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(02/19/03 4:19pm)
Having been a longtime fan of "Daredevil" (especially the issues penned by Frank Miller and Kevin Smith), I had high hopes for its cinematic incarnation. Lo and behold, I emerged from the theater in bittersweet fashion. Much of what's presented is well done, but a lot also sucked bad.\nBen Affleck capably headlines as Matt Murdock/ Daredevil, a blind Hell's Kitchen lawyer by day and pissed-off, costumed crime fighter by night. Daredevil's origin is none-too-different than many of his contemporaries: a tragic childhood event involving the death of his prizefighter father (David Keith) spurs future bouts of vigilantism. Differences come via Murdock's handicap as he was blinded in a mishap involving toxic waste as a teenager, but his remaining senses are dramatically amplified.\n"Daredevil" serves less as a narrative and more as an introduction into the world of "The Man Without Fear." Ol' Hornhead battles crime boss, Wilson Fisk aka the Kingpin (Michael Clarke Duncan), and his chief assassin, Bullseye (Colin Farrell), beds Greek ninja-broad, Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner) and banters with his best buddy and law partner, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson (Jon Favreau). All the while, he's tailed by inquisitive reporter, Ben Urich (Joe Pantoliano), who's suspicious of the uncanny parallels between Murdock and Daredevil. In a film that runs well under two hours, it's a case of sensory overload, too much crammed into too little time.\nThe flick sports a killer cast. Affleck more than fills the utilitarian red leathers of Daredevil. Garner is both sexy and skillful as Elektra, spinning sai and sucking face. Duncan is certainly imposing as the Kingpin, but is also saddled with too little screen time to make a real presence. As far as performances go, the film belongs to Farrell (going full hilt in his Irish brogue) and Favreau as both add humor to the otherwise dark proceedings. Pantoliano and Keith also turn in muted but nonetheless effective work in their small, respective roles. \nAs much as I want to give "Daredevil" a glowing review, I just can't. \nMost, but not all, of the fight sequences are abbreviated, edited and shot poorly. The dialogue and stilted love angle are both corny. Much of the computer graphics are bad (aside from the utterly cool "sonar sense" shots) and the poor alt-rock soundtrack not only irritates, but will also date the film within a few months. While moderately entertaining, here's hoping the inevitable sequel is an improvement.
(02/13/03 5:00am)
"Igby Goes Down" opened to predominantly favorable reviews this past fall. Unfortunately, few of us read anymore, and as such, the film left town within a week or two of its Bloomington debut. "Igby," while pretentious, is a good little flick worth checking out now that it's available on DVD.\nKieran Culkin more than ably headlines the film as its titular character, a rebellious, smart-assed, drug-pushing, prep school flunkey with silver spoon firmly placed in cheek. Life's dealt poor Igby a pretty crappy hand. His mother, Mimi (Susan Sarandon), is a pill-popping shrew. His father, Jason (Bill Pullman), is an institutionalized, broken shell of a man. And his older brother, Oliver (Ryan Phillippe), is a yuppie Republican scumbag, cut from the mold of their oily and infinitely successful godfather, D.H. Baines (Jeff Goldblum). Having just gone AWOL from military school, Igby holes up in the loft of D.H.'s scag-hag mistress, Rachel (Amanda Peet), and her performance artist buddy, Russel (Jared Harris). He spends his days selling dime bags and boning Sookie (Claire Danes), a part-time student and full-time nympho.\nThe decent flick receives decent DVD treatment. The commentary featuring Culkin and writer/director Burr Steers is mildly entertaining. They spend much of the track joking with one another, but things occasionally get bogged down in their overly precious banter. A featurette entitled, "In Search of Igby," seems lazily produced as it's chock full of junket leftovers. The deleted scenes accentuate the darkly comedic streak that runs rampant throughout the film, and as such, are pretty cool. The sound mix is impeccable, especially when showcasing the flick's spectacular soundtrack (featuring the Dandy Warhols, Badly Drawn Boy, Coldplay, Travis and The Beta Band).\n"Igby" succeeds most in its acting. Culkin further reveals himself as a real talent (this following "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys") embracing both the humor and hurt of his difficult role. Sarandon is downright scary, Goldblum is far sleazier and more entertaining here than in his prototypical science dork shtick, Phillippe does admirable work in a rather thankless role and Pullman, after a long off-screen hiatus, is heartbreaking. The film's stumbling blocks come from somewhat stunted pacing and an unnaturally sophisticated script. Steers is obviously trying to emulate Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," but we're all better off just cracking the book.
(02/12/03 6:53pm)
"Igby Goes Down" opened to predominantly favorable reviews this past fall. Unfortunately, few of us read anymore, and as such, the film left town within a week or two of its Bloomington debut. "Igby," while pretentious, is a good little flick worth checking out now that it's available on DVD.\nKieran Culkin more than ably headlines the film as its titular character, a rebellious, smart-assed, drug-pushing, prep school flunkey with silver spoon firmly placed in cheek. Life's dealt poor Igby a pretty crappy hand. His mother, Mimi (Susan Sarandon), is a pill-popping shrew. His father, Jason (Bill Pullman), is an institutionalized, broken shell of a man. And his older brother, Oliver (Ryan Phillippe), is a yuppie Republican scumbag, cut from the mold of their oily and infinitely successful godfather, D.H. Baines (Jeff Goldblum). Having just gone AWOL from military school, Igby holes up in the loft of D.H.'s scag-hag mistress, Rachel (Amanda Peet), and her performance artist buddy, Russel (Jared Harris). He spends his days selling dime bags and boning Sookie (Claire Danes), a part-time student and full-time nympho.\nThe decent flick receives decent DVD treatment. The commentary featuring Culkin and writer/director Burr Steers is mildly entertaining. They spend much of the track joking with one another, but things occasionally get bogged down in their overly precious banter. A featurette entitled, "In Search of Igby," seems lazily produced as it's chock full of junket leftovers. The deleted scenes accentuate the darkly comedic streak that runs rampant throughout the film, and as such, are pretty cool. The sound mix is impeccable, especially when showcasing the flick's spectacular soundtrack (featuring the Dandy Warhols, Badly Drawn Boy, Coldplay, Travis and The Beta Band).\n"Igby" succeeds most in its acting. Culkin further reveals himself as a real talent (this following "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys") embracing both the humor and hurt of his difficult role. Sarandon is downright scary, Goldblum is far sleazier and more entertaining here than in his prototypical science dork shtick, Phillippe does admirable work in a rather thankless role and Pullman, after a long off-screen hiatus, is heartbreaking. The film's stumbling blocks come from somewhat stunted pacing and an unnaturally sophisticated script. Steers is obviously trying to emulate Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," but we're all better off just cracking the book.
(02/06/03 5:00am)
Ben Kweller made one of the best albums of this past year with his solo debut, Sha Sha. Hence, I had no reservations in traveling to Indy's Emerson Theater on Sunday night to see the youthful pop rock prodigy. True to form, Kweller did not disappoint, nor did opening acts The Pieces and Brendan Benson and the Wellfed Boys, albeit to a lesser extent.\nThe Pieces kicked things off in admirable fashion with a solid 45-minute set. I know next to nothing about this trio (research proved unfruitful as they have no website), except that they put on an entertaining show. The group unleashed a string of beautifully harmonized Emo propelled by its bassist's flirtations with back-up vocals, slide guitar licks and Moog fiddling. The fact that she was easy on the eyes also didn't hurt.\nNext came Brendan Benson and the Wellfed Boys - a group of rail thin rockers from Detroit. Benson (touring in support of his critically acclaimed album, Lapalco) and crew played a decent 45-minute set. Within a minute of setting foot on stage, Benson began lambasting Indianapolis, and later mocked his silenced audience with the catchy pop number "You're Quiet." He later relented and repeatedly thanked the audience for its presence, which in turn applauded more often, enraptured by the quintet. The likable "Tiny Spark," "Folk Singer" and "Good to Me" further fostered goodwill.\nAs the evening progressed, the moment we'd all been waiting for finally arrived: Ben Kweller made his grand entrance onto the stage. Ambling drunkenly and smoking a cigarette (which he later flung into the audience, hitting me), the diminutive little dude wasted little time in making with the rock. \nDuring his hour-long set, Kweller played a vast majority of Sha Sha. He also played some new material, which while good is a lot heavier than much of his catalogue, driven by thrashing guitars as opposed to lilting piano parts. Highlights included album-perfect renditions of "Wasted and Ready," "In Other Words," "Harriet's Got a Song" and the Kweller concert staple, "BK Baby," an amusing, acoustic guitar-driven parody of Vanilla Ice.\nThroughout the set, Kweller kept his audience in the palm of his hand. Whether he was turning cartwheels, leaping off the stage, reprimanding a spastic, pudgy, balding middle-aged concertgoer or shrieking through the choruses of "Commerce, TX," this 21-year-old kid was having fun and knew full well how to play a crowd. Kweller may not be as good looking or as smooth as many of his contemporaries, but he is infinitely more talented. I was glad to see him in this smaller venue when I did, because he won't be playing them for long.
(02/06/03 5:00am)
"The Bourne Identity" hit theaters this past summer relatively void of hype, and what little buzz it garnered was mostly negative (i.e. lensing without a completed script and entirely re-shooting the film's climax). Despite the lack of fanfare, "Bourne" opened to mostly favorable reviews and solid business. Rightfully so, as it's the best spy flick of recent years.\nMatt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac secret agent with two bullets lodged in his back, a Swiss bank account number embedded in his thigh and the chopsocky prowess of Bruce Lee. He teams with German bohemian, Marie (Franka Potente of "Run Lola Run" and "Blow"), to drive across Europe and figure out exactly who he is. All the while, the two are tracked by a CIA bigwig (Chris Cooper) and his legion of minions (included amongst them is the ethereally cool British actor Clive Owen). Expertly shot car chases, fisticuffs and gun battles ensue amid moments of nuanced characterization.\nThe DVD isn't quite up to snuff with the film itself. While the transfer and sound mix are top notch, many of the special features are lacking. The deleted scenes and alternate ending were rightfully excised and add nothing to the overall package. A making-of special entitled "The Birth of the Bourne Identity" is pure PR fluff. The only extras of note are a commentary by director Doug Liman (veteran of indie sensations such as "Swingers" and "Go") and the "Extreme Ways" music video by Moby. Liman's commentary is especially good, as he expresses gratitude toward his international cast and crew, discusses his fondness for the source material (the late Robert Ludlum's 1980 novel of the same name) and compares and contrasts the making of independent and studio features.\n"The Bourne Identity" easily eclipses the other spy flicks of 2002 (namely Vin Diesel's disastrous "XXX" and the disappointing Bond entry, "Die Another Day"). Fans of action flicks with half a brain needn't look any further.
(02/06/03 5:00am)
Obviously, Super Bowl Sunday has become less and less about the game at hand, and more about the commercials debuting (long live Terry Tate, Office Linebacker!). For film geeks such as myself, summer movie trailers are the real draw of these proceedings. But much to the chagrin of my dorky brethren and I, most of these interstitials blew worse than an extra in one of R. Kelly's home videos.\nA prime example of this disheartening trend was the preview for Ang Lee's silver screen translation of "The Hulk." I've dug much of Lee's previous work. "Sense and Sensibility" was artsy fartsy, but in a good way. "The Ice Storm" was an ironic slice of dysfunctional '70s era suburbia and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was the personification of kung fu cool.\nSo, this begs the question: What happened to this heap? \nThe Hulk looks like Shrek with a bad case of roid rage, black hair plugs and a pair of purple pants. Other than the presence of Jennifer Connelly, the best I can say for the trailer is that Nick Nolte looked a spot better than he did in his recent mug shot.\nMy next target of ridicule is "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." It's bad enough that James Cameron's been supplanted by Jonathan Mostow (i.e. the hack who helmed the lame Bon Jovi submarine epic, "U571"). But this trailer had a strike against it before a single frame even rolled, due to Arnold Schwarzenneger's immensely lame schilling during pre-game. I know full well that Warren Sapp's a bad dude. I don't need this reiterated via Arnold's broken English. "Ah yes, Wawwen Saaap, he's a T-99 (Sapp's number for those not in the know) Tuhminator. Vewy deadly." \nGive me a break. This obnoxious little publicity ploy was worse for his career than "End of Days," "The 6th Day" and "Collateral Damage" combined. He was deserving of the thrashing Jimmy Kimmel gave him on the debut of his talk show. Worse yet, the trailer showed nothing aside from some goldilocked Norwegian Terminator-bimbo jumping into traffic alongside the utterance, "She'll be back." Whoa, I'm super scared. Unless this broad's going through some sort of robotic menstruation, there's little to fear.\nOther spots failed to impress. High concept comedies "Anger Management" (with Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler) and "Bruce Almighty" (starring Jim Carrey as God), while funny in concept and boasting amusing theatrical trailers were left adrift with neutered promos. The "Bad Boys II" spot failed to implement its strongest selling point: the presence of muscled punk rocker/comedian, Henry Rollins. Bruce Willis' actioneer "Tears of the Sun" actually had a cool trailer, but alas, the title sucks. Based on the moniker alone, one would think this was some sort of pansy chick flick, not a "Die Hard"-esque shoot-'em up. Sadly, one of the best promos was that of "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," but perhaps that's just the lure of seeing Cameron Diaz and Co. dance about in their underoos again. \n"The Matrix" spots were without a doubt the highlight of the evening. Hand to God, I almost pissed myself in sheer awe at least three times within that minute. This, as many overzealous media critics have ballyhooed, will be the year of "The Matrix." Between "The Matrix Reloaded," "The Matrix Revolutions," "Animatrix" (an anime DVD extension to the trilogy) and the multi-platform "Enter the Matrix" video game, we'll have all taken the red pill. The fighting, flying, gunning and driving all look to be natural and immensely cool extensions of the original flick, which is a whole lot more than anyone can say for the rest of this sequelized retread cinema.\nOne final rant: why show a trailer for "Daredevil" now? Sure, the movie looks sweet, but it's opening in a week. The purpose of these ads is to build hype over a prolonged period of time. Why not show a spot for "X2," the eagerly anticipated sequel to "X-Men?" Or better yet, in accordance with the pirate themed Super Bowl, why didn't Disney prance out a promo for its ill-advised "Pirates of the Caribbean" flick? That movie's likely to need all the help it can get.\nIn summation, most of these films will likely both suck and blow. But remember, you can't always judge a flick by its trailer, and besides, I'm a blithering idiot with far too much time and column space on his hands.
(02/05/03 7:20pm)
Obviously, Super Bowl Sunday has become less and less about the game at hand, and more about the commercials debuting (long live Terry Tate, Office Linebacker!). For film geeks such as myself, summer movie trailers are the real draw of these proceedings. But much to the chagrin of my dorky brethren and I, most of these interstitials blew worse than an extra in one of R. Kelly's home videos.\nA prime example of this disheartening trend was the preview for Ang Lee's silver screen translation of "The Hulk." I've dug much of Lee's previous work. "Sense and Sensibility" was artsy fartsy, but in a good way. "The Ice Storm" was an ironic slice of dysfunctional '70s era suburbia and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was the personification of kung fu cool.\nSo, this begs the question: What happened to this heap? \nThe Hulk looks like Shrek with a bad case of roid rage, black hair plugs and a pair of purple pants. Other than the presence of Jennifer Connelly, the best I can say for the trailer is that Nick Nolte looked a spot better than he did in his recent mug shot.\nMy next target of ridicule is "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." It's bad enough that James Cameron's been supplanted by Jonathan Mostow (i.e. the hack who helmed the lame Bon Jovi submarine epic, "U571"). But this trailer had a strike against it before a single frame even rolled, due to Arnold Schwarzenneger's immensely lame schilling during pre-game. I know full well that Warren Sapp's a bad dude. I don't need this reiterated via Arnold's broken English. "Ah yes, Wawwen Saaap, he's a T-99 (Sapp's number for those not in the know) Tuhminator. Vewy deadly." \nGive me a break. This obnoxious little publicity ploy was worse for his career than "End of Days," "The 6th Day" and "Collateral Damage" combined. He was deserving of the thrashing Jimmy Kimmel gave him on the debut of his talk show. Worse yet, the trailer showed nothing aside from some goldilocked Norwegian Terminator-bimbo jumping into traffic alongside the utterance, "She'll be back." Whoa, I'm super scared. Unless this broad's going through some sort of robotic menstruation, there's little to fear.\nOther spots failed to impress. High concept comedies "Anger Management" (with Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler) and "Bruce Almighty" (starring Jim Carrey as God), while funny in concept and boasting amusing theatrical trailers were left adrift with neutered promos. The "Bad Boys II" spot failed to implement its strongest selling point: the presence of muscled punk rocker/comedian, Henry Rollins. Bruce Willis' actioneer "Tears of the Sun" actually had a cool trailer, but alas, the title sucks. Based on the moniker alone, one would think this was some sort of pansy chick flick, not a "Die Hard"-esque shoot-'em up. Sadly, one of the best promos was that of "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," but perhaps that's just the lure of seeing Cameron Diaz and Co. dance about in their underoos again. \n"The Matrix" spots were without a doubt the highlight of the evening. Hand to God, I almost pissed myself in sheer awe at least three times within that minute. This, as many overzealous media critics have ballyhooed, will be the year of "The Matrix." Between "The Matrix Reloaded," "The Matrix Revolutions," "Animatrix" (an anime DVD extension to the trilogy) and the multi-platform "Enter the Matrix" video game, we'll have all taken the red pill. The fighting, flying, gunning and driving all look to be natural and immensely cool extensions of the original flick, which is a whole lot more than anyone can say for the rest of this sequelized retread cinema.\nOne final rant: why show a trailer for "Daredevil" now? Sure, the movie looks sweet, but it's opening in a week. The purpose of these ads is to build hype over a prolonged period of time. Why not show a spot for "X2," the eagerly anticipated sequel to "X-Men?" Or better yet, in accordance with the pirate themed Super Bowl, why didn't Disney prance out a promo for its ill-advised "Pirates of the Caribbean" flick? That movie's likely to need all the help it can get.\nIn summation, most of these films will likely both suck and blow. But remember, you can't always judge a flick by its trailer, and besides, I'm a blithering idiot with far too much time and column space on his hands.
(02/05/03 7:17pm)
"The Bourne Identity" hit theaters this past summer relatively void of hype, and what little buzz it garnered was mostly negative (i.e. lensing without a completed script and entirely re-shooting the film's climax). Despite the lack of fanfare, "Bourne" opened to mostly favorable reviews and solid business. Rightfully so, as it's the best spy flick of recent years.\nMatt Damon stars as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac secret agent with two bullets lodged in his back, a Swiss bank account number embedded in his thigh and the chopsocky prowess of Bruce Lee. He teams with German bohemian, Marie (Franka Potente of "Run Lola Run" and "Blow"), to drive across Europe and figure out exactly who he is. All the while, the two are tracked by a CIA bigwig (Chris Cooper) and his legion of minions (included amongst them is the ethereally cool British actor Clive Owen). Expertly shot car chases, fisticuffs and gun battles ensue amid moments of nuanced characterization.\nThe DVD isn't quite up to snuff with the film itself. While the transfer and sound mix are top notch, many of the special features are lacking. The deleted scenes and alternate ending were rightfully excised and add nothing to the overall package. A making-of special entitled "The Birth of the Bourne Identity" is pure PR fluff. The only extras of note are a commentary by director Doug Liman (veteran of indie sensations such as "Swingers" and "Go") and the "Extreme Ways" music video by Moby. Liman's commentary is especially good, as he expresses gratitude toward his international cast and crew, discusses his fondness for the source material (the late Robert Ludlum's 1980 novel of the same name) and compares and contrasts the making of independent and studio features.\n"The Bourne Identity" easily eclipses the other spy flicks of 2002 (namely Vin Diesel's disastrous "XXX" and the disappointing Bond entry, "Die Another Day"). Fans of action flicks with half a brain needn't look any further.
(02/05/03 7:15pm)
Ben Kweller made one of the best albums of this past year with his solo debut, Sha Sha. Hence, I had no reservations in traveling to Indy's Emerson Theater on Sunday night to see the youthful pop rock prodigy. True to form, Kweller did not disappoint, nor did opening acts The Pieces and Brendan Benson and the Wellfed Boys, albeit to a lesser extent.\nThe Pieces kicked things off in admirable fashion with a solid 45-minute set. I know next to nothing about this trio (research proved unfruitful as they have no website), except that they put on an entertaining show. The group unleashed a string of beautifully harmonized Emo propelled by its bassist's flirtations with back-up vocals, slide guitar licks and Moog fiddling. The fact that she was easy on the eyes also didn't hurt.\nNext came Brendan Benson and the Wellfed Boys - a group of rail thin rockers from Detroit. Benson (touring in support of his critically acclaimed album, Lapalco) and crew played a decent 45-minute set. Within a minute of setting foot on stage, Benson began lambasting Indianapolis, and later mocked his silenced audience with the catchy pop number "You're Quiet." He later relented and repeatedly thanked the audience for its presence, which in turn applauded more often, enraptured by the quintet. The likable "Tiny Spark," "Folk Singer" and "Good to Me" further fostered goodwill.\nAs the evening progressed, the moment we'd all been waiting for finally arrived: Ben Kweller made his grand entrance onto the stage. Ambling drunkenly and smoking a cigarette (which he later flung into the audience, hitting me), the diminutive little dude wasted little time in making with the rock. \nDuring his hour-long set, Kweller played a vast majority of Sha Sha. He also played some new material, which while good is a lot heavier than much of his catalogue, driven by thrashing guitars as opposed to lilting piano parts. Highlights included album-perfect renditions of "Wasted and Ready," "In Other Words," "Harriet's Got a Song" and the Kweller concert staple, "BK Baby," an amusing, acoustic guitar-driven parody of Vanilla Ice.\nThroughout the set, Kweller kept his audience in the palm of his hand. Whether he was turning cartwheels, leaping off the stage, reprimanding a spastic, pudgy, balding middle-aged concertgoer or shrieking through the choruses of "Commerce, TX," this 21-year-old kid was having fun and knew full well how to play a crowd. Kweller may not be as good looking or as smooth as many of his contemporaries, but he is infinitely more talented. I was glad to see him in this smaller venue when I did, because he won't be playing them for long.
(01/30/03 5:00am)
Following their crudely entertaining "American Pie" and awful "Down to Earth," the Weitz Brothers surprise with a solid adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel, "About a Boy." \nNot only did they make the normally stammering British nancy boy, Hugh Grant, likable, they made one of the most touching, funny and subtle films of last year. Many missed "About a Boy," as it was released amid the dual hype juggernauts, "Spider-Man" and "Attack of the Clones," but now that the flick's available on DVD, it's well worth giving a spin.\nGrant stars as Will Lightman, a shallow, horny and jobless cad whose life revolves around accruing really "cool" material possessions, watching cheesy game shows, avoiding responsibility and attempting to get laid. In his latest attempt to scam skirt, Will invents an imaginary son, which makes him all the more attractive to needy/sexy single moms. During one of his liaisons, Will meets Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), an awkward yet good-natured 12-year-old boy with problems at both home and school. Eventually, the two forge an unusual friendship. Will teaches Marcus how to be cool, and in return, Marcus shows Will that it's never too late to grow up. Trite as this sounds, it's not.\nWhile "About a Boy" is an impressive film, the DVD is nothing to write home about. The commentary by Chris and Paul Weitz is informative and occasionally funny, but would have benefited from Grant's presence. The deleted scenes were rightfully excised, adding little aside from a few mildly humorous throwaway lines. The best special features are a pair of music videos by Badly Drawn Boy (who scored the flick). The clips are oddly funny, musically sound and serve as warped extensions to the movie.\n"About a Boy" is worth purchase or rental solely for the film itself. Much of this can be attributed to the soulful work of child actor Hoult and to Grant's hilarious and ultimately charming performance as a lazy lothario. Not quite up to snuff with "High Fidelity" (also based on a Hornby book), but good nonetheless.
(01/29/03 10:29pm)
Following their crudely entertaining "American Pie" and awful "Down to Earth," the Weitz Brothers surprise with a solid adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel, "About a Boy." \nNot only did they make the normally stammering British nancy boy, Hugh Grant, likable, they made one of the most touching, funny and subtle films of last year. Many missed "About a Boy," as it was released amid the dual hype juggernauts, "Spider-Man" and "Attack of the Clones," but now that the flick's available on DVD, it's well worth giving a spin.\nGrant stars as Will Lightman, a shallow, horny and jobless cad whose life revolves around accruing really "cool" material possessions, watching cheesy game shows, avoiding responsibility and attempting to get laid. In his latest attempt to scam skirt, Will invents an imaginary son, which makes him all the more attractive to needy/sexy single moms. During one of his liaisons, Will meets Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), an awkward yet good-natured 12-year-old boy with problems at both home and school. Eventually, the two forge an unusual friendship. Will teaches Marcus how to be cool, and in return, Marcus shows Will that it's never too late to grow up. Trite as this sounds, it's not.\nWhile "About a Boy" is an impressive film, the DVD is nothing to write home about. The commentary by Chris and Paul Weitz is informative and occasionally funny, but would have benefited from Grant's presence. The deleted scenes were rightfully excised, adding little aside from a few mildly humorous throwaway lines. The best special features are a pair of music videos by Badly Drawn Boy (who scored the flick). The clips are oddly funny, musically sound and serve as warped extensions to the movie.\n"About a Boy" is worth purchase or rental solely for the film itself. Much of this can be attributed to the soulful work of child actor Hoult and to Grant's hilarious and ultimately charming performance as a lazy lothario. Not quite up to snuff with "High Fidelity" (also based on a Hornby book), but good nonetheless.
(01/23/03 5:00am)
This past year wound-up being one of the best for cinema in recent memory. Sure, filmgoers had to wade through junk like "Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever," "Men In Black II" and "XXX," but without the bad does one truly have a barometer to measure the good? I think not.\nIn many respects 2002 was reminiscent of 1999, another stellar year in filmmaking when revolutionary works such as "The Matrix," "American Beauty" and "Fight Club" were unleashed upon an unsuspecting public. Unsurprisingly, many of the minds behind these debut and/or breakthrough features (i.e. Alexander Payne, Sam Mendes, David Fincher, Spike Jonze and Paul Thomas Anderson) released their follow-up flicks in 2002 (hence the similarity). And luckily there was nary a sophomore and/or junior slump in the bunch.\nEven the guys who brought pie humping and woodwind masturbation into the mainstream with "American Pie" (also released in '99) managed to make one of the bitter flicks of the year with the surprisingly heartfelt and hilarious, "About a Boy."\nHere is a list of the Top 10 films I managed to catch in 2002. Admittedly, there's many critically lauded and surely worthwhile flicks I've yet to see (i.e. "Frida," "Far From Heaven" and "Antwone Fisher" to name a few), but these films have either failed to hit town yet, just arrived in town and I've been too busy to catch them or they simply didn't interest me (Salma Hayek in a unabrow...no thanks). So without further ado, here's my clichéd, ordered by preference and in all likelihood, later to be amended list.\n1) "Bowling for Columbine" - Michael Moore managed to make the most important film of 2002, documentary or otherwise. It's a film that every U.S. citizen should see regardless of age, sex, race, income or political leanings. This is hands down the most heartbreaking and hilarious film of 2002 and no, it's not just about guns. \n2) "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" - One name summarizes this film's inclusion on the list: Gollum. Forget Jar Jar and Dobby, ol' Sméagol's the real deal so far as computer-animated characters go. Andy Serkis, the voice and face behind Gollum, is deserving of an Oscar. It also didn't hurt that the flick contains some of the best battle sequences ever committed to celluloid.\n3) "Adaptation" - Just as trippy as Jonze and Kaufman's previous collaboration, "Being John Malkovich," only more accomplished. "Adaptation" is the most original film of 2002 and features Nicolas Cage and Chris Cooper in brave, career-best performances. \n4) "Narc" - Certainly a throwback to the '70s heyday of hard-boiled cinematic police yarns (i.e. "The French Connection" and "Serpico"), "Narc" is the best cops-and-crooks flick since "Heat." This second film from writer/director Joe Carnahan (his first being the little-seen cheapie, "Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane"), showcases under-appreciated actors Jason Patrick and Ray Liotta in roles they can really sink their teeth into. The film also boasts the best and most jarring opening sequence of any film in 2002. This is the movie that the overrated "Training Day" wanted to be. \n5 & 6) "Punch-Drunk Love"/ "About Schmidt" - Two films about two sad bastards - one young, one old - both great. Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson play against type and reap the benefits in small, darkly funny flicks from immensely talented writer/directors P.T. Anderson and Alexander Payne. Both works make me look forward to the stars' upcoming collaboration in the presumably lighter, "Anger Management."\n7) "The Rules of Attraction" - Roger Avary's pitch-perfect rendition of Bret Easton Ellis' seemingly unfilmable novel is a revelation. The camera work and editing are top-notch and James Van Der Beek's performance as a soulless, drug-pedaling lothario moves him well away from the "Creek." Lastly, the European Vacation Montage is the most fun three minutes I've spent in a theater all year.\n8-9) "Road to Perdition"/ "Gangs of New York" - Two period epics surrounding the familial battles of Irish toughs, one the dream project of New York's foremost cineaste, Martin Scorsese, the other the second project from British stage director-turned-filmmaker, Sam Mendes ("American Beauty"). Kudos to both Jude Law and Daniel Day-Lewis (in the year's best overall performance) for playing memorably filthy creeps filmgoers loved to hate.\n10) "Y Tu Mamá También" - Bar none the freakiest, sexiest, saddest and simultaneously funniest film I saw last year. It's a Mexican flavored melding of "Catcher and the Rye," "On the Road" and soft-core pornography. Bold and vivacious in ways few films have the stones to be, Alfonso Cuarón's latest is a stunning piece of work. It boggles the mind to think that Warner Bros. is going to unleash this guy on the next "Harry Potter" flick.
(01/23/03 5:00am)
Supergrass, the punky Brit-pop power trio, returns with Life On Other Planets, its fourth album. While not as cheekily fun as its previous albums, nor as sonically diverse as 1999's self-titled album, the new album is still a fun, impressive listen. Life On Other Planets kicks off in high fashion with "Za," a golden pop nugget with a hellacious backbeat and catchy piano riff. The album's greatest asset, "Evening of the Day," is a sad yet infectious lament built around lilting piano and guitar parts, and boasting a Kinks-esque punk chorus line. The heavier "La Song" and the sad, synth-driven "Run" is also impressive. "Funniest Thing" and "Prophet 15" are near misses that just ever so slightly exceed the group's grasp. The only real misstep is "Never Done Nothing Like That Before," which takes the group's pop prowess to annoying proportions. While not the most original album ever produced. Life On Other Planets is still a fun, well-crafted, immensely catchy pop that's well worth a listen.
(01/23/03 5:00am)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell" is one of the best games of the past year. It stands toe-to-toe with, and in some respects even exceeds, other more heavily hyped titles such as "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and "Metroid Prime" in sheer entertainment value. It's also the coolest thing to hit the Xbox since "Halo." In a word, it's awesome.\nGamers assume the identity of NSA agent Sam Fisher. Fisher is part of a top-secret initiative known as the Third Echelon, which implements old school espionage tactics while embracing new technology and fighting techniques. With the assistance of his surveillance team, Fisher's goal is to extract data from hostile territories in hopes of protecting national security. Such is the life of a "Splinter Cell," that of an invisible one-man army, gathering intelligence and fighting many small battles to avert major wars.\nThe game is good, but it requires lots of practice, patience and concentration. It's likely to annoy kids weaned on "Doom" and "GoldenEye 007." Not to take anything away from those classic shoot-'em-ups, but this game is a completely different and better beast. Bullets are used primarily for cameras and lights. Enemies are often ousted via stealthy, hand-to-hand combat. Much of the gamers' time will be spent averting opponents, strategizing an eventual attack and lurking in the shadows.\n"Cell" boasts some of the best graphics on the Xbox or elsewhere. The lighting and character models are top-notch while the animation moves at the smoothest of framerates. The controls are responsive and relatively easy to master and the cool score from The Crystal Method enhances the cinematic feel. If being a bigger, badder "Bond" appeals to you, pick this game up.
(01/22/03 9:05pm)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell" is one of the best games of the past year. It stands toe-to-toe with, and in some respects even exceeds, other more heavily hyped titles such as "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" and "Metroid Prime" in sheer entertainment value. It's also the coolest thing to hit the Xbox since "Halo." In a word, it's awesome.\nGamers assume the identity of NSA agent Sam Fisher. Fisher is part of a top-secret initiative known as the Third Echelon, which implements old school espionage tactics while embracing new technology and fighting techniques. With the assistance of his surveillance team, Fisher's goal is to extract data from hostile territories in hopes of protecting national security. Such is the life of a "Splinter Cell," that of an invisible one-man army, gathering intelligence and fighting many small battles to avert major wars.\nThe game is good, but it requires lots of practice, patience and concentration. It's likely to annoy kids weaned on "Doom" and "GoldenEye 007." Not to take anything away from those classic shoot-'em-ups, but this game is a completely different and better beast. Bullets are used primarily for cameras and lights. Enemies are often ousted via stealthy, hand-to-hand combat. Much of the gamers' time will be spent averting opponents, strategizing an eventual attack and lurking in the shadows.\n"Cell" boasts some of the best graphics on the Xbox or elsewhere. The lighting and character models are top-notch while the animation moves at the smoothest of framerates. The controls are responsive and relatively easy to master and the cool score from The Crystal Method enhances the cinematic feel. If being a bigger, badder "Bond" appeals to you, pick this game up.
(01/22/03 9:02pm)
Supergrass, the punky Brit-pop power trio, returns with Life On Other Planets, its fourth album. While not as cheekily fun as its previous albums, nor as sonically diverse as 1999's self-titled album, the new album is still a fun, impressive listen. Life On Other Planets kicks off in high fashion with "Za," a golden pop nugget with a hellacious backbeat and catchy piano riff. The album's greatest asset, "Evening of the Day," is a sad yet infectious lament built around lilting piano and guitar parts, and boasting a Kinks-esque punk chorus line. The heavier "La Song" and the sad, synth-driven "Run" is also impressive. "Funniest Thing" and "Prophet 15" are near misses that just ever so slightly exceed the group's grasp. The only real misstep is "Never Done Nothing Like That Before," which takes the group's pop prowess to annoying proportions. While not the most original album ever produced. Life On Other Planets is still a fun, well-crafted, immensely catchy pop that's well worth a listen.
(01/22/03 8:52pm)
This past year wound-up being one of the best for cinema in recent memory. Sure, filmgoers had to wade through junk like "Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever," "Men In Black II" and "XXX," but without the bad does one truly have a barometer to measure the good? I think not.\nIn many respects 2002 was reminiscent of 1999, another stellar year in filmmaking when revolutionary works such as "The Matrix," "American Beauty" and "Fight Club" were unleashed upon an unsuspecting public. Unsurprisingly, many of the minds behind these debut and/or breakthrough features (i.e. Alexander Payne, Sam Mendes, David Fincher, Spike Jonze and Paul Thomas Anderson) released their follow-up flicks in 2002 (hence the similarity). And luckily there was nary a sophomore and/or junior slump in the bunch.\nEven the guys who brought pie humping and woodwind masturbation into the mainstream with "American Pie" (also released in '99) managed to make one of the bitter flicks of the year with the surprisingly heartfelt and hilarious, "About a Boy."\nHere is a list of the Top 10 films I managed to catch in 2002. Admittedly, there's many critically lauded and surely worthwhile flicks I've yet to see (i.e. "Frida," "Far From Heaven" and "Antwone Fisher" to name a few), but these films have either failed to hit town yet, just arrived in town and I've been too busy to catch them or they simply didn't interest me (Salma Hayek in a unabrow...no thanks). So without further ado, here's my clichéd, ordered by preference and in all likelihood, later to be amended list.\n1) "Bowling for Columbine" - Michael Moore managed to make the most important film of 2002, documentary or otherwise. It's a film that every U.S. citizen should see regardless of age, sex, race, income or political leanings. This is hands down the most heartbreaking and hilarious film of 2002 and no, it's not just about guns. \n2) "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" - One name summarizes this film's inclusion on the list: Gollum. Forget Jar Jar and Dobby, ol' Sméagol's the real deal so far as computer-animated characters go. Andy Serkis, the voice and face behind Gollum, is deserving of an Oscar. It also didn't hurt that the flick contains some of the best battle sequences ever committed to celluloid.\n3) "Adaptation" - Just as trippy as Jonze and Kaufman's previous collaboration, "Being John Malkovich," only more accomplished. "Adaptation" is the most original film of 2002 and features Nicolas Cage and Chris Cooper in brave, career-best performances. \n4) "Narc" - Certainly a throwback to the '70s heyday of hard-boiled cinematic police yarns (i.e. "The French Connection" and "Serpico"), "Narc" is the best cops-and-crooks flick since "Heat." This second film from writer/director Joe Carnahan (his first being the little-seen cheapie, "Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane"), showcases under-appreciated actors Jason Patrick and Ray Liotta in roles they can really sink their teeth into. The film also boasts the best and most jarring opening sequence of any film in 2002. This is the movie that the overrated "Training Day" wanted to be. \n5 & 6) "Punch-Drunk Love"/ "About Schmidt" - Two films about two sad bastards - one young, one old - both great. Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson play against type and reap the benefits in small, darkly funny flicks from immensely talented writer/directors P.T. Anderson and Alexander Payne. Both works make me look forward to the stars' upcoming collaboration in the presumably lighter, "Anger Management."\n7) "The Rules of Attraction" - Roger Avary's pitch-perfect rendition of Bret Easton Ellis' seemingly unfilmable novel is a revelation. The camera work and editing are top-notch and James Van Der Beek's performance as a soulless, drug-pedaling lothario moves him well away from the "Creek." Lastly, the European Vacation Montage is the most fun three minutes I've spent in a theater all year.\n8-9) "Road to Perdition"/ "Gangs of New York" - Two period epics surrounding the familial battles of Irish toughs, one the dream project of New York's foremost cineaste, Martin Scorsese, the other the second project from British stage director-turned-filmmaker, Sam Mendes ("American Beauty"). Kudos to both Jude Law and Daniel Day-Lewis (in the year's best overall performance) for playing memorably filthy creeps filmgoers loved to hate.\n10) "Y Tu Mamá También" - Bar none the freakiest, sexiest, saddest and simultaneously funniest film I saw last year. It's a Mexican flavored melding of "Catcher and the Rye," "On the Road" and soft-core pornography. Bold and vivacious in ways few films have the stones to be, Alfonso Cuarón's latest is a stunning piece of work. It boggles the mind to think that Warner Bros. is going to unleash this guy on the next "Harry Potter" flick.
(01/22/03 12:47am)
Mike Skinner is the sole member of the critically lauded hip-hop act, the Streets. The lanky Birmingham, England native melds U.K. garage, reggae and beatific faux orchestral strings with his own conversationally sing-song rhyming to a winning effect on his debut, Original Pirate Material. Skinner, only 23-years-old, is a hip-hop scientist and his garage a laboratory. The album personifies youthful exuberance; days getting blasted at the pubs, smoking phat sacks, gorging oneself with junk food and withering away before a Playstation. Though Skinner's rhymes are littered with cockney slang, his themes are universal -- boredom spurs youthful indiscretion. Skinner hits his stride with "The Irony of It All," an argumentative track that manages to one-up Eminem's "Guilty Conscious." Skinner plays both a violent soccer hooligan and a bud-loving engineering student in a biting social satire. Original Pirate Material stands toe-to-toe with the best hip-hop albums of the past year, i.e. the Roots' Phrenology, N.E.R.D.'s In Search Of… and The Eminem Show, and presents Skinner as the most formidable Brit-hop presence since Slick Rick.
(01/22/03 12:29am)
Flicks such as "Clerks," "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy," "Dogma" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" established writer/director Kevin Smith as one of the most important and entertaining independent filmmakers of the '90s.\nSmith's works represent our generation better than any of his contemporaries and as such, he's a natural choice to speak at college campuses. With the newly released DVD, "An Evening with Kevin Smith," five of Smith's "lectures" are encapsulated onto two discs running at 3 hours and 45 minutes. The Q-and-A's took place at Clark University, Cornell University, Kent State University, University of Wyoming and our own beloved IU.\nSmith covers a plethora of topics ranging from his brief stint as Prince's videographer to his stance on God. He also discusses homosexuality, the love and history he shares with "hetero-life mates" Jason Mewes, aka Jay, Ben Affleck and producer Scott Mosier and his first sexual encounter with future wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith (co-star of "JSBSB"). Other topics include his feuds with fellow auteurs Paul Thomas Anderson and Tim Burton and the unnecessary controversy that shrouded his Catholicism comedy "Dogma" ("The flick had a poop monster for chrissakes!"). \nSmith's funniest anecdote comes at the expense of movie producer Jon Peters (a man who broke into showbiz as Barbara Streisand's hairdresser), whom Smith worked with briefly in attempting to adapt "Superman Lives" (i.e. the death and resurrection of Krypton's favorite son) to the silver screen. He openly mocks Peters' ideas of including a polar bear battle, a gay robotic sidekick and giant spiders (later seen in the Peters-produced debacle "Wild Wild West") to hilarious effect.\nObviously, Silent Bob has picked up a thing or two from working with George Carlin and Chris Rock on his last two pictures, as the guy's hilarious as all hell. Honestly, he's as funny if not funnier than most comedians working today and he's doing it all with spontaneity. "An Evening with Kevin Smith" is a must-have for rabid fans of the New Jersey Chronicles or those who saw Smith last fall and dug what they heard.
(01/22/03 12:23am)
I'm pathetic. I'm a loser. I have failed. I am panicked. I've sold out. I am worthless."\nWelcome to the mind of Charlie Kaufman, folks.\nKaufman is the bizarre yet infinitely talented screenwriter du jour. He returns in both words and presence for his second collaboration with "Being John Malkovich" director Spike Jonze in the equally trippy "Adaptation."\nNicolas Cage headlines the flick as both the neurotic, socially inept Charlie and his dim-witted yet sweet natured twin brother, Donald (who shares writing credit despite being fictitious). Charlie is in the midst of adapting Susan Orleans' book, "The Orchid Thief," following his success with "Malkovich." Unfortunately, the book is a nonlinear piece of nonfiction that's entirely unadaptable. Charlie's writer's block is compounded by Donald's recent success with his dunderheaded novice script entitled "The 3" -- a cheesy thriller that he proudly declares as a "battle between motors and horses, like technology versus horse."\n"Adaptation" playfully bounces between present and past -- even going so far as to show the evolution of man. Much of the film is spent with the divergent twins, but viewers are often treated to Orleans' (Meryl Streep) experiences writing the source material concerning a toothless Florida-based flower breeder by the name of John Laroche (Chris Cooper).\nDespite some of its problems (i.e. a somewhat outlandish third act), "Adaptation" is a staggeringly original seriocomic marvel. Cage gives not one but two excellent performances as Charlie and Donald. Streep toys with her pristine image in a risky role that initially embraces and later subverts her onscreen persona, but the real acting champ of the flick is Cooper. His wiry bundle of heartbreak, hilarity, intelligence and scuzzy sex appeal is a revelation. Ron Livingston and Brian Cox also provide ample support in their respective roles as Charlie's horny agent and a foul-mouthed screenwriting guru. \nAs good as the actors are they'd be nowhere without Kaufman's brilliantly innovative and ultimately very personal script or Jonze's deftly comedic and frequently arresting visuals. This adaptation is a true original.
