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Adaptation
"Do I have an original thought?" When writer Charlie
Kaufman questions his genius, the answer comes back in the
form of a pastiche perfect follow-up to he and fellow original
thinker Spike Jonze' Being John Malkovich. Catherine
Keener plays Boggle!—an apt metaphor for Kaufman and
Jonze' mind game antics.—KMH
Bowling
For Columbine Filmmaker Michael Moore was definitely paying
attention in Mrs. Peterson's Freshman English class. With
this new film, he presents, supports, and restates his thesis:
"People don't kill people. Americans kill people."
And just when you can't take any more (images of 9/11 or Dylan
Klebold and Eric Harris literally hunting down and killing
their classmates at lunchtime), humorist Michael Moore pulls
back and does something funny. My favorite: political and
social commentary that makes you think, and also makes you
laugh.—COD
Catch
Me If You Can runs long. The film's trailer and titles
con you into believing it's a keen comic flick—a nifty
60s biopic of the fumbling FBI and a scam(p) on the lam. At
its core, however, is a melancholy tap dance between father
and son. Still and all—a swell spin across 2 hours and
20.—KMH
Chicago
Bob Fosse's All That Jazz is a rapturous musical feast—Chicago,
written by Bill Condon and directed by Rob Marshall (based
on Fosse's stage version), is the razzmatazz cocktail to swill
beforehand.—KMH
8 Mile
Director Curtis Hanson may have indulged in risky business
hiring Eminem as the imitation of the real Slim Shady's life,
but he sure played it safe with writer Scott Silver's formulaic
script. Eminem acquits himself nicely as an actor, and is
particularly good in the rare moments of humor (check out
he and Mekhi Phifer's rap to the tune of Lynyrd Skynyrd's
"Sweet Home Alabama"). Lacks the idiosyncratic characters
of the fabulous Wonder Boys and the dark complexities
of L.A. Confidential, but you sure can't beat the authenticity
of the slammin' soundtrack.—KMH
Exene:
The Two Exes. X's
John Doe and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'
Viggo Mortensen. Excellent.—KMH
Far
From Heaven Gorgeous costumes, Technicolor-coordinated
with the 1957 sets (Julianne Moore's speckled winter coat
matching the movie theater's granite foyer is a stylish storytelling
touch), illuminate ugly issues that have yet to be resolved.
Many women in this millennium either do not recall, or recognize,
the feminist movement. Ms. has reverted back to Mrs. without
anyone batting a false eyelash. Now that's a real tearjerker.—KMH
Harry
Potter and the Chamber of Secrets The trouble with Harry
Potter isn't Harry at all—it is the action and events
that transpire without enough exposition in a story that,
ironically, is far too long. Dobby, the Jar Jar Binks-ish
character, is an elfish irritant. Moaning Myrtle haunting
the loo and Kenneth Branagh's love affair with himself, however,
are magical fun.—KMH
Lovely
and Amazing is exactly that. In particular, the brief,
yet multi-layered moment between Catherine Keener and heartbreaker
Raven Goodwin. Rife with irony, the scene—set in McDonalds—elegantly
addresses the political and social issues of race in addition
to the beauty myth from which writer/director Nicole Holofcener's
heroines suffer.—KMH
Punch-Drunk
Love The fortuitous arrival of a harmonium symbolizes
exactly what Adam Sandler needs to wrest his emotions away
from the extreme edge of a void and into blissed out balance.
Paul Thomas Anderson
is in the pink with this perfect novella of a film.—KMH
The
Simpsons Never afraid to bite the hand that, mmmm,
feeds it, the longest running primetime animated television
serves up comedy and criticism quicker than Wile E. Coyote's
roadrunner:
Bart:
Networks love reality shows because they don't have pay
writers and actors.
Homer: Stupid writers and actors . . . priced themselves
right out of the business.
In
one episode alone, Homer shops at the "Boob Tubery"
where he purchases a satellite dish—or as Flanders calls
it:
Flanders:
Jim dandy roof candy.
Homer:
Damn your sparkling wordplay.
Damn
every television show (or movie for that matter) that doesn't
have even a fraction of The Simpson's pop culture panache.—KMH
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