 |
  |
 |
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||
|
Pure
Pulp SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW: Written and directed by Kerry Conran. Produced by Jon Avnet, Marsha Oglesby, Sadie Frost, Jude Law. Executive producers Aurelio De Laurentiis, Raffaella De Laurentiis, Bill Haber. Cinematography, Eric Adkins. Production design, Kevin Conran. Editor, Sabrina Plisco. Visual Effects, Scott E. Anderson. Music, Edward Shearmur. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law, with Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Gambon, Bai Ling, Omid Djalili. Paramount Pictures, 2004 PG. 107 minutes.
The look of Kerry Conran's first film is compelling from the first, like an old comic book from the late 1930s, with an Art Deco sensibility. The similarity to adventure comics extends beyond the film's visual aesthetics to the characters and plot itself. The film has little depth; everything happens on the surface. What you see is what you get. And that isn't all bad, because Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, set in 1939, entertains with a dynamic, video-game pace that glues your eyes on the action. I feel foolish when I hold my breath while an obviously incredible feat is performed at physically impossible pressures and speeds. But Sky Captain's characters defeat gravity and other physical laws with impunity. They do not tire and never eat, sleep or become irritated. They are invincible, fearless and pumped-up for any challenge. In a word, they are shallow. In my lexicon, shallow characters mark a film as one to avoid. But here, the characters serve the national comic book nostalgia that has not only infected celebrity collectors but also publishing houses eager for graphic novels and Hollywood studios looking for the next blockbuster. Moreover, the actors who play the four main characters — Sky Captain aka Joe Sullivan (Jude Law); perky photographer and reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow); Joe's Double Bubble chomping, techie sidekick, Dex Dearborn (Giovanni Ribisi); and Joe's ex-lover, the spunky Brit flygal Franky Cook (Angelina Jolie) — inhabit their roles so comfortably and speak so confidently we almost forget how few acting channels they are using in this work. "Almost" is the operative word in that sentence. Because if I answer honestly: "Do you care what becomes of these characters when the film is over?" Not really, I must say. I will sit through the next installments of Harry Potter, Hellboy and Spider-Man, and I'd like to see more of the dog in Triplets of Bellville. But once-through Sky Captain is enough. Even though I like some of the elegant visuals, especially the opening sequence of the dirigible docking at the top of the Empire State Building, the film's urgent special effects overwhelm Joe and Polly's light comedic bantering, the primary strength of Conran's clever screenplay. Conran's experimental technique, which you can read about from multiple sources, was to shoot the actors against blue-screen, then computer-generate and insert everything but the most personal props. Mostly, Conran's work is quite good, but sometimes the film takes on a dark-sepia shade, and figures in close-up are incongruent with the background. Because Conran's blue-screen process isolates the actors from their surroundings, it destroys the empathic power that comes from actual bodies interacting in real space. While robots aren't intrinsically interesting to me, I enjoyed the visual disconnect of seeing shiny, tin-can man robots in contemporary street scenes in I, Robot. But the robots roaming King Kong's old neighborhood in Sky Captain look quite at home. Clunky CGI death machines fit right into the city's murky atmosphere. It's the humans who look out-of place. Nevertheless, the large audience I saw the film with Friday afternoon clapped enthusiastically when the film ended. That may indicate audience popularity for Sky Captain and the new technologies that brought it in for around $70 million, a relatively low blockbuster budget. We'll see. Entertaining and largely charming, this pulp fantasy cast with flair into a retro-future of robots and aerial dogfights is now playing at Cinema World and Cinemark. Highly recommended.
Alchemy INTIMATE STRANGERS: Directed by Patrice Leconte. Written by Leconte and Jérôme Tonnerre. Produced by Alain Sarde. Executive producer, Christine Gozlan. Cinematography, Eduardo Serra. Editor, Joëlle Hache. Production design, Ivan Maussion. Music, Pascal Estève. Starring Fabrice Luchini and Sandrine Bonnaire, with Michel Duchaussoy, Anne Brochet, Laurent Gamelon, Hélène Surgère, Gilbert Melki and Urbain Cancelier. Paramount Classics, 2004. 104 minutes. R. Official selection, Berlin Film Festival.
Another offbeat character-driven, light-hearted encounter between a man and a woman from the master of such small social comedies, French director Patrice Leconte. One of my favorite, all-time films directed by Leconte is The Girl on the Bridge (2000), for which I wrote: "That's it, the whole deal: Knife-thrower turns potential suicide into libidinal object, and both get off on it." For this strangely wonderful film I could say, "In a case of mistaken identity a stuck-in-a-rut tax accountant plays psychotherapist to a beautiful woman in a loveless marriage, and both get off on it." Well, it may be a bit more subtle than that. Anna (Sandrine Bonnaire) bursts into a Paris office one winter afternoon, where she begins to breathlessly tell William Faber (Fabrice Luchini) her marital woes. Anna assumes she's in the office of Dr. Monnier (Michel Duchaussoy) down the hall, but the bored, lonely tax consultant she's found becomes intrigued and doesn't tell her. His nosy secretary, Mrs. Mulon (Hélène Surgère), watches suspiciously from her desk. From this hilarious set-up on, Leconte and writer Jérôme Tonnerre weave the story into situations that compound the original error while also strengthening the growing bond between Anna and William. Exactly what this bond is, is anybody's guess. Dr. Monnier sees William and charges him for an office visit but doesn't attempt to derail his meetings with Anna. Mrs. Mulon can't get a handle on what's wrong with the boss meeting a client after office hours but does worry when he doesn't bill the woman for his services. Mrs. Muolon, by the way, came with the apartment, the office and the tax business William inherited from his father. William talks to his ex-lover, Jeanne (Anne Brochet), about Anna, but Jeanne's pretty involved with her new beau, Luc (Laurent Gamelon), a fitness animal who sees William as a girly-man. Anna's husband, Marc (Gilbert Melki), puts in his two-cents worth. Even the poor bastard Anna befriends near the elevator, a patient of Monnier who's terrified of elevators, has opinions. This generous send-up of psychotherapy, midlife crises and the way unlikely individuals are sometimes just right for each other is one of the best films of the year. For discerning adults who don't need to have everything explained and all wrapped up, who accept the mysteries of life as gifts, eavesdropping on Intimate Strangers' central pair is pure pleasure. Bonnaire shows Anna as a gracefully nervous, seductively independent and sincerely confused woman, while Luchini lets himself go in a manic, solo dance in his apartment to Wilson Pickett's lively "In the Midnight Hour." A slow dance of opposites, Intimate Strangers opens Friday at the Bijou. See it early, or it will be gone. Very highest recommendations.
Control Room: The inside workings of Al Jazeera in Iraq highlight the differences in Arab television coverage of the war and US control of the media. It makes a case for the reporting of civilian casualties as being more accurate than the view American networks are fed. NR. Bijou. First Daughter: Presidential daughter (Katie Holmes) just wants a normal college life. When she falls for her dorm's resident advisor, she finds out what it's like to fit in. PG. Cinema World. Cinemark. Forgotten, The: Julianne Moore is a grieving parent. She learns from her psychiatrist (Gary Sinese) and others that her 8-year-old son never existed. Directed by Joseph Ruben, the film also stars Dominic West, Alfre Woodard, Linus Roache, Anthony Edwards.PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. Intimate Strangers: In a case of mistaken identity a stuck-in-a-rut tax accountant plays psychotherapist to a beautiful woman in a loveless marriage, and both get off on it R. Bijou. See review this week. My Name Is Harliquin: 1988 Russian-language film directed by Valerii Rybarev shows at 7 pm on 9/23 in 115 Pacific, UO. Shall We Dance: American remake of the sublime Japanese film of the same title. I regret to inform you that Jennifer Lopez plays the dance teacher and Richard Gere the shy man who learns to dance. PG-13. Sneak at 7:30 pm on 9/23. Cinemark. Shaun of the Dead: When zombies invade North London, under-achiever Shaun and best friend Ed must fight for their for their lives, attempt to save Shaun's girlfriend, and escape. R. Cinemark. Films open the Friday following EW publication date unless otherwise noted. See archived reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com
CONTINUING: Alien vs Predator: The scary monsters from earlier film franchises duke it out on Earth. Wow! PG-13. Movies 12. 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. Movies 12. 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. Cinemark. Online archives. Catwoman: Halle Berry makes her action debut as a stunning looking action figure. With Frances Conroy, Benjamin Bratt, Lambert Wilson, and Sharon Stone. PG-13. Movies 12. Cellular: This Phone Booth-like thriller stars Kim Basinger, William H. Macy, Chris Evans and Jason Statham. A carefree young man (Evans) receives a phone call from a woman (Basinger) imploring him to save her life. She's been kidnapped, and he's her only chance. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Cinderella Story, A: Teen romance comedy stars Hilary Duff, Jennifer Coolidge, Chad Michael Murray and Regina King. Mark Rosman directs. PG. Movies 12. 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. Together, they're like fire and ice, feeling and nothingness. A character study in action, the film is one of the best movies of the year. Very highest recommendations. Don't miss. R. Cinemark. Online archives. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story: Social rejects save their local gym from gentrification in this goofy comedy directed by Rawson Thurber and starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor and Rip Torn. Inspired lunacy recommended for your summertime enjoyment. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban: Brilliantly directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), now teenagers, return to Hogwarts, where they confront an escaped prisoner, Sirius Black (Gary Oldham), who poses a great threat to Harry. They must also contend with the Dementors, who are sent to protect them from Black. PG. Movies 12. Online archives. Hero: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi and Donnie Yen star in this rousing martial arts epic. Set in a war-torn China at the violent dawn of the Qin dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, three opponents plan to assassinate the king, but one loyal subject stands in their way. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. Online archives. 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. Movies 12. Online archives. King Arthur: Excellent cast includes Clive Owen, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgard, Stephen Dillane, Ray Winstone, Ioan Gruffudd. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, this revisionist history, action adventure is Open recommended for its performances. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. 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. Movies 12. PG-13. Mr. 3000: Baseball player (Bernie Mac) makes a comeback when he's in danger of losing his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. With Angela Bassett and Michael Rispoli. Lots of music. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. 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. Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement: Anne Hathaway is being groomed to be queen of Genovia, but she has to land a husband before she can be crowned. Garry Marshall directs. Julie Andrews costars. G. Cinemark. Resident Evil: Apocalypse: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Sandrine Holt, Oded Fehr, Mike Epps and Zack Ward must survive and escape near certain death by the ravenous undead and bioengineered weapons. R. Cinemark. Shrek 2: Mike Myers returns as Shrek, Cameron Diaz is his new wife, Princess Fiona, and Eddie Murphy's his sidekick, Donkey. Now the newlyweds face Queen Lillian (Julie Andrews) and King Harold (John Cleese). Fairy godmother (Jennifer Saunders), Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) and the ferocious Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas). Sequel is so-so. PG. Movies 12. Online archives. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow: Starring Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie, this digital special effects sci-fi action film was shot without sets and locations. Brainchild: writer/director Kerry Conran in collaboration with producer Jon Avnet. Other stars include Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Gambon and Bai Ling. PG. Cinemark. Cinema World. See review this issue. 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. Super Size Me: Morgan Spurlock's documentary features snappy graphics, talking heads and the slow decline of Spurlock's health as he eats only at McDonalds for three meals a day, 30 days. Highly recommended. NR. Movies 12. Online archives. Terminal: Steven Spielberg directs Tom Hanks as a tourist who has to live at Kennedy airport because his homeland disappeared in a civil war, so his passport is no good. He falls in love with Catherine Zeta-Jones, whose comic talent is wasted in a dumb-dame role, while Hanks only works part-time. Too long and too cute. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Vanity Fair: Mira Nair's version of William Makepeace Thackeray's classic novel. Stellar cast includes Reese Witherspoon as Becky Sharp, with Eileen Atkins, Jim Broadbent, Gabriel Byrne. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives. Weeping Camel, The Story of the: A family of herders living in the Gobi Desert of Southern Mongolia have a dilemma: a mother camel rejects her baby. Fortunately, an old practice helps them remedy the problem. Heartfelt, poignant story of non-sentimental, cross-species healing and caring. PG. Bijou. Online archives. White Chicks: Comedy about FBI agents who go undercover as high school debutantes to investigate a kidnapping ring. Stars director Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn and Marlon Wayans. PG-13. Movies 12. Wimbledon: Tennis champ (Paul Bettany) is about to retire from the game when he meets American tennis star (Kirsten Dunst), who encourages him to compete at Wimbledon. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Without a Paddle: High-speed comedy adventure stars Seth Green, Matthew Lillard and Dax Shepard as clueless adventurers who go into the Oregon wilderness in search of lost treasure. PG-13. Cinemark.
MOVIE
THEATERS Bijou
Art Cinemas Regal
Cinemas Cinemark
Theaters
NEW
RELEASES ON VIDEO Alamo, The: The famous 13-day battle of 1836 in a San Antonio mission pitted 200 men against an overwhelming Mexican army. Stars Patrick Wilson, Jason Patric, Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Quaid and Emilio Echevarria. Directed by John Lee Hancock as understated drama. Highly recommended. PG-13. Online archives. Baryshnikov's Nutcracker, The: Baryshnikov dances in the beloved 1977 version of everyone's holiday favorite ballet at the Kennedy Center Opera House in D.C. Big One, The (1998): Michael Moore takes to the road to promote his book, make trouble for corporations in his path, and. preach to the converted. PG-13. Documentary. Easy Rider, Easy Rider 35th Anniversary Special Edition (1969) Dennis Hopper directs and stars in this classic road trip. Peter Fonda is his motorcycle buddy. Jack Nicholson, a Southern lawyer, goes along for the ride. Also stars Antonio Mendoza, Phil Spector. 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. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Highly acclaimed film directed by Michel Gondry from screenplay by Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation). Stars Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, with Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst. Carrey discovers Winslet had memories of their relationship erased. Now he wants to do the same. Or does he? One of the year's top films. Very highest recommendations. R. Online archives. The Hunting of the President: This 2004 documentary never played Eugene, but in an election year, perhaps it should have. Nickolas Perry chronicles the 10-year campaign to destroy Bill Clinton. Ken Burns' America Collection: Includes some of Burns' best documentaries, including Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1991); Huey Long (1985); Thomas Hart Benton (1988); PBS documentary on the pioneering American artist; Brooklyn Bridge; The Congress; The Shakers; and The Statue of Liberty." Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts With the New York Philharmonic Nine-disc DVD set contains 25 of Bernstein's greatest CBS-televised concerts, which began in 1958. Little Women: Gillian Armstrong's charming film stars Trini Alvarado (Meg), Samantha Mathis (Meg), Kirsten Dunst (Amy), Winona Ryder (Jo), Claire Danes (Beth) and Susan Sarandon as their mother. With Gabriel Byrne, Eric Stoltz, John Neville. PG. Nothing But a Man (1964) Michael Roemer's b&w masterpiece stars Ivan Dixon, Abbey Lincoln and Yaphet Kotto has been remastered for the film's 40th anniversary, including the original Motown soundtrack. DVD extras included interviews with Dixon and Lincoln, Roemer and Robert Young. (New Video). Persuasion (1995) Fiona Shaw, Amanda Root, Ciaran Hinds, John Woodvine, Corin Redgrave, Susan Fleetwood. Rivers and Tides: Andy Goldsworthy Works with Time: Splendid documentary by Thomas Riedelsheimer about famous Scottish sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. He makes site-specific art from found natural objects. Accessible to anyone who has ever been a child. A visual treat, it's the most beautiful film of the year. NR. Bijou. Online archives. Sense and Sensibility: Emma Thompson wrote the script and stars in this critically acclaimed adaptation of the Jane Austen novel about two sisters, one reserved and sensible, the other emotional and romantic. Directed by Ang Lee (Eat Drink, Man Woman); co-starring Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman. 1995 Golden Globe winner for Best Drama and Best Screenplay. PG. Super Size Me: Morgan Spurlock's documentary features snappy graphics, talking heads and the slow decline of Spurlock's health as he eats only at McDonalds for three meals a day, 30 days. Highly recommended. NR. Online archives. Tess (1979) Roman Polanski's passionate, elegant version of Thomas Hardy's tale of a young farmgirl (Nastassja Kinski) seduced by the aristocrat she works for, finds marriage in her own class unsatisfactory. Also stars Peter Firth, Leigh Lawson, John Collin, Rosemary Martin. DVD extras include featurettes Next Week: The Day After Tomorrow, Deadline, The Decline of the American Empire, Fahrenheit 451, The Fearless Vampire Killers, The Five Obstructions, Friday the 13th, Horns and Halos, The Hunger, In the Shadows, Michael Moore's DVD Collection, Saved!, Shawshank Redemption, Stateside, Tanner '88, and The War Room. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
