Clockers. Spike Lee's adaptation of Richard Price's intricate
novel follows a young park-bench drug dealer (Mekhi Phifer) who
may or may not have been the gunman in a murder. In spite of his
over-emphasis on style, Lee successfully juggles a number of characters
whose lives affect each others' like chess pieces in a microcosmic
Brooklyn neighborhood, including the wire-pulling dealer who runs
the show (Delroy Lindo) and a friendly homicide cop played (very
engagingly) by Harvey Keitel. Because the story is more a societal
character study than a mystery, don't expect the oomph of Do
the Right Thing; the film deals in texture and dialogue, not
bright action. And while it's a cut above most other movies in
drug-related black cinema, the content unfortunately fails to
reach deeper.
Jeffrey. Based on the play by Paul Rudnick (the scribe
behind the wildly funny Libby Gelman-Waxner movie reviews in Premiere),
this tale of love and sex in the age of AIDS has caustic wit to
spare. The movie becomes stale, however, whenever the love story
between Jeffrey (Steven Weber) and HIV-positive Steve (Michael
Weiss) receives focus; the sparks don't fly and you become too
aware you're watching a stage adaptation. If only Jeffrey
had concentrated a little more on Rudnick's rude, crazy comedy,
it would have been a great film--the kind of entertainment that
could break down barriers between straights and gays with laughter.
Also starring Sigourney Weaver, Nathan Lane and Patrick Stewart,
whose supporting performance as an intelligent, tough-minded decorator
couldn't be more perfect.
Lord of Illusions. A Manson-esque cult leader with supernatural
powers, a world-famous magician with an ill-timed sword trick,
a New York detective who is "drawn to the dark side,"
a love interest/potential victim who wears sheer garments with
no bra, and more violent impalings than you can shake a stick
at... What more could you ask for from a Clive Barker horror flick?
Well, for starters, you might ask for a plot that makes sense,
intelligent characters or scares that don't become increasingly
dull and hokey as the film progresses. A few more impalings wouldn't
hurt.
Showgirls. With this heavily hyped NC-17 travesty, Robocop-director
Paul Verhoeven has created a new type of robo-erotica where robocharacters
have robosex in the roboscummiest areas of that robocity they
call Las Vegas. Roboscreenwriter Joe Eszterhas fills his inane,
behind-the-scenes roboexposé with gobs of crude robosub-plots
and robodialogue, creating plenty of excuses for roboactress Elizabeth
Berkely and others to bare their robobreasts and robopelvises
with increasing regularity. If you're a robot, you'll no doubt
be turned on. (All others stay away.)
Unstrung Heroes. Diane Keaton directed this quirky nostalgic
tale about a young boy whose troubles dealing with the death of
his mother (Andi Macdowell) are exacerbated by the cold, scientific
mentality of his father (John Turturro). Ironically, the boy finds
emotional release by staying with his two crazy uncles, played
by Maury Chaykin and Michael Richards (a.k.a. Seinfeld's
Kramer). The result is a low-key, subtly magical-realist film
with a welcome European flavor. The film works very well in its
modest terms, though viewers should be warned that the picture
is as much a weepie as it is a comedy.
LESBIAN & GAY FILM FESTIVAL. This first annual event
will feature four nights of avant garde independent films, opening
Thursday, October 12, with three screenings: Only the Brave,
an Australian feature about two women "running amok";
Playing the Part, a cross-country lesbian coming-out story;
and Jumping the Gun, a short film dealing with "the
morning-after issue" between two women. All films will be
at The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. Individual tickets
are $5 at the door; or buy a festival pass for $16 from Wingspan
Gallery. Call 624-1779 for information.
THE ANIMALS' FILM. Still unmatched in its exhaustive coverage
of the many aspects of animal exploitation, this is the film to
see for those new to or curious about the animal rights movement.
The Animals' Film screens at 7 p.m. October 5 and
6 at The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. Tickets are $4, with
proceeds from Friday's show benefiting Voices for Animals, Tucson's
oldest and largest animal rights group. Call 623-3101 for information.
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