Man oh man oh man, no wonder they showed Mr. Jennifer Aniston half-naked more than the women. I gotta get me some of what he’s been having. Brad’s six-pack was the most exciting thing about his leaden performance in the film, so I hope a big cut of that reported $10-$15 million salary goes to his intrepid personal trainer. He/she certainly deserves it more than Brad’s acting coach).

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

Shrek 2
Control Room
Super Size Me
Man on Fire
I’m Not Scared
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Mean Girls
Carandiru
The Passion


Top 10 Movies of the Year (so far – as you can see, I haven’t had the time to watch even 10 Movies, For Shame basu!, For Shame)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Starsky and Hutch
Ripley’s Game *
Hellboy
Miracle

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

The basu! Guide to the Movies

May 21st, 2004
One to Watch - Bollywood

Yuva (Youth)
Directed by: Mani Ratnam
Starring: Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi, Abhishek Bachchan, Om Puri
Plot: Three young men struggle to find a niche for themselves in modern day Calcutta, er Kolkata (yay! – about the setting, not the new name). Societal entanglements ensue.
The Buzz: I know this term gets bandied around a lot, but Ratnam truly is one of the too-few visionaries of Indian cinema. Unfortunately, he hasn’t met with much success in Hindi, so he usually sticks to his native Tamil (occasionally dubbing these films, or remaking them in Bollywood). So, any film from him is usually a cause for celebration. This one is worth it. More in the vein of the Latin social-realism films that seem to have exploded on to scene that a true Bollywood melodrama, Ratnam expertly creates the overwhelming milieu that is life in my beloved Calcutta/Kolkata. Each character is sharply drawn, and their struggles are absorbing to watch. Of course, the romantic subplots drag the film down, but luckily, not by much. The great, great Puri is in fine form here as a corrupt policeman, but the truly surprising element here is Bachchan the Younger’s performance. I’ve never been much of a fan (though you have to admire his chutzpah in trying to follow in his father’s rather large footsteps) but it seems he is steadily becoming a fine actor himself. His searing portrayal as the thug of the trio is the bolt of energy that drives the film, and has many comparing him favorably to his father’s early turns as the Angry Young Man. Good for him man, good for him.
Bottom Line: Those lucky few close to Artesia and Jackson Heights: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

One to Watch - Vietnam

S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine
Directed by: Rithy Panh
Starring: Vann Nath, Chum Mey, Him Houy
Plot: A documentary about an artist (Vann Nath) imprisoned during the Khmer Rouge’s reign in Cambodia, and his return to confront the guards who tortured him (no wisecracks here).
The Buzz: A touching, affecting documentary that wisely lets the situation doing the heavy lifting. The lack of any cheap sentimentality brings the tense, complex situation into bright focus, allowing the audience to digest it at their own pace. And just when you think you have a handle on the film, it unflinchingly explores the lives of the guards at the prison, without condemning them beforehand. Extremely disturbing in its depiction of the almost banal existence of the oppressors and oppressed, the film explores the concept of evil in frighteningly individualistic terms. No longer abstract, nor clearly demarcated, this contributes to film that once watched, will not likely be forgotten.
Bottom Line: Those lucky few in Manhattan: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

Opening May 19th

Shrek 2
Directed by: Andrew Adamson and Kelly Asbury
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Saunders, Rupert Everett
Plot: The lovable ogre has to deal with trying to please his wife’s in-laws. Snarky-but-still-wholesome-Pixar-lite entanglements ensure.
The Buzz: Look, I know you guys enjoyed the first one. It was the proverbial breath of fresh air that blew through the Disney-fied world of animation. Snide, self-aware, mocking and really quite funny, the original provided the spark for DreamWorks that had been missing for so long. There were many instantly quotable scenes (I’m talking to you Torture of the Gingerbread Man), and Murphy’s hyperactive turn as the faithful sidekick Donkey managed to draw the attention away from an uninspired, mostly episodic narrative. The sequel is more of the same – the problem with more-of-the-same is that ultimately it does not add up to much. Luckily, the whole endeavor is buoyed by a terrifically campy performance by Banderas as that lethal hitman Puss in Boots, the why-won’t-Hollywood-please-decide-what-it-wants-to-do-with-him Everett as the surfer-dude-by-way-of-Cambridge Prince Charming, and finally, the wickedly scabrous Saunders as the Fairy Godmother who may not be as kindly as she seems (I wish they had cast Joanna Lumley in a small part – after all, what is Eddy without a little Patsy). Good for them man, good for them.
Bottom Line: Me: Theatres – First Week; Other, more sensible people: DVD

New Movies

Control Room
Directed by: Jehane Noujaim
Starring: Tom Mintier, Sameer Khader, Lt. Josh Rushing
Plot: An incredible documentary that exposes the chaos inside the infamous Al-Jazeera during Gulf War II: The Wrath of the Son. Many human-rights-abuse entanglements ensue.
The Buzz: I don’t think most of us realize how circumspect the coverage here in the US has been. This film shows us everything, warts and all. What could have been a by-the-numbers, sensationalistic look at an incendiary subject, instead becomes a complex, thought-provoking look at the difference between Western and Arab journalists, as well as the ever-existing tension between journalists in general and the military. Even-handed and absorbing, the documentary coolly presents images that were never shown on American television, carefully avoiding the drum roll of lurid melodrama that accompanies American telecasts. This view from the trenches is an especially disturbing one, and something tells me that it is not going to be widely seen in the nation’s theaters. Which, given the state of paranoia gripping the media here, is not surprising. Too bad man, too d**n bad.
Bottom Line: Those lucky few in Manhattan: Theatres – First Week; Others: DVD

Love Me if You Dare
Directed by: Yann Samuell
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Guillaume Canet, Thibault Verhaeghe, Josephine Lebas Joly
Plot: Two lifelong friends engage in game of increasingly dangerous pranks. Surreal, unrequited romantic entanglements ensue (what do you expect, it’s a French film).
The Buzz: On first glance, this would seem to be from the same Gallic kitchen that baked that other “delightful” and whimsical French confection, Amelie. Unlike the other film however, this one moves to much more outré territory, complete with surrealistic animation and so-schmaltzy-it’s-hip soundtrack. As the protagonists move into adulthood, the film becomes disturbingly dark, and acquires a natural edge that was so carefully buffed out of Amelie. Unfortunately though, once the film goes down this route, it becomes increasingly challenging to stay attached to any of the characters, whose irredeemable selfishness becomes a tad too heavy-handed. Canet is too blandly wholesome as Julien t be really effective, while the lovely Cotillard manages to infuse some humanity and verve into the proceedings (Hollywood casting agents – take note!). While the film never lives up to its initial promise, it is still an energetic, all-encompassing, and yes, I shall dare say it, life-affirming look at the most vexing emotion of them all: L-O-V-E. Good for Cotillard man, good for her.
Bottom Line: DVD

Stateside
Directed by: Reverge Anselmo
Starring: Mark Deloach, Val Kilmer, Rachael Leigh Cook, Carrie Fisher, Joe Mantegna, Ed Begley Jr.
Plot: A young marine becomes increasingly unhinged as his relationship with a schizophrenic pop singer spirals out of control. I-couldn’t-make-this-up-if-I-tried entanglements ensue.
The Buzz: This too-precious, uninvolving film is a chore to sit through, so don’t (yes, I said chore – clichés are flying all over the place). You know what the worst kind of film is? The kind that’s completely in love with its own alleged cleverness. Sufficeth to say (and yes, I did say, sufficeth), this one’s a loser. And of course, you know what I am going to say next, but I am going to go ahead and say it anyway – apart from the always reliable Mantegna, the person who manages to rise above the rubble and shine like the underappreciated star that he is, is none other than Kilmer. Good for you ice man, good for you.
Bottom Line: Pass

DVD to Watch (releasing May 25th)

Bubba Ho-Tep
Directed by: Don Coscarelli
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis
Plot: Elvis Presley (Campbell) and President John F. Kennedy (Davis – yes kids, it seems that JFK had to surgically change his race after his, apparently, failed assassination attempt) are not dead. No, they are actually living in a nursing home, and battling an ancient evil. Sweet-sweet-Bruce-Campbell-campy-B-movie complications ensue.
The Buzz: Yeah, okay, so the film does not go much beyond its incredible premise. But come on man, you know you want to see Campbell as an elderly Elvis, and Davis as an undead JFK, battle an ancient mummy in an old age home. I know I want to. Yes, it is a pity that Campbell was never given a chance to expand beyond his seminal role as Ash in the Evil Dead series (I hope Sam Raimi has him do another cameo in Spider-Man 2 – can’t wait!), but kudos to him for keeping on plugging along. Davis, as incredible a dramatic actor as there is, shows a nimble touch with the material, superbly playing JFK. Campbell, however, manages to go beyond the material, layering his performance with a hint of, dare I say it, poignancy, that is, well, unexpected, and extremely welcome. Good for you Ash, I mean Bruce, good for you man.
Bottom Line: Uh, DVD

Goodnight Tony Randall

Gremlins 2 (No, don’t laugh, I’m serious. The great Tony Randall may forever be tied to his immortal portrayal of Felix Unger on TV’s The Odd Couple, but the multi-talented actor was so much more than that. His incredible voice work on this seriously underrated sequel – hey it’s better than the first, that’s very, very rare – is a made up of a dizzying slew of non sequiturs, one liners, and just plain dumb jokes. It also predated the voice work done by actors such as Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy and Tim Allen, thereby proving that Tony was a man way ahead of his time. His ironic, twinkling portrayals as the best friend in all those Rock Hudson-Doris Day comedies are some of the best comedic performance every put on film. Even his small cameo in the homage Down with Love was a burst of energy, and I wish the film had managed to sustain his wily joi-de-vivre the whole time. So, take my lead, put Lover Come Back and Pillow Talk at top of your Netflix queue, wait 3-5 days for them to arrive, grab a bottle of champagne – or in my case, sparkling cider; there is no place for alcohol in the South Beach diet – and make a toast for dear old Tony. Goodnight Tony Randall, and Godspeed.)

“Everyone thinks I'm a hypochondriac. It makes me sick.” – Tony Randall as Felix Unger

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

Super Size Me
Troy
Shaolin Soccer
Man on Fire
I’m Not Scared
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring
Dogville
Dawn of the Dead
Young Adam

Top 10 Movies of the Year (so far – as you can see, I haven’t had the time to watch even 10 Movies, For Shame basu!, For Shame)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Starsky and Hutch
Ripley’s Game *
Hellboy

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