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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2002)
nctnhftf 18.2ÛÛ2 44 8 W omen A fabulous cast of buxom French women fill the rural 1950s mansion of Mar cel and Gaby (Catherine Deneuve). But when the beloved (or is he?) patriarch is mur dered, which of the eight resident babes is responsible? Sapphism abounds in director François Ozon’s (Water Drops on Burning Rocks) pastiche of colorful musical scores, dark comedy and back-stabbing accusations. Although Ozon continues his habit of inserting inappropriate material for the genre, anticipating Deneuve getting it on with her gorgeous foil (Fanny Aidant) is worth the price of the ticket. — Lisa Bradshaw Phillippe), JAP girlfriend (Claire Danes) and questionable mentor (Jeff Goldblum). An incred ible debut for writer/director Burr Steers. —Jim Radosta M o o n l i g h t M il e A young woman’s murder leaves her fiancé (Jake Gyllenhaal) in the painful position of help ing her parents (Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon) grieve while beginning the inevitable process of detachment. Unfortunately, the touch ing moments are outnumbered by vague dialogue, awkward silences, unrealistic situations, a tedious realty subplot and a nauseating court room scene. a career after Dawson’s Creek goes off the air in this satire about homy col lege students— including the impossi bly gorgeous lan Somerhalder (Life as a House) as a gay hottie— based on the Bret Easton Ellis novel. Writer/director Roger Avary (Killing Zoe) creatively interlocks all of the characters and isn’t afraid to blend smart dialogue, candid sex and disturbing violence. dud, bottom of the bag only if you’re really hungry good effort, pass the salt -J R <£§> get the big tub o’ com -J R <£%><&> ntmmm, tasty! S e c r e ta r y H eaven R ed D rag o n Heaven is hell. Cate Blanchett certainly looks good as a bald-headed bomber, and her puppy-eyed boytoy Giovanni Ribisi is equally fetching. But they’re trapped in a ponderous movie that tries vainly to inject pathos into its tired tale of lovers on the lam. Blanchett completists and fans of Euro-angst are Heav en’s only hope. — Gary Morris I g b y G oes D o w n A sort of counterculture coming-of-age story about a juvenile delinquent (Kieran Culkin, channeling Robert Downey Jr.) and a bunch of other unique, complex characters who come in and out of his messed-up life: his caustic mother (Susan Sarandon), despicable brother (Ryan The Hannibal Lecter franchise miraculously is redeemed thanks to director Brett Ratner (The Family M an), producer Dino De Laurentiis ( Barbarella ) and a stellar cast, includ ing Ralph Fiennes’ terrifying perform ance as the titular serial killer. Sure, some of the Profiling 101 dialogue seems awfully familiar, but if you con sider this is a prequel, technically all that stuff we learned in The Silence of the Lambs has yet to happen. —JR T h e R ules of A t t r a c t io n Finally— a movie about B/D/S/M that doesn’t play it for comic relief or as a freaky perversion (such as the recent awful queer film festival offering Luster). Maggie Gyllenhaal and the constantly under rated James Spader are Oscar-worthy as a secretary and boss respectively crossing the boundaries of the professional. A s she learns to do it right, he struggles with notions of the immoral. You’ll keep waiting for the film to screw it all up, but it never does. See it. W h it e O l e a n d e r A teen girl (Alison Lohman) enters the ridiculous foster care system after her murderous mom (Michelle Pfeiffer) goes to jail. Surprisingly unsentimental for an Oprah Book Club adapta tion, director Peter Kosminsky’s film is filled with memorable characters and strong perform ances, especially Robin Wright Penn and Renée Zellweger as two flawed guardians. How refreshing to see a chick flick that isn’i polluted by Hollywood fakes like San dra Bullock and Ashley Judd! —JR James Van Der Beek proves he might have Celebrating the Body Erotic ❖ E r o tic A d v e n tu re s f o r t h e Soul ♦> Increase your sexual satisfaction and wake up your erotic body. Discover new realms of pleasure. Experience sexual er energy as playful, sacred, energizing and transformative. U Using massage, movement, meditation and more, explore the connections among body, erotic energy, emotion and spirit — all in a safe and nurturing environment. Learn how to give and receive full-body erotic massage and have the chance to experience full-body orgasm without ejaculation. This is a clothes-off workshop for all men ready to vigorously explore new levels of feeling, both within themselves and within a community of fellow seekers Electric Sct'tool S a tu rd a y A Sunday 503-493-9421 ❖ Bridges Vocal Ensemble Portland's semi-professional gay & lesbian singing group singing hot jazz and other styles of music is looking for a few good men now arranging auditions fo r tenors and basses November 2 - 3 w w w .bodyelectric.org This is your opportunity to shine in a fun environment! Some choral performance experience desirable All ages welcome 503 - 242-1675 bridgesvocalensemble@yahoo.com • http://community.oregonlive.com/cc/bridges
