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(10/05/00 5:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>John Waters has brought us many definitive cult classics such as "Pink Flamingos," "Hairspray" and "Polyester" -- films guaranteed to be extremely campy. While his latest, "Cecil B. DeMented," is unmistakably a John Waters film, it will likely be considered by most as an interesting failure made during the infamous auteur's transitional period.
(10/05/00 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>John Waters has brought us many definitive cult classics such as "Pink Flamingos," "Hairspray" and "Polyester" -- films guaranteed to be extremely campy. While his latest, "Cecil B. DeMented," is unmistakably a John Waters film, it will likely be considered by most as an interesting failure made during the infamous auteur's transitional period.
(10/05/00 3:56am)
The year 2000 so far has truly been a disappointing one for movies. Of course, the triumph of television's "Survivor" in the midst of the summer season doesn't help. Now the television's reality craze has finally come to an end and the Oscar race has officially begun, there are a number of fall films that look just promising enough to renew the faith of moviegoers. Although it's unlikely most of these films will be played in Bloomington thanks to the generally tasteless and always greedy Kerasotes Theatres, these films still give us something to look forward to on the shelves of Classical Film & Music.\n15 FILMS TO WATCH FOR:\nTraffic (Dec. 22)\nSteven Soderbergh is no longer just the best working director in America, he is also now one of the most bankable directors thanks to the runaway success of "Erin Brockovich." Based on a Channel Four miniseries about drug wars, "Traffic" boasts such high-profile stars as Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Don Cheadle and Benicio Del Toro. This one certainly has Oscar bait written all over it.\nDancer in the Dark (Now playing)\nThis "Palme d'Or" and "Best Actress" winner at Cannes Film Festival is unquestionably this fall's most buzz-worthy entry. The controversial musical tragedy, directed by Danish auteur Lars von Trier and starring Bjork, has been generating uniformly extreme love-it-or-hate-it responses from critics and audiences alike. This highly anticipated follow-up to "Breaking the Waves" and "The Idiots" will definitely be the talk among movie buffs this fall.\nCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Dec. 8)\nA crowd-pleaser at Cannes, Toronto and New York film festivals, director Ang Lee of "Sense & Sensibility" and "The Ice Storm" returns to his Taiwanese roots to create this sweeping martial arts epic. Starring Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, the film features the gravity-defying fight sequences orchestrated by choreographer Yuen Wo-Ping of "The Matrix." This is the most high-profile foreign-language entry since "Life is Beautiful."\nYi Yi (Oct. 6)\nWinner of "Best Director" at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Taiwanese director Edward Yang's meditation on three generations of an alienated middle-class family is reportedly so powerful that it drew tears from countless middle-aged men during its screening at Cannes. Despite no initial interest from American distributors, Winstar Cinema finally purchased it prior to its North American premieres at this year's Toronto and New York film festivals.\nState and Main (Dec. 22)\nAfter venturing into period territory with "The Winslow Boy," David Mamet returns to the familiar "Wag the Dog" territory with his latest. A screwball satire about a Hollywood crew invading a quiet New England town, "State and Main" boasts an impressive cast that includes Alec Baldwin, Charles Durning, Patti LuPone, William H. Macy, Sarah Jessica Parker, David Paymer, Rebecca Pidgeon, Julia Stiles and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.\nThe Gift (December)\nA new thriller directed by Sam Raimi and written by "One False Move" and "A Family Thing" team Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson. The film, starring Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes, Greg Kinnear, Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank and Giovanni Ribisi, centers on a psychic whose life and family are jeopardized by her ability to uncover secrets of a small Southern town and solve a murder.\nIn the Mood for Love (November)\nWhile John Woo, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam pretty much have all traded the little artistic integrity they have for a shot at Hollywood, Hong Kong's most off-beat auteur Wong Kar-wai is still making beautiful arthouse fare that is neither appreciated by Hong Kong nor by Hollywood. His latest period romance starring Tony Cheung and Maggie Cheung has scored a North American distribution deal before the film was even completed. Maybe the American audience is finally ready for him. \nRequiem for a Dream (Oct. 6)\nFresh off the visionary "š" and on his way to rescue the fallen Batman franchise for Warner Bros., director Darren Aronofsky takes on Hubert Selby Jr.'s drug-induced novel and creates the American version of "Trainspotting." The Motion Picture Association of America has slapped this film with a kiss-of-death NC-17 rating, while its distributor Artisan Entertainment will release it without alteration. The film, starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans, will definitely be a thrilling ride.\nGirlfight (Now playing)\nA runaway hit and prize-winner at the Sundance Film Festival, Karyn Kusama's gritty drama about a young female boxer's coming of age is already drawing favorable comparisons to other Sundance favorites such as "Hoop Dreams." Watch for Michelle Rodriguez in an Oscar-worthy star-making turn as the film's heroine.\nTwo Family House (Oct. 6)\nRaymond De Felitta's Sundance "Audience Award" winning crowd-pleaser features several cast members from the hit TV series "The Sopranos" including Michael Rispoli, Katherine Narduccyi and Vincent Pastore. The heartwarming comedy focuses on a frustrated crooner who constantly struggles to make ends meet and unexpectedly befriends a fresh-off-the-boat Irish girl (Kelly MacDonald of "Trainspotting").\nVenus Beauty Institute (Oct. 27)\nA small film that goes on to sweep the "Best Picture" prize at this year's Cesar Awards, Tonie Marshall's intimate romantic comedy set in a beauty salon with assorted eccentric customers. The film tells the story of a beautician who looks for love in all the wrong places while struggling not to fall in love with a man who is obviously perfect for her. \nRatcatcher (Oct. 17)\nSet around a working-class Glasgow neighborhood during a 1970s, Lynne Ramsay's first feature tells a coming-of-age tale about a child haunted by the memories of a drowned friend. The film has been described as the British equivalent to François Truffaut's masterpiece "The 400 Blows," while Ramsay has been also compared to legendary British filmmakers such as Mike Leigh and Ken Loach. \nYou Can Count on Me (Nov. 17)\n"Analyze This" screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan's director debut won the "Grand Jury Prize" at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film, which stars Laura Linney and Matthew Broderick, is about a pair of orphaned siblings who have taken very different paths as adults finally reuniting to change each other's lives.\nGeorge Washington (Oct. 27)\nNow that American indie's enfant terrible Harmony Korine has officially graduated into auteurdom, 24-year-old David Gordon Green is quickly filling Korine's vacancy with his stunning debut film. The film, which revolves around a group of neglected Southern kids, is likely to draw many comparison to Korine's classic "Gummo."\nSigns & Wonders (November)\nThree years after his critically acclaimed but little-seen Sundance "Grand Jury Prize" winner "Sunday," director Jonathan Nossiter returns with a complex thriller that stars Stellan Skarsgård and Charlotte Rampling. Despite the fact that Nossiter is American, the film's American backer Fox Searchlight drops out of the film and it becomes an entirely French production. Judging from the strength of "Sunday," this one will be intriguing.\nTHE REST\nNow playing in a theater very far away from you:\n30 Days, Barenaked in America, Beautiful, Best in Show, The Broken Hearts Club -- A Romantic Comedy, Chain of Fools, Crime + Punishment in Suburbia, Double Parked, The Fantasticks, Goya in Bordeaux, Human Resources, Into the Arms of Strangers, Left Luggage, Luminarias, Never Better, On the Run, Paragraph 175, The Price of Air, The Specials, The Tao of Steve, Tigerland, Twilight: Los Angeles, Urbania, Under Suspicion, The Wind Will Carry Us, \nOctober:\nBamboozled, Bootmen, Cyberworld, Digimon: The Movie, Get Carter, Meet the Parents, Mercy Streets, Whispers: An Elephant's Tale (Oct. 6); The Red Stuff (Oct. 11); The Animal Factory, Billy Elliot, Bounce, The Contender, Dr. T and the Women, Followers, Just Looking, Lost Souls, One (Oct. 13); Bedazzled, Just One Time, Pay It Forward, Ring of Fire, A Room for Romeo Brass, The Yards (Oct. 20); Sound and Fury (Oct. 25); Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows, Collectors, The Little Vampire, Loving Jezebel, Lucky Numbers, Stardom, A Time for Drunken Horses (Oct. 27); Boys Life 3, Live Nude Girls Unite!, Me & Isaac Newton, The Personals, Sexy Beast, The Story of O, Too Tired to Die (TBA).\nNovember:\nThe Amati Girls, Charlie's Angels, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Monkeybone, Red Planet, The Weekend (Nov. 3); Suzhou River (Nov. 8); Little Nicky, Maléna, Men of Honor (Nov. 10); Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Lies, Original Sin, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, The 6th Day, What's Cooking? (Nov. 17); 102 Dalmatians, The Trench, Quills, Unbreakable (Nov. 22); Cherry Falls, Dungeons and Dragons, Lockdown, Simon Mágus, Sweet November (TBA).\nDecember:\nHillbrow Kids (Dec. 6); Songcatcher, Vertical Limit (Dec. 8); Chocolat, The Emperor's New Groove, The Family Man, What Women Want (Dec. 15); 13 Days, But Forever in My Mind (Dec. 20); Cast Away, Enemy at the Gates, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000 (Dec. 22); An Everlasting Piece, Finding Forrester, Miss Congeniality, Moulin Rouge, Vatel (Dec. 25); Shadow of a Vampire (Dec. 29); Buying the Cow, The House of Mirth, Kingdom Come, The Million Dollar Hotel, Pollock, Proof of Life, Squelch, The Tailor of Panama (TBA). \nRe-releases:\nThis is Spinal Tap, The Times of Harvey Milk, House of Wax (in 3-D), Two-Lane Blacktop (in release); All About Eve (Oct. 6); Diary of a Chambermaid (Oct. 13); Wonder Boys (Oct. 20); Billy Liar (Nov. 17); A Hard Day's Night (Dec. 1); Miss Sadie Thompson (Dec. 22); The Mystery of Picasso (Dec. 29); 2001: A Space Odyssey (Dec. 31). \nSources: The Associated Press, The Village Voice
(10/05/00 3:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A fairytale-like fable about the happily ever after gone terribly wrong, "Woman on Top" is itself a crowd-pleaser gone somewhat disappointing.
(10/04/00 3:44am)
The year's reality-show craze finally concluded as CBS' "Big Brother" concluded last week. The show was obviously no match to the ratings of "Survivor" and the critical acclaim of "The 1900 House" and "American High." On the other hand, it never sunk to the depth of "Making the Band," "The Real World" and "Road Rules." If ABC renewed "Making the Band" for a second season, you knew that "Big Brother" wasn't doing badly after all. In fact, its season finale managed to beat the ratings of the Olympics telecast. \nMost of the "Big Brother" houseguests are worthy of comparison to "Survivor's" Richard Hatch, such as ex-Panther William Collins, exotic dancer Jean Jordan and Indiana's chain-smoking mom Karen Fowler. But they were voted out early by the same viewers who were complaining about the show being boring. The remaining houseguests, who struggled to put on their best behavior, were blamed for being uninteresting. What does this say about the viewers? Are we so accustomed to WWF violence that we can't tolerate a show that's all talk and no action?\nThe folks on bigbrothersucks.com proved that "Big Brother" could be fascinating if we had spent nearly as much time analyzing, dissecting and obsessing over it as we did for "Survivor." Although the two shows shared similar formats, the Orwellian tension of "Big Brother" should really be appreciated differently from the Machiavellian intrigue of "Survivor." \nWe saw the houseguests plotting to leave the show. We saw the increasingly unstable George "Chicken Man" Boswell, the roofer from Illinois, approach the verge of insanity. \nThe show finally came to a compelling end as Eddie McGee, the tough-talking one-legged New Yorker, emerges from the entrance of the house as the show's top prize winner. The crowd cheered as the host Julie Chen left the audience with the ominous parting words: "They lived. You watched. Good night." \nIt was disturbing how closely "Big Brother" mirrored the comic, paranoid and ultimately unsettling tone of the fictional reality-television drama, "The Truman Show." \nIt's a shame when the human spirit finally triumphs on television, and most people don't care enough to tune in. But whenever there's a cockfight (remember Susan Hawk's "rat vs. snake" rant on "Survivor"?), most people are absolutely captivated. \nFLESH, FLESH AND MORE FLESH\nEx-Menudo member Ricky Martin is showing flesh in the new video to his idiotic new song, "She Bangs." Not only does Martin himself expose skin, the video also shows us plenty of carefully obscured nude extras in the background. Well, sex sells. How else are you going to get anyone to spend hard-earned cash on a brainless Ricky Martin album?\nEx-Take That member Robbie Williams is also showing flesh in his new video, "Rock DJ." The video begins as Williams strips on a platform while numerous female skaters and a female disc jockey look on. Once Williams is buck naked, he begins tearing off his skin, while the various skaters start devouring his flesh. Toward the end of the video, there's only a computer-animated skeleton of Williams dancing on the platform with the DJ. The clip ends with the disclaimer "No Robbies were harmed during the making of this video."\nAbsolutely brilliant.\nThe clip may not be Total Request Live material, but Williams' anti-pop and anti-glamour satire of that sort of video is by far the most imaginative thing on the MTV rotation. Yes, the video is impossible to stomach. But it is also great to see someone making fun of the pop genre's self-glorifying videos in a provocative way without taking pot shots as Blink 182 did with "All the Small Things." Although his popularity is not even close to that of other pop acts, Williams once again proves that he is above it all.
(09/28/00 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A fairytale-like fable about the happily ever after gone terribly wrong, "Woman on Top" is itself a crowd-pleaser gone somewhat disappointing.
(09/21/00 6:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a three year hiatus, multi-platinum group Boyz II Men returns to the music scene with very little fanfare. Certainly, a lot has changed in the last three years. The male vocal groups, now also known as boy bands, are no longer being judged based on their musical abilities as in the heyday of Boyz II Men. Instead, poser groups like the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC are achieving record-breaking album sales.
(09/21/00 6:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Watch out, Jamie Foxx and Canibus -- L.L. Cool J is back with a vengeance.
On his latest album, G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith -- The Greatest of All Time, the multi-talented L.L. returns with his most fierce and clever album in recent memory. Although the album does not necessarily prove he is indeed the greatest of all time, it does prove that L.L. is certainly not to be messed with.
(09/21/00 4:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While the Holocaust is certainly one of the greatest tragedies in history, many cinematic attempts to convey this event have been so shamelessly animated that the entire Holocaust genre has already gone tiresome. Films like "Schindler's List" and "Life is Beautiful" blatantly aim at the viewers' tear glands and reduce a human tragedy to a plot device that manipulates the audience. Most seasoned and sophisticated moviegoers eventually find themselves becoming increasingly suspicious and even disgusted by these filmmakers' attempts.
(09/21/00 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While the Holocaust is certainly one of the greatest tragedies in history, many cinematic attempts to convey this event have been so shamelessly animated that the entire Holocaust genre has already gone tiresome. Films like "Schindler's List" and "Life is Beautiful" blatantly aim at the viewers' tear glands and reduce a human tragedy to a plot device that manipulates the audience. Most seasoned and sophisticated moviegoers eventually find themselves becoming increasingly suspicious and even disgusted by these filmmakers' attempts.
(09/21/00 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a three year hiatus, multi-platinum group Boyz II Men returns to the music scene with very little fanfare. Certainly, a lot has changed in the last three years. The male vocal groups, now also known as boy bands, are no longer being judged based on their musical abilities as in the heyday of Boyz II Men. Instead, poser groups like the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC are achieving record-breaking album sales.
(09/21/00 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Watch out, Jamie Foxx and Canibus -- L.L. Cool J is back with a vengeance.
On his latest album, G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith -- The Greatest of All Time, the multi-talented L.L. returns with his most fierce and clever album in recent memory. Although the album does not necessarily prove he is indeed the greatest of all time, it does prove that L.L. is certainly not to be messed with.
(09/20/00 5:02am)
From Sundance, Cannes, Berlin and Venice to Montreal, Toronto and New York, various films are vying for the attention of distributors and critics. The film festival circuit is not only a battleground for distribution deals, it is also the platform for lesser-known films to begin generating buzz and positioning themselves for Oscar consideration.\nSeveral past Oscar winners -- including "The English Patient," "Pulp Fiction" and "The Piano" -- all did their round in the film festival circuit before garnering Oscar buzz. Last year's Oscar "Best Picture" winner "American Beauty" was strategically submitted by its distributor into the Toronto Film Festival, where it picked up the "People's Choice Award," the festival's top honor.\nOnce again, some of the Oscar-caliber films have already begun to emerge from this year's various film festivals. Notorious Danish auteur Lars von Trier's latest opus, "Dancer in the Dark," seems like the most obvious choice for Oscar buzz this year. The film not only received "Best Picture" and "Best Actress" awards at this year's Cannes Film Festival, it will also open for the New York Film Festival Friday.\n"Sense & Sensibility" director Ang Lee's latest, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," received the "People's Choice Award" at this year's Toronto Film Festival last weekend. The romantic kung-fu epic, which stars Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, features jaw-dropping fight sequences choreographed by Yuen Wo-Ping of "The Matrix." Many critics are predicting this Taiwanese film will break language barriers and become a box-office hit.\nSome of the other Oscar hopefuls emerging from the festival circuit this year include David Mamet's "State and Main," E. Elias Merhige's "Shadow of the Vampire," Karyn Kusama's "Girlfight," Julien Schnabel's "Before Night Falls," Kenneth Lonergan's "You Can Count on Me," David Gordon Green's "George Washington" and Ed Harris' "Pollock." \nThe festival circuit this year also continues to offer a number of excellent films that will not be widely seen in this country because they are foreign language films. Many critics have already hailed Taiwanese director Edward Yang's new film "Yi Yi" as one of the year's best. "The Circle," an Iranian film from the director of 'The White Balloon," has been collecting numerous awards in various festivals. Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai's "In the Mood for Love" has also been the talk of many festivals this year.\nThe festival circuit also boasts many tough-to-stomach films as usual. In the tradition of Catherine Breillat's soft-core "Romance" and Gaspar Noe's unpleasant "I Stand Alone," another obnoxious and controversial French film "Rape Me" ("Baise-Moi") is raising hell in its North American premiere this year at the Toronto Film Festival. Whether they are art or trash, these films continue to provoke exciting discussions among festival-goers.
(09/14/00 11:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fort Wayne auteur Neil LaBute's new film "Nurse Betty" has the most original and ingenious premise since last year's "Being John Malkovich." A modern-day "Wizard of Oz" meets "Don Quixote," "Betty" is an outrageous story in which the borderline between fantasy and reality ceases to exist, as the heroine's sheltered world faces the confrontation between romantic illusions and violent reality. The film itself is as sweet and funny as it is unnerving.
(09/14/00 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fort Wayne auteur Neil LaBute's new film "Nurse Betty" has the most original and ingenious premise since last year's "Being John Malkovich." A modern-day "Wizard of Oz" meets "Don Quixote," "Betty" is an outrageous story in which the borderline between fantasy and reality ceases to exist, as the heroine's sheltered world faces the confrontation between romantic illusions and violent reality. The film itself is as sweet and funny as it is unnerving.
(09/13/00 4:46am)
Editor's note: No, we're not paying esteemed film critic Martin Tsai to write about "Big Brother" in his column. He can write about whatever he so pleases, including yo' mama. We don't encourage libel, though.
(09/06/00 4:27am)
Editor's Note: Martin Tsai, esteemed film critic, only claims to dislike Britney Spears and *NSYNC. But we know his deep, dark secrets. We know about all the posters and photo collages he keeps in his room. We even know what he did last summer.\nWe are constantly being bombarded by popularity contests, both in real life and in the world of media. From award shows to beauty pageants to presidential elections, popularity seems to always outweigh substance for decision-makers in this country. The purpose behind these awards and contests becomes questionable, because the most deserving ones always lose to those who are mediocre enough to be liked by everybody. \nMTV's annual Video Music Awards, which airs 7 p.m. Thursday, is yet another one of these pointless popularity contests. There are a number of visionary music videos produced each year, but very few of them will receive they well-deserved airplay or accolades. \nInstead, we have pranksters like Blink 182 and Eminem. The bon-bon-shaking Ricky Martin and Sisqo are also up for several VMAs. Britney Spears and *NSYNC ' oops, they are nominated again. Destiny's Child's "Say My Name" ' nice color scheme, what else? \nThe awards are not honoring either the best videos or the best musical achievements, so why are they called the Video Music Awards? Are the VMAs basically the same as Teen Choice Awards?\nBlur's "Coffee & TV," which tells a bittersweet journey of a milk carton attempting to locate the missing boy who is pictured on the box, is by far one of the most innovative videos last year. Chemical Brothers' "Let Forever Be," which literally transforms a day in a young woman's life into a colorful kaleidoscope, is also mesmerizing. Brian McKnight's "Back at One" clip tells a powerful love story that will wrench your heart in merely five minutes. Unfortunately, these clips are only up for one award each. \nThe most upsetting omission this year is newcomer Kelis' "Caught Out There," an ingenious clip in which the young singer seeks revenge on her shady boyfriend, sends him to the emergency room before leading countless angry women for an anti-cheater protest. Without special effects and all that glitter, director Hype Williams still manages to captivate the viewers with powerful storytelling.\nThe new 'alliance'\n'Alliance' has become such a dirty word after Richard Hatch uttered it every time he is scheming and plotting on "Survivor." Just when the public is relieved that the evil alliance finally broke up as "Survivor" comes to an end, a new alliance seems to be on the rise. Teresa Boswell, the wife of "Big Brother" house guest George, has allegedly launched a voting block with the folks of Rockford, Ill. \nThis voting block successfully ousted the multiple hair-colored Brittany Petros, the most popular house guest in the "Big Brother" compound. \nAlthough at times Britney can be annoying and childish, she handled the banishment with tremendous grace. Brittany's mother, on the other hand, cried foul in a face-off with Teresa on CBS' "Early Morning Show." The aftermath of Brittany's banishment is as doomed and unsettling as the "Survivor" alliance getting America's sweetheart Colleen Haskell off the island. How can America let the gay-bashing, immigrant-hating "Chicken Man" remain on television? One Eminem is not enough for you?\n'Oz' finishes season with a bang\nAlthough it is not garnering nearly as much buzz as "The Sopranos," HBO's "Oz" is still one of the best programs that television has to offer. The disturbing and brutal prison drama, which just successfully finished its fourth season, never compromises its integrity to please the crowd. Although the brutality is hard to stomach, "Oz" is by far the most amazing and powerful program that is made for television. Through the eyes of a paralyzed inmate, all of the love, hate, fears, insecurities and violence within the Em City prison are all exposed right in front of our eyes. This is a show that's really keeping it real, and it addresses many of the truly urgent issues with our criminal justice system that no other show dares to touch on.\n'Dancer' trailer in theaters\nThe trailer of "Dancer in the Dark," one of the most buzz-worthy films of the season, is currently playing with the film "Saving Grace." "Dancer," which won "Best Picture" and "Best Actress" at this year's Cannes Film Festival, is the new film by Danish auteur Lars von Trier of "Dogme 95" fame. A musical starring Bjork and Catherine Deneuve, "Dancer" completes a trilogy that also consists of the award-winning "Breaking the Waves" and the controversial "The Idiots." Those who appreciate the genius of von Trier won't want to miss this rare opportunity to get a sneak peek of this acclaimed new film. God knows when the Kerasotes chain will actually show this movie in Bloomington. \nThe film will have its North American premiere when it opens for New York Film Festival Sept. 22.
(08/30/00 10:27pm)
Editor's note: This is the first installment of a weekly column that will run Wednesdays. Since Larry King was unavailable for a weekly intellectual critique of culture and cinema, we had to make due with in-house film reviewer and former arts editor Martin Tsai. That's life.\nCan you believe the summer is already over? This has been a less-than-stellar year for summer movies and music. Despite their $100-million-plus box office gross, it's unlikely "Mission: Impossible 2," "X-Men" and "Gladiator" will stand the test of time in our collective memory. And aren't we all sick and tired of Eminem by now? \nThe most memorable event this summer isn't a blockbuster film or a hit song ' it's the national obsession that is "Survivor." \nEven some of those film studies students who used to engage in hardcore debates in auteurism last spring have returned as "Survivor" fanatics in the fall.\nWhy do we love "Survivor" so much? It's the story about the triumphs and downfall of 16 ordinary people like us ' male and female, old and young, smart and dumb, slimy and naive. They not only have to survive nature, they also have to survive each other. It's easy for us to to identify with the castaways who share our values and work ethics. We root for them and live vicariously through them. \n"Survivor" metaphorically reflects on America's cutthroat corporate culture. At first there is healthy competition, then there's a merger. Those who have good work ethics and strong abilities are being eliminated one by one, and the businessman comes out on top. \nNow that "Survivor" is over and the evil fat naked guy Richard is literally rich, what is there for us to look forward to every week? Can we really settle for the bi-weekly banishment of "Big Brother" houseguests until "Survivor: The Australian Outback" comes on? \n"Big Brother" is no "Survivor." Although the show is a big hit around the world, "Big Brother" makes a fatal mistake in this country. If the politicians we elect to run our government are any indication, you can't trust the American public to vote for who get to stay and who get to leave. Those who complain about "Big Brother" being boring only have themselves to blame. \nStill, "Big Brother" is getting more and more interesting as it slowly unfolds. The increasingly subversive mindgames the producer is playing with the houseguests makes great television. Jamie, the beauty queen, is gradually emerging as the "Big Brother" equivalent of Sean, and it's time for us to vote her off the Big Brother house.
(03/23/00 5:00am)
\"Erin Brockovich" is the true story of a struggling single mother without any legal training who discovered water pollution in Hinkley, Calif. She then heralded the townspeople to fight against a large corporation and won the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in the United States, $330 million. Although this would easily be made into another "A Civil Action," the mesmerizing cast, masterful direction and witty script make "Brockovich" extremely absorbing and entertaining. \nGiving undoubtedly the best performance of her career, Julia Roberts stars as the film's feisty, Norma Rae-esque title character. An unemployed former beauty queen with two previous bad marriages and three kids to support, Brockovich hit rock bottom when her car was broadsided by a speeding driver who ran a red light and her burnout lawyer, Ed Marsy, (Albert Finney) lost the case. She subsequently landed a job handling files at Marsy's law firm after numerous unsuccessful job interviews. After stumbling on some health information in a real estate case, Brockovich set out to clear up the confusion. She then persuaded the town's 600-some citizens with her wit, charm and dedication to organize a law suit against Pacific Gas and Electric, the source of the area's pollution.\nDirector Steven Soderbergh, best known for "Sex, Lies and Videotape" and "Out of Sight," once again proves he is one of the best American directors working today. Although Soderbergh has significantly toned down his style for this film, his amazing ability of getting great performances from his actors is fully at work. \nThe much joked-about cleavage of the Brockovich character soon takes a back seat to Roberts' acting. From a helpless single mother to a determined crusader, Roberts is completely winning throughout the film. Her acute comic timing helps to flesh out the wonderfully witty screenplay by Susannah Grant. The supporting actors all deliver earnest performances that help make the film credible. As a lawyer wary of the loopholes of the law, who gradually rediscover a passion for humanity, Finney's subtle performance always rings true. Aaron Eckhart, who plays Brockovich's supportive biker boyfriend, shows a wonderful tender side previously undetected from performances in films such as "In the Company of Men."\n"Erin Brockovich" is the best film Hollywood has offered us so far this year. It is a very commercial star vehicle for Roberts, but is uncompromising and heart-warming. Roberts' star quality never makes anyone doubt for a second this is the true story of the triumph of ordinary people.