8 Crazy Nights
Adam Sandler plays a 20-something loser with a bad temper who causes trouble, makes cracks about bodily functions, and finds redemption. Sound familiar? But wait! This time his performance is animated! “Look, I’m Crazy Cartoonhead!”
About Schmidt
See review this issue.
Amandala!
It is impossible to overplay the importance that music and songs played during the decades of revolution in South Africa–as inspiration, as the voice of resilience, as the soundtrack for revolt. In the face of a cruelly repressive white government, these songs helped to preserve the culture’s integrity. At the same time, these chants and war-songs wormed through the townships and drew together the masses in a giant Congo line that finally undermined apartheid. Director Lee Hirsch documents these amazing moments and links together a unique documentary about apartheid’s history. Winner of the Audience Award and Freedom of Expression Award at the Sundance Film Festival. That says something, right? (Phil Busse)
Antwone Fisher
Antwone Fisher was a security guard at Sony Pictures when a big-shot producer, impressed with Fisher’s life story, decided to have him write a screenplay about it. Although not a great movie, it is actually refreshingly restrained. Denzel Washington directs with the same dignity and craft that he brings to his work as an actor. The performances are realistic but not self-consciously so, the filmmakers avoid drowning the film in syrupy music, and the production design gives us deep, dramatic settings without stealing focus. These are all small miracles, considering the genre. Even more surprising, the story is told without much narrative embellishment. Abused and abandoned as a child, Antwone makes peace with his past, but as in life there are questions left unanswered, relationships that can’t be fixed, experiences best forgotten. In the end, he’s not a hero, just a guy who decided not to be a victim of his past. In a pop culture bloated with vulgar sentimentality, Fisher’s ordinary story stands out as one worth telling. (Matt Fontaine)
Bartleby
Bartleby, played eerily by Crispin Glover, has encountered a hardship that has caused him to give up on life. He takes a no-skill job in a city office, and while he starts out as a quick worker, he slips into days of staring at the air vent. His behavior is tolerated only because his co-workers are equally worthless, and because his boss is both scared to fire him and intrigued by Bartleby’s quiet defiance. The sets in the film are surreal and hauntingly corporate, with that brown, low budget city office feel, complete with bland green filing cabinets, drop ceilings, and fluorescent track lighting. Everything is dismal, artificial, and pathetic. Life is pointless and people are trapped in its humorless cycles, some more complacently than others. Bartleby, however, with his complete stagnation and constant responses to requests with, “I would prefer not to,” causes an awakening in his formerly pacified boss. And when he inadvertently discovers Bartleby is living in the office, and in fact never leaving, his curiosity and fear of Bartleby surge simultaneously. Expertly played by David Paymer, the boss becomes concerned with not only saving Bartleby, but with alerting humanity to its dismal state having seen how it can strip a person of any emotion, motivation, or curiosity. Overall, the film moves at a comfortably slow pace, with moments of dark comic hilarity, especially from Bartleby’s co-workers: the ladies’ man Joe Piscopo, the drug casualty Maury Chaykin, and the seductress Glenne Headly. (Katie Shimer)
Catch Me if You Can
In terms of changing your life, it ain’t no Schindler’s List, and in terms of innovative storytelling, it sure ain’t no Minority Report. But still, Catch Me if You Can is a pretty good movie. So what if “pretty good” is all it is? I’m tired of people dissing on Spielberg because he doesn’t make Schindler’s List 2 with every movie. The man is a great storyteller, and some stories just aren’t as epic as others. Catch Me is a simple story about a simple kid (Leonardo DiCaprio) who finds that it is really simple to forge checks for a fuck of a lot of money. It’s neat to see him work the system at every turn, and some scenes are downright great, like the one in which he gets an incredibly hot model to sleep with him, and pay him four hundred dollars for the privilege. The informative subtitles that precede the end credits are also amazingly well timed and satisfying. Will I remember this flick when I’m 70? I doubt it, but I was very entertained at the time I saw it, which is more than I can say for most movies. (Justin Sanders)
Chicago
Basically, the last hour of Chicago is a mess. In addition to not trusting his material, Marshall doesn’t appear to trust either of the two movie-musical solutions he picks. Nevertheless, I recommend Chicago. If you didn’t get to see the Broadway revival, you should catch it. You’ll have to endure Richard Gere as Billy Flynn, of course, but it’s a small price to pay to watch the Fosse-inspired choreography and Catherine Zeta-Jones’ star-turn as Velma Kelly. (Dan Savage)
Comedian
The reason this documentary will stand as a work of greatness for decades to come is simple: it absolutely nails the psychology of the stand-up comic, the most narcissistic, petty, self-obsessed, hateful, and bitter breed of entertainer known to mankind. And though Jerry Seinfeld is the film’s chief subject–Comedian documents his arduous quest to write and perform a brand new set of material for club audiences–he is not the prime example of the vile strain of comic mentioned above. That honor belongs to Orny Adams, a young up-and-comer whose ruthless self-absorption and sense of entitlement make a beautiful counterpoint to Seinfeld’s more craft-driven professionalism.
Drumline
Rarely do freshmen make the drumline, but thanks to his phat chops, my man Devon makes the cut. Of course we all know that you can take the boy out of the ‘hood, but you can’t take the ‘hood out of the boy. What this film presupposes is, maybe you can? Does this ruff ‘n’ tumble protagonist have heart enough to overcome the obstacles? Will he and the band take top honors at the BET Big Southern Classic, or will he let his dreams and the girl slide through his fingers? I probably needn’t tell you that Drumline is so predictable that it’s over before you even walk into the theater, but if for some reason you make it that far, I won’t say that it’s unwatchable. (Johnathan Mahalak )
El Crimen del Padre Amaro
Stylish photography with just enough overexposure to suggest blinding sun; excellent character acting from half the beautiful people in Mexico; a fun soundtrack. But the script? The script is taken from a melodramatic Portuguese novel written in 1875. It had little to do with the actual Church of 1875, let alone today; it’s a soap opera. Are you trying to tell me the Catholic Church has no sense of humor?
Evelyn
A story about an Irish father (Pierce Brosnan) who in 1954 got his children back from Church custody through a little lawyering and a whole lot of angel rays. Alan Bates does an Irish turn. Obligatory nuns, obligatory singing in pubs, obligatory bookie with a heart of gold. Evelyn, the daughter, whose freckled cheek you will long to slap, testifies in court. Eventually it ends. How will you survive? Compile as you sit suffering a list of anachronisms, dialect faults, and other impossibilities in the film; it will be a long list. To the person who submits the longest list–which I myself will verify at enormous psychological cost by sitting through the whole movie once again when it comes out on video–I promise a genuine Irish banger (sausage). The lucky winner may choose between the two varieties. One tastes like cardboard-flavored grease; the other tastes like grease-flavored cardboard. Either will bring back memories of this movie. (Barley Blair )
Far From Heaven
From the lavish font of the main titles and the sweet sweeping strains of Elmer Bernstein, we are clued in that this is a major transport piece–one that will remind us of movies no longer produced. Todd Haynes has reinvented the melodrama, yet infused it with a new life that is subtle, touching, and entertaining. Returning to the home-as-prison theme he mastered in Safe, our femme du jour, Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore), smiles her way through domestic disturbance, racial tension, and personal crisis. The home she inhabits becomes etched into our brains; as the film takes hold we feel that we inhabit the space, know the floor plan, and can anticipate her movements. Each weighty subject–her husband’s latent homosexuality, her taboo love for the gardener–is handled with care and finesse. Far From Heaven is breathtaking from start to finish, each frame imbued with the artist’s own genuine love for cinema and story. (Brian Brait )
Fast Runner
The Fast Runner is a profoundly excellent movie for many reasons. But one of its strongest points is that it’s totally engrossing–once you’re hooked into the story, all signs of surface noise scratching at your brain completely disappear. Timelessly set amid a group of arctic hunters in Igloolik, the film is based on the epic Inuit legend of the Fast Runner, which has been passed down orally for generations. It tells the story of an evil which infiltrates the tribe–greed and selfish desire–and threatens to destroy the interdependence that is essential for the survival of the people. And it’s one of the best films I’ve ever seen. (Julianne Shepherd)
Frida
Selma Hayek is traditionally gorg, and while her portrayal of Frida is bursting at the seams with joie-de-fricking-vivre, the film version shows her as relatively moustache-less, as you probably already know from Feminist Film Geek Monthly. (I have a subscription.) For the Kahlo purist, the lack of lip hair is one of the slight ways Frida Hollywood-izes Frida. Another is that her husband Diego’s abuse is only portrayed through his obsessive womanizing. Frida’s painful, painkiller-addicted death (a possible suicide) is merely alluded to; rather, she delicately croaks, saint-like, in Diego’s arms, freed from her long life of physical suffering. But this is Julie Taymor’s film, all the way, and the images she paints across the screen are an enthusiastic, vivid homage to Frida’s art and spirit. (Julianne Shepherd)
Gangs of New York
As an orphaned Irishman driven for vengeance, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a Method acted, closed-off performance (there’s also the nagging fact that he looks downright beefy, for playing a street urchin raised on gruel). Daniel Day-Lewis, on the other hand, owns every frame he’s featured in as the gleefully sadistic leader of the reining anti-immigrant gang. It’s a showy, hambone part, replete with stovepipe hat and a Snidely Whiplash ‘stache, and Day-Lewis makes the most of it. Unfortunately, as in his earlier The Age Of Innocence, Scorsese gets so obsessed with the (admittedly fascinating) minutia of the period, that he neglects to follow through on character development and narrative. The backdrop soars, at the expense of the foreground. The awkward placement of needless flashbacks and voiceover narration suggests that this discord may be due more to studio-mandated jitters than anything else. (Apparently, a longer, more sure-footed cut exists.) The final result is a bet-hedging misstep of the sort that only a master filmmaker can make. (Andrew Wright)
How To Draw A Bunny
Part murder mystery, part Biography Channel profile, this film introduces Dadaist Ray Johnson, who we are led to believe is the most connected, but most unknown artist ever in New York City. Glowing interviews from Christo and Roy Lichtenstein build up the case for Johnson’s impact and importance in the art world, while interviews with a Sag Harbor detective carefully unfold Johnson’s 1995 murder.
In the Mirror of Maya Deren
Maya Deren was loved for her experimental films, especially Mehses of the Afternoon. With patched together interviews from every walk of her life and clips from her own films and travels, this movie tries to bring the young bohemian back to life.
The Last of the Mississippi Juke Joints
See review this issue.
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Two Towers starts where Fellowship left off, of course: Sam (Sean Astin) and Frodo (Elijah Wood) make off towards Mordor with the ultimate task of throwing the One Ring into its fires (the only way to prevent the total destruction of Middle-Earth). The rest of the Fellowship–Aragorn, Gimli the dwarf, that dude who looks like Mark-Paul Gosselaar–have left so as not to be seduced by the ring’s awesome power, and begin battling the utter shitload of Uruk-hai that Saruman has sent to obliterate all that is living. There are battle scenes galore, and the three hours go by super quick, leaving you longing for more! (Julianne Shepherd)
The Miles Davis Story
Bouncing back from heroin addiction and down putting racism, Miles Davis shaped jazz like a meteoroid striking the planet. Largely reclusive off-stage, this documentary pulls together rare interviews and stage performances from more than four decades to provide probably the most complete picture of jazz’s most influential trumpeter. See review this issue.
Muddy Waters: Can’t Be Satisfied
A documentary of performances and interviews with friends of Muddy Waters, considered the inventor of electric blues.
The Pianist
See review this issue.
Pinocchio
A pet project of the uniquely polarizing Roberto Benigni (Italy’s idiot son acts as writer, director, and star), the live action version of Italy’s most beloved fairytale about engorging appendages.
Rabbit Proof Fence
The most striking aspect of Rabbit-Proof Fence is its simplicity; its bald setting in Western Australia’s bush, its story, and its characters. It relates the true tale of Molly, a 14-year-old Aborigine, her sister, and their cousin. Part of the Stolen Generation, they were forcibly seized and placed in a racial assimilation compound. Their escape and journey back home is heroic, but the impassive representation of it undermines a fulfilling sense of sympathy. (Marjorie Skinner)
Real Women Have Curves
A film addressing the gap between the traditional role of Mexican women and modern society. Wonderful acting, but occasionally leans too closely towards the afterschool special.
Rivers and Tides
The NW Film Center continues its mini-exploration into unknown (yet arguably important) artists. This time we look at Andy Goldsworthy, a Scottish sculptor who makes temporary contraptions out of leaves, wood, mud, whatever grub the earth gives him. His pieces last about as long as a snow drift in the desert; the wind blows them away or they melt. Allegedly, that’s the beauty of this film: It captures these ethereal pieces–and the process to make them–before they return to the earth. Bring your patchouli and yoga pads. (Phil Busse)
Roger Dodger
Roger Dodger is a catalog of the change that takes place in fast talking, womanizing ad exec Roger, when his sixteen year old nephew comes to town. While reluctant at first, Roger takes on the job of teaching his nephew Nick about the ladies, dragging him from bar to bar and bombarding him with advice. At one point late in the evening, the two reach a catharsis together, which eventually causes them to become friends. (Katie Shimer)
Secretary
Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) has just been released from a mental institution; she’s a cutter, slicing up her skin and neatly placing Band-Aids over the wounds. To integrate herself back into society (and to escape from her flawed home life), she decides to look for a job. Luckily, anal-retentive lawyer E. Edward Gray (James Spader) is hiring. He needs a secretary; judging from the permanent help wanted sign outside his office, he has pretty tough time keeping them around. Lee can type and is not pregnant or trying to get pregnant (three of Gray’s requirements for employment), so she gets the job. Everything goes along beautifully–until she makes a typo and, as punishment, Gray bends her over his desk and spanks her silly. (Julianne Shepherd)
Secret Society
Daisy is self-concious about her weight despite the fact that her husband thinks she’s the most beautiful woman ever. When he loses his job, he wants to sell nude postcards of Daisy, and she’s all, “hell no!” Instead, she gets a job at a canning factory where she encounters a secret society of female sumo wrestlers. After training with them, she learns to love herself, and wrestling.
Solaris
Things that can be praised without reservation about Solaris include the dazzling production design, Cliff Martinez’s percussion-rich score, and the luminous Natascha McElhone as Clooney’s semi-estranged wife. Less tangible, but equally undeniable is the director’s skill at illuminating the many ways regret stains memory (similar to what he accomplished with The Limey, but far less reliant here on showy Mixmaster editing). Any other enjoyment or significance may depend upon your personal feelings about love and loss, and how well they synch up with the filmmaker’s. (Andrew Wright)
The Stone Flower
Russian director Alexander Ptushko creates a visual masterpiece about a stone carver summoned to an underground world in order to carve a stone flower for the Queen of Copper.
Tosca
Director Benoit Jacquot has managed to put the hot-to-trot into the hoity-toity of opera. According to people who like opera, this is one of Puccini’s greatest operas. WHAT-ever! This is a film adaptation of an opera that has what it takes to hold my attention: A corrupt police chief soliciting yummie sexual favors in exchange for setting her lover free. What a complicated love triangle that makes! Jealousy, passion, murder. Sure it has guttural singing, but unlike real opera, it’s not boring!
Tribute
See review this issue.