reviews

A film about sexual obsession. That’s how writer/director Stanley Kubrick described his last film during its ridiculously long production. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, Eyes Wide Shut is not that movie. Instead, it’s a tedious, preposterous story about how men use, misuse, and misunderstand female sexuality. And it’s not even the least bit sexy.

When I dwell on what might have been, I find myself disappointed with Arlington Road. But what’s actually there on the screen is still a cut above the typical summer blockbuster. Insidious and thought-provoking — though not in the way I hoped it would be — Arlington Road is an intriguing film, a cautionary tale for our uneasy times.

For what was American History X, and it’s hard to imagine that Norton didn’t realize how extraordinary his performance was. As Derek Vinyard, a skinhead leader of a white-power organization utterly transformed by a spell in prison, Norton is by turns frightening and heartbreaking, angry and serene.

I knew, however, from the opening credits, that we were in trouble. Something like half a dozen names are listed under Story and Screenplay. This is never a good sign. And sure enough, the movie feels cobbled together, characters are inconsistent, and action set pieces dominate over any attempt at a cohesive or original story.

Is this a good film? I’m not sure. It’s… bizarre. And not entirely in a good way. A romantic comedy about kidnapping with angels as bounty hunters. I bet it sounded just as weird on paper as it looks onscreen. Then again, any movie with Ewan McGregor can’t be all bad.

I saw a stage production of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband on Broadway a few years ago, and it was brilliant. I liked Oliver Parker’s film adaptation even better, for reasons I can sum up in two words: Rupert Everett. And not cuz he’s scrumptious. Or gay.

The Wings of the Dove, based on the Henry James novel, is set in London in 1910 — almost 90 years ago — yet much of what we would consider modern is already in place: Telecommunications, electricity, and the automobile are transforming the way people live. But the old world is still intrudes. One era is ending and another beginning, and the strife between the two threatens to tear two ardent lovers apart.

While as a whole Tarzan doesn’t quite reach the pinnacle of Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King, in one aspect it surpasses both: with the character of Tarzan himself. Tarzan has a much more realistic sensuality to him than any other male Disney character — probably any other human Disney character, period.

I was sort of down on Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery when I reviewed it here way back in November 1997. But it has grown on me in the intervening months to the point where I was eagerly awaiting the sequel. And my anticipation was rewarded nicely by Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

Writer/director Jake Kasdan read my mind. I’ve been thinking about writing about an updated Sherlock Holmes for the 90s for years, and he beat me to it with the witty and wonderfully off-kilter Zero Effect.