 |
 The Cable Guy. Editor's note: Our regular reviewer would
like to state that she is not a Jim Carrey fan; and in fact believes
he's a sort of brain-damaged version of all that is sinister and
annoying about Jerry Lewis. In deference to her professional integrity,
we'd like to make clear the opinions contained here (and in the
Dragonheart clip, while we're at it) belong to another
reviewer. Jim Carrey plunges into the dark side in this purely
cynical comedy about psychopaths and free cable. Matthew Broderick
co-stars as the victimized straight man, reeling and lonely after
his girlfriend kicks him out. The silliness of Carrey's trademark
antics are offset by his black humor about a lonely boy (nation?)
that grew up with TV as his only friend. The attention to detail
and sheer volume of TV-show references make this a downright eerie
journey through latchkey America and a burgeoning psychosis lurking
behind so many strangers in anonymous coveralls. Under Ben Stiller's
direction, The Cable Guy is a perfect example of Freud's
theory that laughter is a latent expression of fear.
Phenomenon. It's hard to spell and even harder to watch:
Phenomenon, a corny, cloying, life-is-a-gift type of flick
that tries its darnedest to recreate the optimism of Frank Capra
movies like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It's a
Wonderful Life. The marvel of Capra's movies though, is that
they're actually incredibly bleak stories with a burst of light
at the end, while Phenomenon keeps to a steady level of
saccharine drivel throughout. John Travolta stars as a dimwitted
mechanic who sees a light in the sky and then becomes breathtakingly
intelligent, except that he can't figure out how to do practical
things, like consult with the faculty at Stanford when the guys
at Berkeley refuse to see him. Sentimental music and hazy, gold-filtered
shots sabotage any chance at dignity this project may have ever
had. This is one of those movies that might have been kind of
good if it wasn't so idiotic.
The Rock. If you're looking for an entertaining action
movie to fritter away a summer afternoon, this should be your
first stop. Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage star as mismatched partners
battling pure evil in the form of a chemical weapon that resembles
a giant tube of fluorescent-green bath beads. The weapons are
controlled by a whacked-out Vietnam vet (Ed Harris) on The Rock,
a.k.a. Alcatraz, and the guys have to break in to the impenetrable
fortress in order to save San Francisco, and possibly Oakland.
Okay, so the situation is contrived, but the little twists of
fate in this movie combined with genuinely funny dialogue make
it a stellar piece of vapid entertainment. Extra bonus: Both Cage
and Connery look surprisingly hunky in wet clothing.
Stealing Beauty. Bernardo Bertolucci splashes around with
both the MTV and the Masterpiece Theater generations in this coming-of-age
movie set in the Italian country side. Beautiful shots, sets,
and actors, hallmarks of any Bertolucci film, make Stealing
Beauty easy on the eyes--and Liv Tyler, the gorgeous 17-year-old
star, doesn't hurt either. Tyler handles herself with ease and
dignity as she plays the role of an American virgin aiming to
get herself deflowered while a bored group of cosmopolitan grown-ups
egg her on. Sometimes though, it seems like the camera lingers
a little too obsessively on the upper region of the inner seam
of her tight jeans, and it's hard to escape the sensation that
perhaps this is just a classy way for Bertolucci to act like a
dirty old man. The screenplay, by author Susan Minot, is disappointingly
flat; but Tyler is so entrancing it hardly matters.
Striptease. Demi Moore peels it off in this plodding, predictable
comedy about a mother who takes up stripping in the hopes of earning
enough money to finance a custody battle for her daughter. Moore's
routines seem forced and overstaged, and in fact she keeps most
of her clothing on most of the time even as the supporting cast
frolics about topless in the background. Burt Reynolds plays to
the balcony in his role as a lecherous senator with a "thing"
for tittie bars; in fact, everyone seems to be trying just a little
too hard in this movie for it to ever seem engaging or believable.
This is a poor bet for comedy; and if it's naked ladies you want,
try going down the street to Curves Cabaret and stuffing your
seven-fifty into the g-strings of some real single mothers, instead
of giving it to filthy rich Moore.
Welcome To The Dollhouse. This startling, original movie
about the misadventures of a school loser manages to be very funny
and very disturbing at the same time. The details and nuances
of nerd-life--the ugly glasses, the awkward gait, the sugary snacks--are
intimately and lovingly chronicled in this independent film, which
won the Grand Jury award at the Sundance Film Festival. Dawn Wiener
(Heather Matarazzo), a homely, unfashionable outcast with an unfortunate
last name, is the scapegoat of her school, her family, and perhaps
the world. When she falls in love with a popular high school boy
it seems possible for a moment that anything can happen; but,
as always, things for Dawn end in humiliation. Anyone who has
ever been betrayed by the promises of beauty, femininity, belonging
and romantic love will appreciate the relentless dissection of
these myths here.
Special Screenings
RELIGION IN FILM. The fourth annual Tacheria summer series
heads into its second week with Priest, starring Linus
Roache, Tom Wilkinson and Robert Carlyle. Described as a "powerfully
gripping story of the contemporary church," it chronicles
the challenges of a young, idealistic priest confronted by extraordinary
events within his own congregation and personal life. Film is
R-rated and screens at 7 p.m. in the East Gallery of St. Philip's
In The Hills, 4440 N. Campbell Ave. All screenings are free and
are followed by open discussions of ethics and spirituality as
related to themes raised in the film. Upcoming screenings include
The Mission, Passion Fish and Beyond Rangoon. For
information call 529-1206.
|
 |
