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"Summer
Movies 2002"
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By Mira Harber
Summer
is upon us again and another season of films running the gamut from the
sublime to the ridiculous (which can be a very good thing in the summer!)
Steven Spielberg's newest film, Minority Report, is a totally
wonderful surprise.
An action packed crime thriller on one level, the latest and greatest of
special effects at another level, and a truly fascinating story with multi-layered
characters and difficult moral questions raised (and answered), Minority
Report is an excellent, thought-provoking, at times disturbing and challenging
film.
The time
is 2054 and Tom Cruise plays the upright policeman named John Anderton.
He is supremely adept at a new technology 'Pre-Crime', in which future
murders are predicted and stopped before they happen. The Pre-Cogs who
make these predictions are never (well almost never) wrong, and this immensely
successful program is about to go national. Anderton is supported in his
crime preventing efforts by his superior, Director Burgess (Max Von Sydow).
This
is one movie where the special effects are spectacular, but they exist
to further the story and do so brilliantly. The computer interface that
Anderton uses to interpret future crimes, the high-tech spiders (which
can eye-scan all the occupants of a building in minutes) the cars moving
sideways, vertically/horizontally - are beautifully blended to serve the
story and its characters.
Normally
I'm not all that fond of Steven Spielberg's films (I find them too sentimental
& manipulative) but this time I'm making a big exception. Minority
Report is a classic - don't miss it
Insomnia
is only Christopher Nolan's second film. Last year he directed the brilliant
Memento and his follow-up movie proves that he is an extremely talented
director who will be keeping us mesmerized for years to come. Will Dormer
(Al Pacino) & his partner are two L.A. cops who arrive in Nightmute,
Alaska to investigate a grisly murder. This is the land of the midnight
sun, and poor Will Dormer just cannot get his much needed sleep. He's being
taunted on the phone by the killer, Walter Finch, played a very scary,
and creepily effective Robin Williams, who has been witness to a murder
that Dormer himself may have committed. Who is the hunted and who is the
hunter? The moral
ambiguities in this film,
the complete lack of black and white
characters and situations
make this a fascinating and thrilling modern day film-noir. Funny for a
place where the sun never sets, isn't it? Hillary Swank rounds out the
cast as an idealistic young police officer who idolizes Dormer.
Based on a book by Nick Hornsby (author of the wonderful High Fidelity)
About A Boy is the story of Will (Hugh Grant) a 38 year old bachelor who
does nothing and lives on the royalties an immensely popular Christmas
son written by his father 40 years ago. Will starts dating single mothers
(easier to dump) and even joins SPAT (SinglePartners Alone Together) to
meet women. He even invents a 2 year old son for himself. This is how he
meets young Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), a 10-year-old boy with a single suicidal
mom (Toni Collette). About a Boy is really all about the relationship
that develops between Marcus and Will. Marcus is an absolutely fantastic
young actor. He it totally natural and believable, right down to the horrible
bowl haircut his mum has inflicted on him, feisty and needy at the same
time. Hugh Grant is charming, in a good way, as the lay-about do-nothing
guy who begins to find himself and his way by being the much-needed parent
in Marcus' life. This is a lovely little gem of a movie. Something to think,
cry and laugh about. Another summer treat. I wish I could say the
same about the following movie The Piano Teacher.
The Piano Teacher is the story of Erika Kohut (Isabelle Huppert) a 40-ish,
severe piano professor at the Vienna Conservatory of Music. She is much
admired as a teacher and perfomer and is a stern taskmaster to those students
she takes on as pupils. But, Mme Kohut has a secret life. She is severely
sexually repressed and plays out her frustrated impulses in a variety of
horrifying and deviant ways. She haunts porn shops and watches explicit
videos of oral/anal/missionary sex (unfortunately we get to share in that
experience, yuk). She mutilates her sex organs in the bathroom. She squats
beside a parked car at a porno drive-in and urinates in excitement while
watching the couple inside the car makes love. Are you getting the picture?
Add to this mix an idealistic young student, Walter Klemmer (Benoit Maginal)
who is determined to become the piano teacher's student and lover. He has
no idea about his Mme. Kohut's sado-masochistic fantasies, nor the part
she eventually wants him to play.
The acting
is wonderful in The Piano Teacher - the two lead actors have won various
awards for their efforts, but ultimately I wonder why? Who cares? I left
the theater feeling like I'd been slimed. I understand the point that the
filmmakers were trying to get at, but I just don't care. Why should you?
Don't waste your time.
The Importance
of Being Earnest is based on the play of the same name by Oscar Wilde.
Many people consider it to be one of the funniest and best-written comedies
ever for the stage. There is a superb 1952 version of the film. This movie
unfortunately does not follow in its footsteps. The two male leads, Rupert
Everett (Algernon Moncrieff) and Colin Firth (Jack Worthing) should've
played these parts 15 years ago - they're way too old now to be as silly
as they are in this film. Basically, both men invent a counterpart, named
Ernes who they pretend to be when they want a change of scenery, and some
new excitement in their lives. You know - the sick relative or the naughty
brother - both serve as devices from removing them from their environment
when it suits them. Judi Dench provides some welcome comic relief as the
daunting Lady Bracknell and Reese Witherspon does a very credible job as
Cecily , Jack's young ward. What's the problem? Tampering with
the play, inserting scenes, moving lines about, adding - well that's the
problem - none of these changes comes anywhere near to improving the original.
Leave well enough alone I say, and rent the 1952 version of the film on
video.
The Bourne
Identity is the typical summer fare. Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is a hired
assassin who has lost his memory and is found floating in the ocean with
two bullet wounds and a Swiss bank account embedded in his back. He's out
to find out who he is, why he has 6 passports, speaks all these languages
and why is everyone trying to kill him? The requisite girl in the
film is played by Franka Potente (from Run Lola Run). There is a great
chase scene through Paris and the European sites that we see are really
beautiful. If you want an exciting travelogue, disguised as a spy-thriller,
The Bourne Identity is for you!!
Last
but not least is the quintessential summer movie Men In Black ll. This
sequel is totally silly, great special effects and basically a re-tread
of the first film. There is a sexy new villain played by Lara Flynn Boyle
and the truly inspired pairing of Tommy Lee Jones andWill Smith as Jay
and Kay continue to delight. This is summerentertainment at it's silly
best. Enjoy. |
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