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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (July 24, 2003)
18 JULY 24, 2003 Bijou Art Cinemas (686-2458) Cinema World 8 (342-6536) Cinemark 17 (746-5202)c Movies 12 (741-1231) BY LOIS WADSWORTH Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) team up to evade the British. Vanity, Betrayal and Jealousy Pirate’s treasure. New Releases on Video Releases subject to change. Available the Tuesday following date of EW publication, sometimes sooner. See archived movie reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com Daredevil: Marvel Comic’s Man Without Fear is directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Stars Ben Affleck as the masked vigilante, Jennifer Graner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Colin Farrell, Joe Pantolliano, Jon Favreau and David Keith. PG-13. I Love You to Death (1990): Lawrence Kasdan directs all-star cast of Kevin Kline, Tracey Ullman, Keanu Reeves, River Phoenix, Joan Plowright, William Hurt in this comedy of errors. Kline plays a woman- izing pizza parlor owner, Ullman is his wife. A tour de force for the actors who get to, well, act. R. Mary Cassatt: A Brush With Independence: Jackson Frost directs this documentary on the American impression- ist painter, Mary Cassatt. Available though Home Vision Entertainment. Quiet American, The: Directed by Phillip Noyce, this adaptation of Graham Greene’s novel is set in 1952 Saigon during the French Indochina War. Michael Caine plays an English journalist; also stars Brendan Fraser. 2002 Academy Award nomination for Caine. Highly recommended. Includes anatomy of a scene, director’s commentary and making-of featurette. R. Online archives. Solaris (2002): George Clooney stars in Steven Soderbergh’s underrated remake of 1972 sci-fi movie by Russian master, Andrei Tarkovsky, about scientists who fall under the spell of a strange planet their craft is orbiting. Costars Natascha McElhone and Jeremy Davies. Highest recommendations. Includes commentary by producer James Cameron and director Steven Soderbergh. Also HBO’s “Solaris: Behind the Planet.” PG- 13. Online archives. Spider: David Cronenberg’s underrated por- trait of a schizophrenic man, played by Ralph Fiennes, who cannot tell apart reality, memory and fantasy. Neither can the view- ers, and it makes for a compelling film expe- rience. Great multi-role performance by Miranda Richardson. With Gabriel Byrnes and Lynn Redgrave. Highest recommenda- tion. Includes director’s commentary, many featurettes. R. Online archives. Till Human Voices Wake Us: Psych profes- sor played by Guy Pearce freaks out on Helen Bonham Carter in Michael Petroni’s ponderous film. Manohla Dargis (LA Times) writes, “memories and metaphors jostle against each other with …escalating force.” Hmm. R. Whole Wide World, The (1996): Marvelous film directed by Dan Ireland stars the versatile and underrated Vincent D’Onofrio, and Renee Zellweger before she made Jerry Maguire. Picture never opened in Eugene. Set in 1930s West Texas, it’s based on the memoirs of Novalyne Price about her relationship with the king of pulp fiction, Robert E. Howard (Conan the Barbarian). DVD includes cast and crew commentary and conversation between director and Zellweger. PG. Next week: Agent Cody Banks; Bright Lights, Big City; Bringing Down the House; Caught; Johnny Be Good; Of Unknown Origins; Omega Man; Soylent Green; The Sure Thing; The Thing from Another World; and What a Girl Wants. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL: Directed by Gore Verbinski. Written by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie, Jay Wolpert. Story by Elliot and Rossio, based on Walt Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Executive producers, Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Bruce Hendricks, Paul Deason. Cinematography, Dariusz Wolski. Production design, Brian Morris. Editors Craig Wood, Stephen Rivkin, Arthur Schmidt. Costumes, Penny Rose. Visual Effects Supervisor, John Knoll. Music by Klaus Badelt. Starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, with Jack Davenport, Jonathan Pryce. Walt Disney Pictures. Buena Vista, 2003. PG-13. 133 minutes. I f you’ve ever wanted to watch Johnny Depp sashay around the deck of a ship in a great pirate’s hat, dangling earrings and 12-league boots, here’s your chance, or at least your first chance. (If the film’s title means what it says, other episodes are planned.) As Captain Jack Sparrow, Depp makes the role of wily pirate his own, with unmistakable tongue-in-cheek impertinences toward authority figures and a compulsive focus on regaining his ship, the Black Pearl. Seems Sparrow’s former first mate, now Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), led a mutiny; marooned Sparrow on a deserted is- land; and took off in his ship. Barbossa and the crew are cursed because of Cortez’ gold, turned into skeletons until it’s all returned. Because they can’t be killed, they’ve become very bad dudes. The other running plot involves Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley); her friend since childhood, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom); her father, the Governor (Jonathan Pryce); and Commodore Norrington (Jack Davenport), who hopes to make her his bride; and a mys- terious gold pirate’s medallion. The myriad characters from the two sto- ries are shuffled like a deck of playing cards in the madcap, action adventure that ensues when Sparrow comes to commandeer the fastest ship in the British fleet, the HMS Interceptor, to pursue the Black Pearl. That he ends up stealing the ship right under the noses of the Brits, with Will Turner as his co- conspirator, is way too complicated to de- scribe here. But you get the idea. This outlandish movie comes closer than many similarly ambitious movies have to being almost as daffy as The Princess Bride, to which most such efforts cannot hold a can- dle. I say closer, because at least some of the elements for success are present in Pirates — the kidnapped princess, the humble lad who loves her, the over-the-top sidekicks who make sure the tension keeps building, and the increasingly difficult obstacles thrown in the hero’s path. But here the violence is overdone a tad. The rule of success for wide-appeal violence is to make it look like it hurts a lot at first, but to not actually murder anyone. Also, I’m not sure the ghost story aspect serves the loose-cannon feel Depp and Rush impart to their char- acters. Do cursed souls really have this much fun? Posing the question seems to require the answer: OK, only in Hollywood. But because these two accomplished scene-steal- ers look like they’re having a grand old time, their shameless enthusiasm spills off the screen into the audi- ence, and hey, we’re having fun, too. In keeping with the welcome trend of giving pretty girls some- thing to do besides stand around and bat their eyelashes at the hero, Pirates gets out of Knightley’s way and lets her rip into plucky girl-pi- rate mode, where she crosses swords with the best among the walking dead and swashbuckles herself into a veritable frenzy of activity. If anyone is underused and abused here, it’s Bloom in the thank- less role of hero. In the early part of the film, he establishes himself as a master swordsman and the maker of fine blades as well as a canny lad with a generous spirit. However, he rarely holds his own when Depp is chewing up the scenery, but then, who could? Bloom is clearly leading man material, but this isn’t his finest hour. In some of the movie stills with Depp, he’s only perfunctorily hold- ing his sword aloft, and as we all know, a halfhearted sword is worse than no sword at all. Now playing at Cinema World and Cinemark, Pirates of the Caribbean is the summer’s great es- cape. Recommended for all the good reasons, it’s a cut above. ew Do cursed souls really have this much fun? CONTINUING: Anger Management: Adam Sandler plays a man who must undergo anger management. His shrink, played by Jack Nicholson, moves in with him. Also stars Marisa Tomei. PG-13. Movies 12. Bad Boys II: Martin Lawrence and Will Smith reunite with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay for another in this sum- mer of sequels. Smith plays Mike Lowrey and Lawrence plays Marcus Burnett, two Miami narcotics detectives assigned to stem the flood of designer ecstasy into Miami. R. Cinemark. Cinema World. Bruce Almighty: Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Aniston star in this tale of a at TV reporter, who has a really bad day, rages against God and receives more than he expected. PG-13. Movies 12. Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle: McG again directs the angels — Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, and ex-angel Demi Moore — to save the government’s witness protection program, from which classified info has been stolen. Written by John August. PG- 13. Cinemark. Online archives. Chicago: Broadway spectacular directed by Rob Marshall stars Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones as killer dames behind bars who compete for tabloid coverage. With Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly and Richard Gere. 2002 Academy Awards for best picture, supporting actress Zeta-Jones, art direction, sound, editing and costumes. PG 13. Movies 12. Online archives. Dumb & Dumberer: Prequel is subtitled world from annihilation once again. John Connor (Nick Stahl), is 18 now, and he’s fight- ing off a female killer cyborg from the future, (Kristanna Loken). R. Cinemark. Online archives.. Twenty-eight Days Later: Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) directs this really scary horror film set in a post-cataclysmic future, where a deadly virus sweeps through earth’s popula- tion in a few weeks, and leaves people in a chronic state of killer rage. Stars Christopher Eccleston, Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Megan Burns and Brendan Gleeson. Beginning this week, another possible ending. R. Cinemark. Two Fast Two Furious: John Singleton directs this sequel action adventure about street racing. Stars Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Cole Hauser, Eva Mendes. PG-13. Movies 12. Whale Rider: Winner of the World Cinema award at Sundance 2003, Niki Caro’s Maori drama about a spunky girl, played by Keisha Castle-Hughes), who decides to show her beloved but authoritarian grandfather that she is able to lead the tribe, despite being a girl. A wonderful, inspiring drama that fea- tures the exquisite New Zealand coast. A don’t-miss movie. PG-13. Bijou. Online archives. X-Men 2: The next link in the evolutionary chain? Directed by Bryan Singer, stars Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden and more, lots more. PG-13. Movies 12. Elliott Marks. Disney Pictures, Buena Vista, 2003 OPENING OR RETURNING: Alex & Emma: Rob Reiner directs Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson in a comedy romance based on a short story by Dostoyevsky. Wilson plays a writer who has to finish a book on deadline or deal with gambling debts to the mob. Hudson is a secretary with ideas about his book. Also stars, Sophie Marceau, Cloris Leachman and David Paymer. PG-13. Movies 12. Archaeology Channel International Film & Video Festival, The: Discover lost civiliza- tions, sunken galleons, buried treasure — even a cave of glowing skulls — and the true tales of modern African bushmen, all here in Eugene as part of the first international archaeological film and video festival to be held in North America. www.archaeologychannel.org for schedule and information. July 17-19, McDonald Theatre. Online archives. Bruce Almighty: Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Aniston star in this tale of a at TV reporter, who has a really bad day, rages against God and receives more than he expected. PG-13. Movies 12. Daddy Day Care: Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin lose their jobs and can’t afford day care for their sons, so they open their own facility. Comedy directed by Steve Carr also stars Anjelica Huston, Steve Zahn and Regina King. PG. Movies 12. Hulk, The: Director Ang Lee’s action-adven- ture adaptation of the Marvel Comics series hits darker notes than the usual superhero comics. Scientist’s (Eric Bana) inner demons change him after a catastrophic experiment. Written by James Schamus, it also stars Jennifer Connelly, Nick Nolte, Josh Lucas and Sam Elliott. PG-13. Movies 12. Ice Age: Chris Wedge directs the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, and Goran Vizjnic in this digitally animated story about a Three-Toed Sloth and a Woolly Mammoth who try to save a human child at the beginning of an Ice Age. Has its moments of humor adults may like, but it’s not all that funny. 2002 Academy Award nomination for animated feature. G. At 10 am on 7/29 only. Movies 12. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life: Second in the franchise again stars Angelina Jolie as action heroine Lara Croft who saves the world, again, from unspeakable evil. Directed by Jan De Bont, also stars Gerard Butler and Noah Taylor. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Nowhere in Africa: Caroline Link’s film fol- lows a family through the transition from Hitler’s Germany in 1938 to colonial Kenya. Based on a best selling autobiographical novel by Stefanie Zweig, it is a tender look at a mar- riage under stress, a child who embraces Africa, and a Kenyan man who looks after them all. Winner of the 2002 Academy Award winner Best Foreign Film. R. Bijou. Seabiscuit: Tobey Maguire plays a talented but not superhuman jockey in the story of the racehorse who became America’s Depression- era success story. Seabiscuit was the original down-and-outer who makes it big. Chris Cooper plays his trainer, Jeff Bridges the busi- nessman-owner. Written and directed by Gary Ross, it’s based on Laura Hillenbrand’s best- selling non-fiction book. Also stars Elizabeth Banks, William H. Macy. Has all the marks of a winning film. PG-13. Cinemark. Spy Kids 3D: Game Over: Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara continue to embrace the family business — spying — but this time the Toymaker (Sylvester Stallone) may be their nemesis. Also stars Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino. Special 3-D viewing glasses required. Written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, who’s on a roll. PG. Cinemark. Cinema World. Films open the Friday following date of E W publication unless otherwise noted. See archived reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com. When Harry Met Lloyd and stars Derek Richardson and Eric Christian Olsen as the 1994 Dumb and Dumber duo in high school. Directed by Troy Miller, with Eugene Levy, Cheri Oteri and Luis Guzmán. PG-13. Movies 12. Finding Nemo: Pixar (Toy Story) presents this computer-animated fantasy of two Clownfish, Marlin and his son Nemo, who get separated in the Great Barrier Reef. Written and directed by Andrew Stanton (A Bug’s Life), with voices by Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, Allison Janney. Very highly recommended. G. Cinema World. Cinemark. Online archives. Holes: Adventures digging holes at Camp Green Lake for Stanley, who comes from a strange family that’s been cursed for genera- tions. Embarrassingly, Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver and Tim Blake Nelson co-star. PG. Movies 12. Online archives. How to Deal: Directed by Clare Kilner. Stars pop singer turned actress Mandy Moore. Laura Sinagra of The Village Voice writes, “Moore’s whinier here than in churchy weepie A Walk to Remember, but playing opposite Trent Ford, who, as her rakish beau, affects a chin-down, three-quarter boffo stare in every shot regardless of circumstance, her spunky resolve still brands like honesty.” PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. Hulk, The: Director Ang Lee’s action-adven- ture adaptation of the Marvel Comics series hits darker notes than the usual superhero comics. Scientist’s (Eric Bana) inner demons change him after a catastrophic experiment. Written by James Schamus, it also stars Jennifer Connelly, Nick Nolte, Josh Lucas and Sam Elliott. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Identity: Ten travelers caught in a rip-snorter of a storm seek refuge at a creepy motel in the desert, and sure enough they begin to die. Directed by James Mangold, stars John Cusack, Ray Liotta and lots of screaming women. R. Movies 12. Italian Job, The: Mark Wahlberg leads a heist that’s double-crossed by one of his crew. Charlize Theron plays a safecracker in this cool revenge movie. Also stars Edward Norton, Mos Def and Donald Sutherland. Highly rec- ommended for its pure entertainment value. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives. Johnny English: When all but one of MI5’s top agents are killed in an explosion, it is left to the inept Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson of Mr. Bean fame) to try and solve who has stolen the crown jewels from the Tower of London. Accompanied by his assistant Bough (Ben Miller), Johnny bungles his way through one scrape after another. Directed by Peter Howett. PG. Cinemark. Cinema World. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Based on the comic book miniseries by Alan Moore. Matthew Tobey in All Movie Guide writes movie “takes place in an alternate universe, where the characters of several literary clas- sics exist in reality.” Directed by Steve Norrington. Stars Sean Connery, Peta Wilson, Shane West, Stuart Townsend, Naseeruddin Shah, and Tony Curran. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde: Reese Witherspoon is back as Elle Woods, Harvard Law, class of 2001, now in DC on behalf of pet animal’s rights. Luke Wilson is still her boyfriend, as is her manicure person, Jennifer Coolidge. Sally Field and Bob Newhart join the cast. Charles Herman- Wurmfeld directs. PG-13. Cinemark. Lizzie McGuire, The Movie: Disney comedy about a girl on a class trip to Italy who is mis- taken for an Italian pop star. Stars Hillary Duff, directed by Jim Fall. PG. Movies 12. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Directed and re-imagined by Peter Jackson, part two of J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy continues. New characters, a surprise return and great battles. Director Peter Jackson’s second mas- terpiece. Very highest recommendations. 2002 Academy Awards for sound editing, visu- al effects. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Pirates of the Caribbean: Non-stop adven- ture directed by Gore Verbinski stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Depp sashays, Rush dissem- bles, Bloom fences and Knightley swashbuck- les - mid-summer’s great escape movie. Recommended especially for Depp and Rush’s over the top performances and the good time had by all. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. See review this issue. Quiet American, The: Directed by Phillip Noyce (Rabbit-Proof Fence), this adaptation of Graham Greene’s novel is set in 1952 Saigon during the French Indochina War. Michael Caine plays an English journalist; also stars Brendan Fraser. 2002 Academy Award nomi- nation for Caine. Underrated, excellent movie. Highly recommended. R. Movies 12. Online archives. Raising Victor Vargas: Peter Sollett’s indie romantic comedy about wannabe players in a Lower East Side neighborhood. Sixteen-year- old Victor (Victor Rasuk) goes for Judy (Judy Marte), but first he has to win her trust. Victor’s grandmother (Altagracia Guzman) doesn’t know what’s happening to the three kids she’s raised. Funny, touching and terrific performances by fresh, new faces. Highly rec- ommended. R. Bijou. Online archives. Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas: DreamWorks animated pirate adventure tale stars the voice of Brad Pitt as Sinbad, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Marina, and Michelle Pfieffer as the goddess of chaos. Joe Fiennes plays Proteus, a rival pirate. Directed by Tim Johnson and Patrick Gilmore. PG. Cinemark. Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines: Jonathan Mostow directs, and Arnold Schwarzenegger comes back to save the
