AUTUMN 1999 MOVIE REVIEWS
-- There's not a bad one in this bunch!
| American Beauty | ***1/2 |
| Being John Malkovich | **1/2 |
| Boys Don't Cry | **1/2 |
| The King of Masks | *** |
| The Red Violin | *** |
| The Sixth Sense | **1/2 |
| The Straight Story | ** |
American Beauty -- Strange but interesting, this movie defies simple categorization. An acquaintance of mine (who hasn't seen it, but saw the previews) imagined it to be simple "suburb bashing". Indeed the movie critiques suburban values, but I think that is only a minor aspect in a much broader array of themes -- the most dominant of which is not particularly profound. To me, it was more about the appreciation of beauty, simplicity and the telling of truths. It is also about people desperately trying to communicate with each other, to express their love, but who can't quite get there ... not an uncommon theme in American movies. Sure, the movie is unremittingly rebellous against materialism (and the joylessness that springs from it), but that point could have been made as effectively in an urban, small town or rural environment as it does in the suburbs. The movie touches upon a full gammit of hot 1990s movie topics -- kind of a one-stop shop for misbehaviors and neuroses that reads like a cheesy talk show program list -- infidelity, sexual predation, mid-life crises, masturbation, homosexuality, voyeurism, teenage alienation, conservative paranoias, dysfunctional families, yada, yada, yada. However, these themes are far more skillfully weaved with humor, compassion, thoughtful insight and fun than one might find in a typical tabloid talk show. The boundaries of taste, being dynamic (some would say degenerative), it seems at times that American Beauty was about to lower the bar again (or raise it, depending on your perspective). Actually, it briefly walks up to the edge and peers over it, but attempts redemption by falling back from the brink (unlike those cheesy talk shows). It seems that many people go to movies to dream about acting upon their base impulses, and doing things that cultural mores, taboos and laws prevent them from doing in real life. This movie strongly rewards that sentiment. Witness, for example, the palpable collective catharsis the audience exudes as it watches Kevin Spacey extort a favorable severance package from his company while telling an arrogant upstart efficiency expert to go to hell in not so polite terms. Spacey has become one of my favorite actors, based upon his performances in American Beauty, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, L.A. Confidential and others. The other actors and actresses put in solid performances as well. Lots of folks have given this movie four stars, but I do that kind of thing with great caution. Don't let my three and a half stars fool you. I wouldn't recommend this movie to some folks who may find some moments rather discomforting, and who might consider the movie as further evidence that societal values have gone down the toilet. Still, someone of my ilk might think that this is an important film -- one which attempts, rather ingeniously, to put the range of possible values into their proper perspective -- with the appreciation of simplicity, beauty and truth telling at the top. (For Kids: no; young teens: no; older teens: not if you're with them) ***1/2 out of 4 stars
Being John Malkovich -- John Malkovich, an extraordinary actor who has achieved something of a cult following in recent years, also turns out to be an extraordinarily good sport for permitting us to invade the deepest portals of his mind. John Cusack stars as a unfullfilled puppeteer who stumbles upon a hidden passageway in an old building that turns out to be an entrance into John Malkovich's mind. If you can get past that premise, you may as well go see the movie. Cameron Diaz demonstrates with each new movie that she's more than just another pretty face. Strong comic performances and cameo appearances by an assortment of other actors help to make the movie a fun ride. Unfortunately, although this comedy-fantasy starts out promisingly enough, it loses much of its steam after the umpteenth permutation of its absurd and convoluted plot, and the film never quite realizes its full potential. While it is a highly inventive and unusually adept directoral debut for Spike Jonze, inviting tantalizing anticipation for his future efforts, I found that the comedy of this film unfortunately gives way to redundancy, then to shallow despicability, and finally to visual gimmickry at the expense of thoughtful insight. Is it an exploration of the cult of celebrity (15 minutes of fame), of the soul, of sexuality ... or is it just entertainment? Heaven forbid you should ever try to mix comedy with philosophy. Don't expect much depth here. Someone in Hollywood doesn't believe that enough folks would fork out the bucks for it. (For kids: no; young teens: no; older teens: maybe) **1/2
Boys Don't Cry -- It was interesting to see this movie immediately after seeing The Straight Story. Both are set in small town Midwest, are based on true stories, and highlight the fact that big city folk have no monopoly on being weird or quirky. The comparison between the movies ends sharply though in that one blankets you gently with unrelenting Midwestern kindness while the other bludgens you to death with the ugliest of ignorance and brutality. In Boy's Don't Cry, actress Hilary Swank believable portrays Teena Brandon, who changes her identity to Brandon Teena and manages to convince her new found friends, including her lover, that she is male. Predictably, she is discovered, and the darkest of all hell breaks loose. Through it all, you see the poignancy of a young woman in what she refers to as a "crisis of sexual identity", while attempting to find love, a sense of self and a sense of home. Movies of this sort, formerly confined primarily to gay movie houses or open-minded neighborhoods of the big coastal cities, seem to be moving more frequently into the mainstream theaters, and are receiving broader critical acclaim. While many notable movie critics have given this movie four stars, I couldn't help but see it as just a "B movie", albeit a quite good one with strong performances from the ensemble of young actors. It is a difficult movie to watch, not only for its brutality, but also for its dark portrait of mundane small town life as well as the stereotypical narrow mindedness that appears all too familiar. (For kids: no; teens: no) **1/2
The King of Masks -- (Chinese, with subtitles) -- Not perhaps everybody's cup of tea, but it certainly was mine. Movies about "street urchin" children emotionally adopted by half-hearted, poverty-stricken and morally-conflicted adults seem to be a big theme from the developing world this year ... ie. Central Station (Brazil) and The Three Seasons (Vietnam). In this movie, set in pre-Communist China, a poor street performer known as the King of Masks has an unbelievable ability to switch masks faster than anyone can see him do it. He makes a meager living with his pet monkey entertaining in the streets, but he has no son to whom he may teach his skills and fears that this special art will be lost forever. He is pleased to find a son, purchased for a few dollars from a child slave trader, until he discovers that the boy is actually a girl. The culture being what it was (and sometimes still is), he trys to reject her. While he manages to find use for her special talents in his act, she also gets him into deep trouble with the law. Although a little slowly paced at times, and a little unbelievable at others, the story line, the acting and the development of cultural and historical context are each too remarkable not to receive my hearty recommendation. (For kids: fast readers only; teens: yes) ***
The Red Violin -- (In Italian, German, French, Chinese and English). This is an epic story of three centuries in the life (so to speak) of a violin and of those who possessed it and were possessed by it. From 17th century Italy, the violin passes through many hands around the world -- to Austria, England, China and elsewhere until it ends up at a contempory auction in Quebec commanding offers in the millions of dollars. The violin carries with it something of a curse that befalls those who possess it. During the viewing of this film, my ratings meter fluctuated to as low as two stars and to as high as four stars. I found the movie to be thoroughly entertaining, though not particularly moving, touching or enlightening. Everything is largely believable except for the curse aspect. The movie is remarkable for its attempt to juxtapose a variety of cultures over such a broad span of time. It is a beautiful film for its scenery, costumes and music, but also a somewhat ugly film for its often less than noble characters. In the end, however, one asks the question, what's the point? If it was merely to entertain and to tell us a story (actually several stories over the centuries), then the movie succeeds brilliantly. But to get my four stars, I need also to be moved, touched and enlightened. (For kids: no; young teens: no; older teens: yes) ***
The Sixth Sense -- This movie is a 1990s Exorist with less gore, more sentiment and cleaned up for the PG crowd. It also has some of the magic of the movie Ghost but without the sense of humor. It takes my award for the season's most unexpected plot twist and the best child actor, Haley Joel Osment, who's likely to be nominated for something. Having said that, I didn't like this movie as much as I hoped I would. Maybe, it's because I saw it after everybody else had seen it, and their raves made me feel left out. Perhaps its because I've long grown out of movies that try to mix paranormal or supernatural special effects with quasi-reality-based plots. The Exorist worked well on me at age 16, and The Sixth Sense worked well on my 15 year old nephew. Both have the vomit (although the latter does it more subtly and, shall I say, more tastefully). Both have the eiry setting in an East Coast city row house (Baltimore and Philadelphia). But although The Sixth Sense may have broad appeal to teenagers and adults alike for it's somewhat more thoughtful handling of communication with the dead (or even with the living), I never feel comfortable deviating very far from reality. That's just the kind of hairpin I am, and it's become a reoccurring theme in my movie reviews. Modern American films rarely attempt to provide an explanation for how a character comes to acquire some special supernatural power, since the public doesn't demand any explanation. In fact, they usually don't want to be bothered with an explanation, convoluted or otherwise. I do! I've tended to avoid Bruce Willis movies since the first time I felt cheated by one of his blockbuster super-hero violence-fests, but he actually does quite a good job in this film as a sensitive guy. The man can act even if he still seems smug when he's acting humble. Now, if he could get his politics right, I might just pay a return visit to his Planet Hollywood. (For kids: a little scary; teens: yes) **1/2
The Straight Story -- As slowly paced as the small town life it depicts, this movie is nevertheless refreshingly real, unpretentious and kind spirited (almost unheard of in movies these days). Based on the true story of Alvin Straight's 1994 journey across Iowa by riding lawnmower, this is a plot that would not seem particularly compelling to the average movie goer. Add David Lynch, the director of such bizarre and quirky shows as Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, Blue Velvet, and all-time wierdest, Eraserhead, and you're bound to raise eyebrows and peak interest from many folks. I guess that directors can be typecast as easily as actors, so it appears that Lynch is trying to show some range by producing a G rated movie (the first I've seen in decades) for Disney Studios. That's not to say he can't find enough interesting quirkiness in the kindness of small town Iowa. Actor Richard Farnsworth does a fine job as stoic, stubborn Alvin Straight. Sissy Spacek, as Straight's mildly retarded daughter, possesses a strangely jerky speech pattern, but puts in as able a performance as audiences have come to expect from her. There is not much to this movie, but think of it as an opportunity to relax and to restore some of the faith you've lost in humanity. It's a picturesque view of America's heartland, and while I'm not giving it a lot of stars, I really did enjoy it. (For kids: maybe, but possibly boring for them; young teens: boring; older teens: maybe) **
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