Quirky little road movies are a dime a dozen; this one works so well because the quirkiness is so freshly realized, the writing so sharp and inventive, and the actors mostly right on target. Brothers Owen and Luke Wilson are screen naturals and I was especially fond of the luminous Lumi Cavazos (bringing depth and intelligence to a fairly standard love interest role) and the sweet natured Donny Caicedo(bringing subtle humor and a big heart to another role that could have been a throwaway); actors who deserve to be seen again.
Reviews
16 Reviews
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(1999)
Wake me when it's over
23 May 1999
If you've never seen "A Midsummer Night's Dream," this is probably as good an introduction as any.But it's a bit heavy-handed, not particularly funny, and downright ponderous at times. Rupert Everett and Michelle Pfeiffer are most successful and seem to be having a terrific time as the king and queen of fairies; elsewhere the likes of John Sessions, Max Wright, Sam Rockwell, Roger Rees and Gregory Jbara make the most of their limited screen time. The lovers are a bit bland (and a miscast Calista Flockhart would have made a much better "Hermia") and Stanley Tucci is..uh..puckish (if nothing else) as "Puck" but the real disaster is the "Bottom" of Kevin Kline. It would appear to be the perfect match, but it is a wearisome, uninventive performance. This is supposed to be FUN!
Spanking the Monkey
(1994)
Pushing the envelope
20 April 1999
Mother and son get a wee bit too close one summer in this rather timidly told incest tale. The subject matter is of course, incendiary, but the filmmakers essentially let the audience off the hook, by skirting around the central theme. Doesn't amount to much.
The River Wild
(1994)
Streep sinks
20 April 1999
Not even the estimable Meryl Streep can save this waterlogged "thriller," sort of a cross between "Deliverance" and..oh..I don't know.."Up the Creek." Kevin Bacon is not exactly threatening as Ms. Streep's number one nemesis, and David Strathairn makes no impression at all.
Pulp Fiction
(1994)
Best of the B's
20 April 1999
John Travolta got all the press, but it's Samuel Jackson who provides the snap, crackle & pop; he is unforgettable as a pontificating hitman.Tarantino borrows and/or steals from everyone and everything, be it Hong Kong or blaxploitation, but he does it well; this is one glossy, good looking, smartly written 'B' movie. Amanda Plummer, Uma Thurman and Harvey Keitel, among others, provide great support; only Bruce Willis (as usual) drops the proverbial ball. But even he's not enough to sink this terrific picture.
Ed Wood
(1994)
A "ten" for the man from "Plan Nine"
20 April 1999
Tremendously good natured and affectionate look at the life and times of Ed Wood, arguably the best loved bad film director of all time. Johnny Depp is a revelation as the cockeyed optimist Wood; Martin Landau is heartbreakingly good as Bela Lugosi and Bill Murray is sublime (and worthy of sharing Landau's best supporting actor Oscar) as Bunny Breckinridge. Tim Burton's best and most fully realized film, shot in glorious black and white.
Threesome
(1994)
Earnest, with no camp
19 April 1999
Timid tale of a love triangle between a just-beginning-to figure-out-I'm-gay guy, a straight woman and a slightly ambiguous straight man. It's all a bit too genteel for my taste, but it's nice to see a gay character (played sweetly by Josh Charles) presented without the standard stereotypes.
She was better off on the island
19 April 1999
If your idea of a good time is watching sweet little Dawn Wells ('Mary Ann' from "Gilligan's Island") bloody and battered and crawling through the woods for a good 45 minutes, then this is the movie for you. Beyond that, there is nothing to recommend about this sleazily filmed, tawdry little tale.
Beyond Therapy
(1987)
Beyond comprehension
15 April 1999
Whoever thought of bringing Christopher Durang and Robert Altman together has never mixed oil with water. Never have two artists been more obviously mismatched. Altman creates dark little moody set pieces, and moves at his own leisurely (and idiosyncratic) pace; Durang's fast little funny script practically begs for a crackling speed-thru, and this movie goes on forever. Still, if you're not familiar with Durang or if you can watch this without any preconceived notions, there are some very funny moments, and Christopher Guest, as always, is priceless.
The Last of Sheila
(1973)
The best of its kind
15 April 1999
Terrifically entertaining little popcorn movie, a "whodunnit" where it's actually possible for the alert viewer to figure out who did it! Cleverly concocted by writing collaborators Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins, this film benefits from a jolly good ensemble cast, especially James Coburn, James Mason and Dyan Cannon. One caveat: Raquel Welch may be pretty as a picture but she is way out of her league amongst these scene-stealing pros.
Female on the Beach
(1955)
Soap on the sand
11 April 1999
Tawdry little melodrama with the always frightening Joan Crawford as a..um.."femme fatale" who fears her sexy lover (Jeff Chandler) might not be all he claims to be. The always dependable Natalie Schafer and Cecil Kellaway bring a little bit of class to this mildly entertaining pice of trash.
Batman Returns
(1992)
But nobody cares.
10 April 1999
This one is so bloated and heavy-handed that one would think this was a Joel Schumacher opus, rather than a Tim Burton film; his heart just doesn't seem to be in it. Danny DeVito does nothing with the "Penguin" (calling Burgess Meredith!), Michael Keaton is truly ponderous as "Batman"(Adam West is looking mighty fine..)and Christopher Walken makes absolutely no impression as the dastardly "Max Shreck." Only Michelle Pfeiffer scores as "Catwoman"; her "meow" is almost worth the price of a rental. Almost.
Where the Boys Are
(1960)
Not necessarily a good place to be
10 April 1999
It may look like another boys & girls on the beach movie, but there's a bit more happening here than in your average Frankie & Annette beach frolic. There IS a message here, no matter how clumsily delivered, about the way men (or boys) use women and how some women, no matter how strong, feel somehow incomplete without a man. Any man. What makes this all a bit easier to digest is a cast of four really sharp actresses who bring enough baggage (emotional, that is) to provide layers to this film that the screenwriter may never have imagined. The vastly underrated Paula Prentiss, Yvette Mimieux, Connie Francis and especially Dolores Hart are all accomplished actresses. It's all a bit corny, but extremely appealing.
Central Station
(1998)
Life is beautiful. Again.
9 April 1999
This could almost be a companion piece to "Life is Beautiful," although this is a darker, more somber piece. The bond that develops between the character played by Fernanda Montenegro and young Vinicius de Oliveira is so moving, I was brought to tears. Montenegro gives a towering, haunting, unsentimental performance and de Oliveira, making his film debut, more than holds his own. Stunning.
The Impostors
(1998)
Tucci triumphs!
9 April 1999
An almost entirely successful throwback to the screwball comedies of yesteryear; Stanley Tucci has assembled a sterling cast of clowns who seem to be having a ball; Tucci, Oliver Platt, Matt McGrath, Dana Ivey, the priceless Allison Janney and a host of others create a splendid ensemble. Would love to see them all work together again and again and again. It's also a treat to see a big screen comedy without a mean streak in its body. A fun ride.
Smoke Signals
(1998)
One more road movie; nothing new under the sun..
9 April 1999
Overly earnest, overly obvious, but beautifully performed tale that does offer the viewer a chance to peek into a world that is not often seen on the big screen. Early scenes on the reservation have a nice rhythm, but the story deteriorates once our protagonists hit the road; we've seen this all before. Terrific performances by Gary Farmer, Tantoo Cardinal and especially Evan Adams as "Thomas-builds-the-fire."
Tell Your Friends