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Corporate
Conspiracy THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE: Directed by Jonathan Demme. Written by Daniel Pyne and Dean Georgaris, based on George Axelrod's screenplay and Richard Condon's novel. Produced by Scott Rudin, Tina Sinatra, Jonathan Demme, Ilona Herzberg. Executive producer Scott Aversano. Cinematography, Tak Fujimoto. Production design, Kristi Zea. Editors, Carol Littleton, Craig McKay. Costumes, Albert Wolsky. Composers, Rachel Portman, Wyclef Jean. Starring Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep and Liev Schreiber. With Jon Voight, Kimberly Elise, Jeffrey Wright, Ted Levine, Burno Ganz and Simon McBurney. Paramount Pictures, 2004. R. 135 minutes.
Jonathan Demme has not only remade and updated the acclaimed 1962 Cold War classic, The Manchurian Candidate, he has reimagined it, a more difficult and often unexplored process. Screenwriters Daniel Pyne and Dean Gerogaris delivered a clearheaded, strong screenplay to work with, and the film attracted some of the best actors working today. Denzel Washington catches the plum role of U.S. Army Major Ben Marco, a Gulf War veteran, who talks about his war experiences to Boy Scout troops. Marco appears to be in control, but beneath the carefully constructed illusion lies both vulnerability and rage, which slip out when Marco least suspects it will. In a crucial early scene, a former soldier from Marco's platoon, Corp. Al Melvin (Jeffrey Wright), appears at one of Marco's speaking engagements. Melvin is falling apart, split between what he remembers about what happened to him, Marco and the other men who were lost for three days after a firefight in the desert and the bad dreams that haunt his waking hours. Melvin has written his dream fragments and illustrated them. They are the key into a disturbing reality visited briefly in the film's opening credits sequence. The meeting between Marco and Melvin comes before we are invested in the characters, but, like Melvin's nightmares, their encounter refuses to leave us alone. Melvin's shattered husk has become all too familiar in the 42 years since the original film, as young American soldiers returned broken men from wars not imagined at the time. Since 9/11, ordinary citizens have waged war against fear within ourselves. Because Melvin makes terror palpable, Marco recognizes his own defenses can no longer hold back memories that come like killers in the night. A good soldier and a mindful leader of men, Marco wants to talk to Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber), formerly a sergeant under his command, whom he recommended for a Congressional Medal of Honor. Now a New York congressman, Shaw has a complicated relationship with his mother, the ruthless Sen. Eleanor Prentiss Shaw (Meryl Streep), who wants the party's vice-presidential nomination for her son. Other characters include Thomas Jordan (Jon Voight), a liberal senator and Raymond Shaw's former neighbor and friend; Jocelyn Jordan (Vera Farmiga), the senator's daughter and Shaw's first love; Rosie (Kimberly Elise), a woman Marco meets on a plane; Col. Howard (Ted Levine), the psychiatrist treating Marco; Richard Delp (Bruno Ganz), a rogue scientist who helps Marco; Dr. Atticus Noyle (Simon McBurney), a brain scientist; Col. Garrett (Miguel Ferrer), who may believe Marco's story; and Laurent Tokar (Robyn Hitchcock), Marco's guide in Kuwait. Also, Al Franken appears briefly as a reporter, director Sidney Lumet and Anna Deavere-Smith are TV pundits, and writer Walter Mosley plays Congressman Rawlins. Easy Rawlins, I assume. Demme has returned with the filmmaking know-how that made him justifiably famous for The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Something Wild (1986), to mention two. Demme's down-to-earth approach to working with actors as well as his tested ability to build and sustain suspense for more than two hours make this one of the two best new films of 2004. (The other: Essential Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.) I saw the original film when it was released, and I was outraged when it was pulled from distribution following the Kennedy assassination in November 1963. Cold War paranoia was contagious, not John Frankenheimer's film. Indelible images from the film and the surreal fantasies of the early 1960s certainly lodged in our collective movie-mind, but the era was bristling with the real, not imagined, threat — we now know — of nuclear war. The new Manchurian Candidate takes on the lawless, self-serving and non-human qualities of the 21st century's geopolitical hard-hitters: the international corporations. It's an easy comparison between the film's fictitious Manchurian Global and greedy giants such as Halliburton, which thrive on government contracts to keep the government's wars going. Very highest recommendations for The Manchurian Candidate, now playing at Cinema World and Cinemark.
American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawaii: Lisette Marie Flanary and Evann Siebens' documentary follows three master hula teachers around California as native Hawaiian culture both perpetuates itself and evolves. Encore presentation on "POV" at 11 pm on 8/10 on OPB, but check listings. Around the World in 80 Days: Jackie Chan stars in this remake that follows an eccentric London inventor, Phileas Fogg (Steve Coogan) who makes a very public bet then has to come through. Also stars Jim Broadbent, Cecile De France, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathy Bates, Rob Schneider. PG. Movies 12. Clifford's Really Big Movie: While adults may find it "an oppressively innocuous animated feature," as did A.O. Scott of The New York Times, young children may take comfort in the adventures of the big red dog they know from television. G. Movies 12. Coffee and Cigarettes: Jim Jarmusch (Stranger Than Paradise, Mystery Train, Dead Man) returns with vignettes of famous folks swapping stories, who include Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Steve Buscemi, Alfred Molina, Tom Waits and Iggy Pop. Not the best Jarmusch ever, but as Matt Zoller Seitz of the New York Press says, "even less-than-great Jarmusch is still fascinating." R. Bijou. Collateral: Michael Mann's thriller stars Tom Cruise as an LA hitman and Jamie Foxx as his taxi driver, who's surprised to discover he's a hostage. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. Little Black Book: Offbeat romantic comedy directed by Nick Hurran stars Brittany Murphy as a wannabe newswoman who decides to check up on her boyfriend (Ron Livingston) at the instigation of her co-workers Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. Princess Diaries 2 Royal Engagement: Anne Hathaway reprises the role of an American schoolgirl being groomed to be queen of Genovia. But she has to land a husband before she can be crowned. Garry Marshall directs, and Julie Andrews costars. G. Opens Wed. 8/11. Cinemark. Films open the Friday following EW publication date unless otherwise noted. See archived reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com
CONTINUING: Anchorman: Subtitled "The Legend of Ron Burgundy," this comedy stars Will Ferrell as an unctuous, untalented newscaster who's a legend only in his own mind. Funny moments. Recommended. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Online archives. Bourne Supremacy, The: Paul Greengrass (writer, director of Bloody Sunday) directs Matt Damon as assassin Jason Bourne in the second installment of Robert Ludlum's espionage thrillers Also stars Joan Allen, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles, Kurt Urban and Franka Potente. One of the summer's best films. Highly recommended. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Online archives. Catwoman: Halle Berry makes her action debut as a stunning looking action figure, Catwoman, with Frances Conroy, Benjamin Bratt, Lambert Wilson and Sharon Stone. PG-13. Cinemark. Chronicles of Riddick, The: Riddick (Vin Diesel) ends up on a multicultural planet invaded by a despot with non-human warriors. Thandie Newton, Alexa Davalos, Colm Feore, Linus Roache, Judi Dench co-star. PG-13. Movies 12. Cinderella Story, A: Teen romance comedy stars Hilary Duff, Jennifer Coolidge, Chad Michael Murray and Regina King. Mark Rosman directs. PG. Cinemark. Day After Tomorrow, The: Directed by Roland Emmerich, starring Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum, Sela Ward. A climatologist (Quaid) tries to save the world from abrupt global warming. His son (Gyllenhaal) is in New York, which is being overtaken by a new ice age. PG-13. Movies 12. De-Lovely: Songsmith Cole Porter's (Kevin Kline) life in song and dance centers on his long marriage (Ashley Judd) and relegates his homosexuality to bad-boy behavior. Performances by contemporary singers such as Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissete and Sheryl Crow enhance the music, which is the main reason to see the film. PG-13. Cinema World. Online archives. Dodgeball: Can social rejects save their local gym from gentrification? Only director Rawson Thurber and his stars, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor and Rip Torn, know for sure. Personally recommended by otherwise clearly normal people. PG-13. Movies 12. Fahrenheit 9/11: Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes 2004, Michael Moore's nonfiction film is more restrained than his later films and better for it. The film is respectful, moving and informative, as well as opinionated and occasionally heavy handed. Don't miss. Highest recommendations. R. Bijou. Cinemark. Online archives. Garfield, The Movie: The poster promises "frisky business" as Garfield, the smarty pants kitty, makes his film debut. PG. Movies 12. Harry and Kumar Go to White Castle: A comedy about room mates who get stoned and go out for a few burgers but end up on a long, strange trip. Stars John Cho (American Pie) and Kal Penn (Van Wilder). A summer sleeper, this road film has some critics smiling. R. Cinemark. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban: Alfonso Cuarón directs the third film based on the series by J.K. Rowling. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), now teenagers, return to Hogwarts, where they face their darkest fears. The very best so far. Highly recommended. PG. Cinemark. Online archives. Hidalgo: Based on autobiography of distance rider Frank T. Hopkins, played by Viggo Mortensen, this epic action-adventure takes place during a 3,000 mile survival race across the Arabian Desert in 1890. PG-13. Movies 12. I, Robot: Alex Proyas (Dark City, The Crow) directs Will Smith as a police detective investigating a crime thought to be perpetrated by a robot. Also stars Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi McBride and Bridget Moynahan. Based on Isaac Asimov's classic sci-fi stories. Recommended for its strange ambiance. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives. Manchurian Candidate, The: Psychologi-cal thriller stars Denzel Washington as an ex-career officer disturbed by his experiences in Desert Storm. Liev Schreiber plays a former squad sergeant, now a vice-presidential candidate and son of a powerful senator (Meryl Streep). An especially fine performance from Jeffrey Wright (Belize in Angels in America), as a damaged vet suffering hallucinations. Very highest recommendations. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. See review this issue Mean Girls: Lindsay Lohan plays a high-school student raised by zoologist parents in the African bush, who falls for a popular girl's ex-boyfriend. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Napoleon Dynamite: Jared Hess' indie comedy stars Jon Heder as a high schooler who lives in Idaho with his grandmother. The Village Voice says "the film is an epic, magisterially observed pastiche on all-American geekhood, flooring the competition with a petulant shove." PG. Cinema World. Cinemark. Notebook, The: Nick Cassavetes directs Gena Rowlands and James Garner, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in the screen adaptation of Nicholas Spark's best-selling romantic novel. With Sam Shepard and Joan Allen. Deserves to be seen for its depiction of real first love, with a great performance by McAdams. Recommended. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Raising Helen: Directed by Garry Marshall, starring Kate Hudson, John Corbett, Joan Cusack. After her sister and brother-in-law die in a car accident, a young woman (Hudson) becomes the guardian of their three children. Recommended. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Scooby Doo 2 Monsters Unleashed: Some scary action, rude humor and language. PG. Movies 12. Shaolin Soccer: Elvis Mitchell, late of The New York Times, found this super-successful Hong Kong action comedy directed, co-written and starred in by "action avatar" Stephen Chow "too much fun to take seriously, or ignore." PG. Bijou. Spider Man 2: Peter Parker aka Spidey (Tobey Maguire) returns as a college student by day who still loves Kirsten Dunst and a superhero when needed against his new nemesis, Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina). Sam Raimi directs. Excellent film! See it. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives. Thirteen Going On 30: Jennifer Garner goes to bed 13, wishing she were older. Wakes up 17 years later, and she is. Directed by Gary Winnick, also stars the always excellent Mark Ruffalo, with Andy Serkis and Kathy Baker. High recommendations. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Thunderbirds: High-tech assistance is required from top-secret International Rescue, former astronaut (Bill Paxton) and his five sons. Ben Kingsley plays the master criminal. PG. Cinemark. Troy: Wofgang Petersen directs ancient Greek tale of great warrior Achilles (Brad Pitt) and the lovers Paris (Orlando), Prince of Troy, and Helen (Diane Kruger), Queen of Sparta, whose passions ignite a war that destroys a civilization. Also with Brendan Gleeson, Brian Cox, Peter O'Toole and Eric Bana. R. Movies 12. Online archives. Two Brothers: Jean-Jacques Annaud (The Bear) directs this adventure story about the power of friendship between twin tiger cubs. Stars Guy Pearce, Jean-Claude Dreyfus and Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu. PG. Movies 12. Village, The: M. Night Shyamalan's new suspenseful film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, Adrien Brody, William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark.
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RELEASES ON VIDEO Bad Seed, The: (1956) Mervyn LeRoy's eerie film made a star of young Patty McCormack, who played a child serial-killer; Nancy Kelly is her distraught mother. DVD extras include McCormack's commentary, new making-of documentary interview with her. NR. Crossroads: (1986) White blues singer and aging blues master make their way to the South and a date with the devil. Directed by Walter Hill, the film features excellent performances by Ralph Macchio, Jami Gertz, Joe Seneca, and the incomparable music of Ry Cooder. R. (Columbia TriStar). Envy: Ben Stiller, Jack Black in Barry Levinson's film about kooky inventor (Black), who suddenly becomes wealthy from a spray that makes dog poop disappear. Neighbor (Stiller) grows murderously envious. Christopher Walken co-stars. PG-13. Freaks: (1932) Tod Browning's film was a shocker in its day, but it is not exploitative of the circus freaks who take revenge on those who humiliate them. Remastered from nitrate film elements, the DVD includes commentary by David J. Skal, who wrote "Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning, Hollywood's Master of the Macabre." Kill Bill Vol. 2: The Bride (Uma Thurman) pursues her next foes, Budd (Michael Madsen), Ellie Driver (Daryl Hannah) and finally, Bill (David Carradine). Bloody. Quentin Tarantino's epic shows he makes movies that move and characters who kill, but to what end, besides his own self-gratification? R. Online archives. Lost Boys, The Special Edition (1987) Joel Schumacher's updated vampire flick with a rock score stars Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Diane Wiest, Edward Herrmann, Jamie Gertz, Corey Feldman. Santa Cruz will never look the same. DVD extras include Schumacher's commentary, several featurettes, deleted scenes, and an interactive, vampire map of the world. R. Prince and Me, The: Stars Julia Stiles, Luke Mably. She's a pre-med student. He's the Crown Prince of Denmark. Also stars James Fox and Miranda Richardson. PG. Sada (Japan, 1998) Critically acclaimed film directed and edited by Nobuhiko Obayashi. Stars Hitomi Kuroki as Sada Abe, who strangled and emasculated her lover in 1936, when the country was struggling with war, militarism, economic depression and public unease, according to the IMDB. Sata became a favorite of the masses, who called her "a saint of love." Film took honors at the Berlin International Film Festival, 1998. DVD includes liner notes by film critic Richard Kadrey. Village of the Damned/Children of the Damned (1960) Two-disc DVD. Unusual children born in an English village become cult followers and killers in Wolf Rilla's low-budget thriller. Stars George Sanders, Barbara Shelley, Michael Gwynne, Laurence Naismith. Children of the Damned (1963): In sequel, special children are born worldwide with genius IQs and murderous natures. Stars Ian Hendry, Alan Badel, Barbara Ferris. DVD includes commentary by screenwriter John Briley.
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