AUGUST 3, 2007
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film
Arctic Tale
Caravaggio, in the service of stories about mysteri
ous characters in absurd (often sexually strange)
situations. Detractors, put off by Tsai’s glacial
pacing, tend to run for the exit. I Don’t Want to
Sleep Alone won’t change anybody’s mind. But for
adventurous viewers, this beautifully shot, heartfelt
film about a homeless man and a paralyzed guy,
both being lovingly (and sometimes sexually)
attended by, respectively, a male Bangladeshi guest
worker and the beleaguered daughter of a mean
“boss lady," will surprise and captivate. Opens
Aug. 3 at Living Room Theaters. A
—Gary Morris
Director Sarah Robertson’s film fits perfectly
with the timely discussions about global warming.
Make no mistake—this is not a nice little
children’s documentary. Arctic Tale has two parts,
narrated beautifully by Queen Latifah with
breathtaking cinematography, that realistically
show the hard fight for survival involving a walrus
and her calf and a polar bear and her cub.
Although the film is funny at times and will touch
the viewer’s heart, it uses dramatization in other
parts and hopefully be another wakeup call that
we have to do something to preserve our planet.
Opens Aug. 10. A
—Yvonne P. Behrens
The Real Dirt on FarmebJohn
Becoming Jane
With Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen proved that
even 200 years ago, most first novels are semi-
autobiographical. But director Julian Jarrold has
crafted a film about Austen that’s devoid of the
passions and wit that infuse her novels. Anne A flamboyant farmer struggles to save his soil in
Hathaway (The Devil Wears Prada) mumbles her The Real Dirt on Farmer John.
way through, and James McAvoy as the love inter
est of Becoming Jane is simply unbecoming. C
Brooklyn Rules
—Floyd Slclaver
Michael Corrente’s entertaining movie tells the
story of three friends who grew up in Brooklyn in
The Bourne Ultimatum
the 1980s and how their choices affect each other’s
Matt Damon returns as Jason Bourne, the
lives. Desperately trying to get away from his
moralistic government hit man who only wants to
Scooby-Doo image, Freddie Prinze Jr. does a decent
find out the truth about his past before disappear job as the good guy. Brooklyn Rules has all the clas
ing, but the government that spawned him wants
sic ingredients of a mob movie. Opens Aug. 3 at
him dead before he finds out their secrets. Director
Hollywixxl Theatre. B
Paul Greengrass (United 93) stages an action film
—YPB
that is so visceral and realistic that when punches
are thrown, you might duck. Taut and engaging
I Don't Want to Sleep Alone
from start to finish, this is an extended chase film,
The movies of gay Taiwanese director Tsai
and an excellent chase film at that. A-
Ming-liang tend to inspire one of two reactions.
—Andy Mangels
Fans see visual tableaux worthy of Vermeer and
John Peterson isn’t gay, although you’d never
know it from his effeminate manner and his pen
chant for cross-dressing. Riding a tractor with a
boa wrapped around his neck, he looks more like
a glam rock icon than a organic farmer who plies
his customers with bell peppers and broccoli. This
enjoyable, folksy documentary by Taggart Siegel
follows Peterson from his childhood on a
Midwestern farm to the present, with tales of fam
ily tragedies and financial woes along the way.
The most interesting scenes take place in the late
1960s, when Peterson turned the farm into an
agricultural artist’s colony of sorts. Opens Aug. 10
at Hollywood Theatre; Peterson and Siegel will
answer questions after screenings during opening
weekend. B +
—Stephen Blair
Rescue Dawn
Werner Herzog wrote and directed this movie
version of his 1997 documentary Little Dieter Needs to
Fly about a U.S. soldier (Christian Bale) whose plane
is brought down over Laos during a secret bombing
mission in 1966 and who faces torture and starvation
at a prison camp in the jungle. The movie is about
survival of the body and the mind. Steve Zahn and
Jeremy Davies lead a brilliant supporting cast, and the
cinematography is wonderful, underlined by a beau
tiful score from Klaus Badelt. A-
—YPB
The Simpsons Movie
Stanley Kubrick Retrospective
Throughout the lion’s share of August, the
Northwest Film Center presents a retrospective of
the late, great Stanley Kubrick. As one of America’s
greatest independent film mavericks, he stands in
the company of Orson Welles, Robert Altman and
the British-born Alfred Hitchcock. Whitsell
Auditorium will celebrate his legacy by screening
all 12 of his feature films: famous opuses like
A Clockwork Orange and Dr. Strangelove alongside
early works such as Spartacus and The Killing, made
before Kubrick broke entirely with the studio
system to work as an independent producer. For
a complete schedule visit www.nwfilm.org.
—Tony LeTigre
Walking to Werner
Crazy for Kubrick? Then don’t miss the Northwest Film Center's retrospective featuring these loony fellows: from left, Jack Nicholson in The Shining, Malcolm
McDowell in A Clockwork Orange and Vincent D'Onofrio in Full Metal Jacket.
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Comfortable Atmosphere
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Breakfast an JL unch
Bar snacks: 4-6 and 9 til closing.
WEST o CAFE k
SW 12th & Jefferson Street
weskafepdx.tom S03.227.8189
2338 NE Alberta
8338 N. LoTMBaRÒ
503-247-1066
503-288-8299
www.francispeslaupanf.com
Evening ood weekend pciu <nq ovoiloble Free wifi
Inspired by Werner Herzog’s
walk from Munich to Paris in 1974
to see a dying friend, nontraditional
documentarian Linas Phillips takes
off in the summer of 2005 to walk
1,200 miles from Seattle to Los
Angeles to meet the legendary film
maker in person. Following Phillips'
encounters on the road—inter
spersed with engrossing e-mails and
voicemails from Herzog—will leave
a huge impression on the audience.
What an incredible journey! (Opens
Aug. 4 at Hollywood Theatre. A
—YPB ©
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An experience of Star Wars proportions for
Duff-swilling, Ralphie Wiggum-quoting cult
members occurred July 27. Church of Yellow swung
its doors open and The Simpsons devotees paid for
a meal they’d received at no cost for nearly 20
years. Despite the irrelevance of a review for a film
that fanatics have already seen twice—judging from
record box office reports— The Simpsons Movie
delivered. More than a quadruple-sized episode, it
offered stunning animation without CG pizzazz;
a promise that obscure characters have a moment
of screen time; and more innuendo than your reli
able Sunday pastime. Sequel? A +
—Jaymee R. Cuti
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