Eugene Weekly : Movies : 10.14.04
.MOVIE LISTINGS | NEW VIDEO RELEASES | MOVIE REVIEW ARCHIVE | THEATER INFO
Dark Journey
Boys and a girl in a boat
BY LOIS WADSWORTH
MEAN CREEK: Written and directed by Jacob Aaron Estes. Produced by Rick Rosenthal, Susan Johnson, Hagai Shanam. Executive producers, Nancy Stephens, Gigi Pritzker, Deborah Del Prete. Cinematography, Sharone Meir. Editor, Madeleine Gavin. Production design, Greg McMickle. Costumes, Cynthia Morrill. Music supervisor, Robin Urdang. Starring Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan, Josh Peck and Carly Schroeder. Paramount Classics, 2004. R. 87 minutes. 2004 Sundance Humanitas Award.
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| Marty (Scott Mechlowicz) and Sam (Rory Culkin) in a good moment in the boat. |
Filmed on location in Estcada and Troutdale, Ore., and Lewis River, Wash., Mean Creek directs a contemporary attitude at themes present nearly 20 years ago in a pair of seminal films: Stand By Me (1986) and River's Edge (1987). In Stand By Me, four 12-year-old boys, hassled by older boys, hike into the Oregon woods where they discover a body. They learn about life and the proximity of death in this picture set near Cottage Grove. In River's Edge, a group of teens are confronted by a homicide in their midst and have to discover where their loyalties lie.
Familiarity with the land, woods and rivers of the Pacific Northwest gives Mean Creek an immediate authenticity. While the film feels original and current, the ways older brothers and their friends treat younger guys doesn't change much from generation to generation it seems. These teens live in a small town, where everybody knows everyone else's business, which also builds adolescent tension.
Sam (Rory Culkin) takes an undeserved beating from the school bully, George (Josh Peck), for looking into the boy's ever-present video camera. George is mean-spirited, friendless and much larger than Sam. Sam is a shy, small kid, with a good disposition. His older brother, Rocky (Trevor Morgan), tells his friends about George attacking Sam, and the alpha male of the group, Marty (Scott Mechlowicz), is ready for the challenge George represents. Clyde (Ryan Kelley), who hates it when Marty calls him "gay" because his father is, also wants to revenge the beatings he took from George. Just as a joke, they tell each other, they'll take George's clothes off and throw him in the river.
Sam and his sweet girlfriend Millie (Carly Schroeder) plan to spend a day together in the woods. These two are the youngest and most vulnerable of the group to head off for a river trip to celebrate Sam's made-up birthday party with Rocky, Marty, Clyde and George, who is clearly a nicer kid when he feels like he has some friends. But George is not all right, and each member of the party has to deal with his own feelings to keep the day peaceful.
Even as the plan unfolded, a sick feeling settled over me. The dynamics were weighted toward misfortune, and no matter that Millie and Sam persuaded the older boys to call off the prank, some kind of irrevocable fate was in charge that day on the river. The peaceful, pleasant moments came and went. Meanwhile, inner tensions and open conflicts within the party worked on them all. As any adult group would, these young people created their own dynamic, which lead them on a dark journey.
It's a funny thing about national critics from big cities. I often have the sense they were never children or teenagers, that they have never been camping or taken river trips. I'm fairly sure that those of us living in a place where the woods and waters are places we know about from a young age make this film more memorable than for others who view everything outside the city as "wilderness."
The young actors are spontaneous and respectful, even when the character they play has to go into emotionally difficult places. Schroeder shows us through expression and body language how Millie has internalized the day's events. She doesn't look like the same girl at the end of the picture. Likewise, Peck makes credible a series of believable, quick personality changes during the film, which add a depth to the bully he portrays. Mecholowicz plays a different sort of bully, and he keeps Marty's persona intact until one of the film's final scenes. Good work all around.
Mean Creeks opens Oct. 8 at the Bijou with high recommendations for its insight and development.
OPENING OR RETURNING:
Films open the Friday following date of EW publication unless otherwise noted. See archived movie reviews.
Benji Off the Leash: Written and directed by Joe Camp, 17 years after the first, Benji The Hunted. Now Benji is on a mission to save her mother from the clutches of an unprofessional breeder. PG. 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. Movies 12.
Exorcist: The Beginning: The backstory to the 1973 blockbuster commences in 1940s Africa with a disillusioned Father Merrin's (Stellan Skarsgard) first meeting with the demon Pazuzu. The film was bedeviled, too. It ran through directors John Frankenheimer and Paul Schrader before Renny Harlin came in and basically reshot the whole shebang. Also stars James D'Arcy and Izabella Scorupco. R. Movies 12.
Fate of a Man (USSR, 1959): Directed by Sergei Bandarchuk, we learn one man's story through flashbacks. He loses his family during WWII, and the devastation of the war haunts him. At 7 pm on 10/19 in 115 Pacific, UO campus. Free.
Lost Prince, The: The story of Prince John, current Queen Elisabeth's uncle, who was shut away as a child because of epilepsy and a learning disability. Written and directed by Stephen Pliakoff, the film stars Matthew Thomas as the teenage prince, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Gina McKee, Tom Hollander and Bibi Anderson. Shown in two parts on "Masterpiece Theater," OPB, Sundays Oct. 17 and Oct. 24. Check listings for times.
Mean Creek: Memorable debut for writer/director Jacob Aaron Estes, this film should be seen by all teens, but the R rating means they have to wait until it's on DVD. A group of kids — Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan and Carly Schroeder — ages 12 – 17 take off on a day trip on an Oregon river, planning a prank on a bully (Josh Peck). What happens changes all their lives. High recommendations. R. Bijou. See review this issue.
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster: Documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky followed the heavy metal band Metallica for two years, along with therapist Phil Towle, and this is the result. Berlinger and Sinofsky see that Towle has become a sort of "couples therapist" for founding members Lars Urlich and James Hatfield, according to The New York Times' A. O. Scott, who calls the film "a psychodrama of novelistic intricacy and epic scope." R. Bijou.
Motorcycle Diaries: In 1952, Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (Gael García Bernal) and older pal Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna) take a trip by motorcycle through the poverty of Latin America. Fifteen years later, Che Guevara, who had become famous from his association with Fidel Castro, was murdered at the hands of Bolivians in the pay of the CIA. R. Bijou.
Shall We Dance: American remake of the sublime Japanese film of the same title. Sorry to report it, but Jennifer Lopez plays the dance teacher and Richard Gere the shy man who learns to dance. See the original to compare to this all-Hollywood effort. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World.
Suspect Zero: As murder victims pile up, the FBI sends two agents against a killer who taunts them with his ability to get into the minds of his victims. Directed by E. Elias Merhige, film stars Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley and Carrie-Anne Moss. R. Movies 12.
Team America: World Police: With animated wooden marionettes, Trey Parker and Matt Stone (South Park) create an action adventure film about an international police force devoted to global stability and battling bad guys. R. Cinema World. 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.
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. Movies 12. Online archives.
Dirty Shame, A: Written and directed by John Waters, this sex-talk filled romp stars Tracey Ullman, Johnny Knoxville, Selma Blair, Chris Isaak and Susanne Shepherd. Potty-mouthed miscreants take every opportunity to discover a NEW sexual perversion or at least practice the ones they've already got. Like all of Waters' one-joke movies, it goes on too long, but it's laugh-out-loud funny. NC-17. Bijou. Online archives.
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.
Friday Night Lights: High-school football is a big deal in 1988 Odessa, Texas, and director Peter Berg has fun with the fictional locals played by Tim McGraw, Billy Bob Thornton and Jay Hernandez. PG-13. Cinemark.
Garden State: Zach Braff wrote, directed and stars in this funny, resonant romantic comedy, which co-stars Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard and Ian Holm. Braff and Portman help the film get to a truth about what it is to be 20-something in the early years of the 21st century. Highest recommendations. R. Cinema World. 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.
Hijacking Catastrophe: 2004 documentary covers two decades of neo-conservative Republicans such as Paul Wolfowitz, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney setting the stage for the so-called Bush Doctrine (of American imperialism). Must-see viewing, the film features commentary by Noam Chomsky, former Chief UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter, Daniel Ellsberg, Norman Mailer, Jody Williams and others. Written and directed by Jeremy Earp and Sut Jhally, it's an excellent, cogent political film. Plays Sun. only at 1 pm. NR. 68 minutes. Bijou.
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.
Ladder 49: When Fire Chief Mike Kennedy (John Travolta) takes rookie firefighter Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) under his wing, the probationary firefighter matures into a seasoned, veteran at a Baltimore fire station. But after years of risking his life and watching his relationship with his wife and kids deteriorate, Jack is at a crossroads and questions whether or not it's worth it. PG. Cinema World, Cinemark.
Maria Full of Grace: Joshua Marston's memorable debut film stars newcomer Catalina Sandino Moreno as a desperate, third-world 17-year old who becomes a drug mule for Colombian smugglers, but who retains her dignity and her purposeful urge for a better life. One of 2004's better films. R. Bijou. 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.
Open Water: Chris Kentis directs this thriller based on real events. A couple gets left behind by a scuba diving group, in the middle of a shark-filled ocean. Blanchard Ryan and Daniel Travis spent 120 hours in the water with real sharks to make this movie. R. Movies 12.
Raise Your Voice: Sean McNamara this predictable coming of age movie about a talented girl (Hilary Duff) who runs away from her hometown to attend an LA performing arts school. Also stars Oliver James, John Corbett and Rebecca De Mornay. PG. Cinemark.
Shark Tale: In this computer-animated feature, a lovable tropical fish with the voice of Will Smith takes on the underwater Mafia when he assumes responsibility for killing the godfather of the Great White Sharks. Other voices include those of Jack Black, Robert De Niro, Renée Zellweger, Angelina Jolie and Martin Scorsese; Eric Bergeron. Directed by Vicky Jenson. PG. Cinema World, 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.
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. Online archives.
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. Movies 12. Online archives.
Taxi: If you've seen the trailer for Tim Story's movie, you'll recognize the inept police detective (Jimmy Fallon) who takes a taxi to work on his cases. Of course, with Queen Latifah behind the wheel, anything can happen. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark.
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.
Village, The: M. Night Shyamalan's new suspenseful film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, Adrien Brody, William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver. PG-13. Movies 12.
MOVIE THEATERS
Use the links provided below for specific show times.
Bijou Art Cinemas
Bijou Theater 686-2458 | 492 E. 13th
Regal Cinemas
Cinema World 342-6536 | Valley River Center
Springfield Quad 726-9073 |
Cinemark Theaters
Movies 12 741-1231 | Gateway Mall
Cinemark 17 741-1231 | Gateway Mall
NEW RELEASES ON VIDEO
Now available exclusively at www.eugeneweekly.com, where you will also find new and archived movie reviews. DVD and video release dates are subject to change but should be available the Tuesday following the date of EW publication, sometimes sooner.
Alexander the Great: (1956) In director Robert Rossen's hands, 4th century Greek leader, played by Richard Burton, comes from a screwed-up royal family. The idealized world he hopes to found is compensation for lack of love at home. Also stars Fredric March, Claire Bloom, Barry Jones. DVD release comes just before the new Alexander hits the screens. NR.
Born on the 4th of July: (1989) Special edition of Oliver Stone's Academy Award-winning, unforgettable film based on the real-life experiences of Vietnam Vet Ron Kovic. Fabulous performance by Tom Cruise, the film also stars Kyra Sedgwick, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and others. R.
Ed Wood: (1994) Special edition of Tim Burton's touching homage to one of Hollywood's worst directors stars Johnny Depp in the title role, and Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi, Wood's friend. Also stars Bill Murray, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette and Vincent D'Onofrio. Hilarious. DVD includes 5 deleted scenes and featurettes. R.
Explorers: (1985) In Joe Dante's ironic comedy, young Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix and Jason Presson create a spaceship in their makeshift lab and take it to outer space. PG.
Fat Girl, The: (2001) Of Catherine Breillat's widely acclaimed sexual essay, Stephen Holden of The NY Times writes that 12-year old Anais Reboux's performance conveys the main character's "mixture of precocious insight, animal canniness and vulnerability so powerfully that it ranks among the richest screen portrayals of a child ever filmed." Never played Eugene.
Healer, The: (2002) Director Agnieszka Holland's tragic film, aka Julie Walking Home, is about a woman (Miranda Otto) estranged from her husband (William Fichtner), who takes their son, diagnosed with cancer, to a Polish healer (Lothaire Bluteau). Critics didn't like the picture, but despite its bleak subject, I'd take a look because of Holland herself and the great cast.
Hellboy: Director's cut. Based on Mike Mignola's Dark Horse Comics series, this 2004 supernatural action adventure stars Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma Blain, Jeffrey Tambor and Doug Jones. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, it's a highly entertaining, sweet film. See it. DVD features 13-minutes of recut and extended footage as well as great extras. PG-13. Online archives.
I'm Not Scared: (Italy, 2004) Never played Eugene. Directed by Gabriele Salvatores (Mediterraneo), it is based on the unanticipated success of international best seller by Niccolo Mamanitis. Ten -year-old Michele (newcomer Giuseppe Cristiano) spends the hot summer of 1970 investigating an abandoned house with a dark underground cellar or bunker where something or someone lives. A child's fear helps create a film of some power and resonance. R.
Intermission: (2004): This gritty Irish drama was soundly disliked by US critics, but its all-star cast includes Shirley Henderson, Kelly Macdonald, Colm Meaney, Cillian Murphy and Colin Farrell. As Village Voice critic Jessica Winters puts it: "Like a loud and intermittently charismatic drunk at a dreary dive bar, Intermission grabs your attention, but in no time you're looking for the nearest exit."
Love Me If You Dare: (France, 2004) Yann Samuel's film begins with two 8-year olds who dare each other with pranks, but their quirky relationship grows even more complex as they come into adulthood. They are not lovers, but lots of unresolved issues lie between them. Many US critics seemed repelled by the film's premise.
Secret Honor: (1985) Directed by Robert Altman, written by Donald Freed and Arnold Stone from their stage play, is described by Videohound as "Richard Nixon coping with the death of his presidency on the night he's decided to blow his brains out. … Shakespearean Nixon with plenty of darkly humorous lines." Phillip Baker Hall plays Tricky Dick. Timely release of DVD version, which includes excerpts from archival films. (Criterion Collection).
Uncovered: The War in Iraq: (2004) Directed by Paul Greenwald (Outfoxed), this sobering documentary focuses on reliable counterterrorism experts speaking out the Bush Administration's push for the war in Iraq. NR.
Ultimate Oliver Stone Collection: This 14-disc set includes 12 Stone movies: Salvador, Platoon, Wall Street, Talk Radio, Born on the 4th of July, The Doors, JFK, Heaven and Earth, Natural Born Killers, Nixon, U-Turn and Any Given Sunday. Also includes "Oliver Stone's America" and two new-to-DVD documentaries, Persona Non Grata and Looking for Fidel.
Up Series, The: A boxed-set edition of all of Michael Apted's incredible documentary films of British children followed from early school days into adulthood. If you've never seen Apted's films, they are fascinating, addictive and more interesting than fiction. Films include Seven Up, 7 Plus Seven, 21 Up, 28 Up, 35 Up and 42 Up.
Yakuza Papers, The: (Japan, 1974). This 6-disc boxed set features new digital transfers of each of director Kinji Fukasaku's five episodes: The Yakuza Paper, Vol. 1: Battles without Honor and Humanity; Vol. 2: Deadly Fight in Hiroshima; Vol. 3: Proxy War; Vol 4: Police Tactics; Vol. 5: Final Episode. DVD extras include interviews with Fukasaku, a story guide and a 20 pp. Booklet of essays and articles.
Next Week: The China Syndrome Special Edition (1979), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Mulan Special Edition (1998), The Thing Called Love (1993) and White Chicks (2004).
