Thursday, February 20, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Film shorts

About Schmidt

5 stars. Rated R. 125 minutes. Jack Nicholson is getting better with age. As Warren Schmidt, a newly retired insurance salesman looking back on his life and not liking what he sees, he loses most of his Jackisms to supply a frighteningly real character. Full of great supporting performances, including Dermot Mulroney as a mullet-sporting waterbed salesman, and Kathy Bates as a free-spirited divorcee, the film is both funny and scary. Director Alexander Payne is a maestro of dark comedy, as he proved with Election. Also starring Hope Davis and Howard Hessman.--BG

Adaptation

5 stars. Rated R. 114 minutes. A mind-bender starring Nicolas Cage as twin brothers, Charlie and Donald Kaufman, both screenwriters with entirely different sensibilities. The film, directed by Spike Jonze and written by the actual Charlie Kaufman, is in some ways a true story as Kaufman was supposed to adapt Susan Orlean's book The Orchid Thief for the movies but ran into some creative difficulties. The result is the most unusual take on writer's block and creative hardship since the Coen brothers' Barton Fink. Also stars Meryl Streep as Orlean and Chris Cooper as a toothless orchid poacher. An amazing movie.--BG

Antwone Fisher

3 stars. Rated PG-13. 120 minutes. Denzel Washington, in his directorial debut, tells the true story of Antwone Fisher (an impressive Derek Luke), a naval officer with a bad temper due to a messed up past. While the film feels conventional at times, with all of the protagonist's problems getting solved in miraculous time, the film is a sweetheart of a movie. Washington is able to bring some of the same warmth detectable in his acting to his directing style, and the results are quite charming. Washington also acts the supporting role of Fisher's therapist.--BG

Biker Boyz

1 1/2 stars. Rated PG-13. 110 minutes. Whereas being in a bike gang used to mean being an outlaw on some level, the motorcycle clubs depicted in this film are as rowdy as competing suburban softball leagues. Those expecting a film where they will be immersed in the thrills of the motorcyclist's lifestyle will surely come away disappointed. The motorcycle action is secondary to the melodrama, indifferently filmed by director Reggie Rock Blythewood. Stars Laurence Fishburne, Derek Luke and Kid Rock.--GC

Catch Me If You Can

5 stars. Rated PG-13. 140 minutes. Leonardo Di Caprio is as charming and charismatic as he's ever been as Frank Abagnale Jr., the famous scam artist who bilked millions out of businesses with false checks, impersonating everything from doctors to airline pilots. Steven Spielberg directs a cast that includes Tom Hanks as the man pursuing Abagnale, and Christopher Walken as Abagnale's loyal father. The film is a real find, flamboyant without being hammy, expressive without the melodrama.--MP

Chicago

4 stars. Rated PG-13. 113 minutes. After last year's Moulin Rouge, a film some consider the musical comeback kid of film, this taut, flashy spectacle starring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere should propel that sentiment further. Bob Fosse's musical comes to the big screen packed with 14 song-and-dance numbers that are often brilliantly envisioned. The stars might not be ready for the stage, but their capable voices shine within the constructs of a motion picture. It might be too tidy and slick, but it is never too entertaining.--MP

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

5 stars. Rated R. 113 minutes. Based on Chuck Barris' "unauthorized" biography, this directorial debut from George Clooney is bold, bizarre and hysterically funny. Sam Rockwell stars as Barris who, on top of creating television game shows such as "The Dating Game" and "The Gong Show," claimed to be a CIA assassin. This is a daring choice for a first-time director, and Clooney pulls it off in a major way. Rockwell is a talent to be reckoned with, a phenomenal actor. Also starring Clooney, Julia Roberts and Drew Barrymore.--BG

Daredevil

3 1/2 stars. PG-13. 96 minutes. The producers of this film have managed to avoid sucking while staying true to the story of the blind Marvel comic superhero who kicks ass in Hell's Kitchen. Ben Affleck plays Matt Murdock, compassionate lawyer by day, vengeful vigilante in red leather by night. The film is good, and can sit on the shelf beside Spider-Man without embarrassment. It is also better than the entire Batman series combined, especially that last one with Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl. Also starring Jennifer Garner as the acrobatic Elektra and Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin.-FMC

Darkness Falls

3 stars. Rated PG-13. 75 minutes. A woman wrongfully hanged 150 years ago comes back to haunt the town of Darkness Falls as the Tooth Fairy in this horror film that borrows a bit from the likes of The Blair Witch Project and A Nightmare on Elm Street. It's a good horror movie in that it keeps up the suspense at all times. Perhaps it is somewhat lacking in originality, but if you are looking for a good fright, it will do the trick.--FMC

Deliver Us From Eva

1 1/2 stars. Rated R. 105 minutes. Each character in this generally inoffensive but uninteresting comedy amounts to caricature, without dynamic or depth. The plot, in which a man (L.L. Cool J) is commissioned by three husbands of a group of sisters to distract sister-in-law Eva (Gabrielle Union) from interfering with their marriages, is the stuff of bad sitcoms. The performances are terrible.--MP

Far From Heaven

5 stars. Rated R. 107 minutes. An homage to the four-hankie dramas of the '50s. A wife (Julianne Moore) discovers her husband (Dennis Quaid) is having an affair, and she receives innocent, conversational solace from a black man (Dennis Haysbert). The film addresses subjects that were once too taboo for public discussion. Oscar would be remiss to ignore Moore's performance, and Quaid displays a bold depth missing from much of his previous work.--MP

Final Destination 2

Not reviewed. Rated R. 100 minutes. Characters escape death, only to be singled out for even grislier demises for screwing with death's plan. The key word that seems to be popping up in descriptions of this film is "gory." Ali Larter and Tony Todd return from the first film, with actress A.J. Cook getting a starring role.

Gangs of New York

5 stars. Rated R. 168 minutes. Martin Scorsese directs his best film since Goodfellas with this sprawling epic about the clash of rival gangs in 19th century New York. Daniel Day-Lewis is a marvel as Bill the Butcher, a knife-wielding "Nativist" who has zero tolerance for immigrants. Leonardo Di Caprio is excellent as Amsterdam, a greasy hoodlum seeking revenge for the death of a loved one. The film looks fantastic, and shows that Scorsese remains one of cinema's best directors. Also starring Cameron Diaz and Henry Thomas.--BG

The Guru

2 1/2 stars. Rated R. 94 minutes. A Hindu man (Jim Mistry) travels to America in search of fame, and winds up a sex guru. Heather Graham co-stars as a porn star, sans roller skates this time. The novelty of this film is its portrayal of Hindu people within the context of the American dream, so ethnic jokes blanket the script. The movie owes a lot to My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which sometimes isn't a good thing, being that Wedding was a piece of cinematic Velveeta. Also stars Michael McKean and Marisa Tomei.--MP

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

4 stars. Rated PG.161 minutes. The second filmed adventure of J.K. Rowling's boy wizard is a pure delight. Daniel Radcliffe has come into his own as Harry, as this sequel tells a darker and more interesting story than the first film. Harry returns for a second year at Hogwarts, and evil forces are causing some entertaining trouble. A superior sequel. Also starring Kenneth Branagh and Rupert Grint.--BG

The Hours

5 stars. Rated PG-13. 113 minutes. Three compelling stories set in three different times comprise this staggeringly beautiful adaptation of the Michael Cunningham novel. Nicole Kidman (winner of the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama) is heartbreaking as author Virginia Woolf, with Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep equally brilliant as two women cosmically tied to her writings. While the movie takes place in separate time periods, the direction and editing make the storytelling and time switches seamless. A great piece of filmmaking, and winner of the Golden Globe for best picture (drama).--BG

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

2 stars. PG-13. 116 minutes. Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey make for a decent screen coupling, but the movie around them is confused and corny. A journalist (Hudson) agrees to write a column about trying to scare away a man within 10 days of relationship time. She's unaware that her target male (McConaughey) has made a wager that he can make a woman fall in love with him in the same amount of time. It sounds, and is, stupid, but the stars almost make it work until the screenplay craps out and becomes your average Meg Ryan romance flick. Too bad, because it had a nasty little charm going for it.--BG

Jungle Book 2

Not reviewed. Rated G. 72 minutes. After 30 years, Disney delivers a Jungle Book sequel, complete with all the original animated characters and new versions of original songs such as "Bare Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You." Voices include John Goodman and Haley Joel Osment.

Just Married

2 1/2 stars. Rated PG-13. 94 minutes. While this film about two newlyweds having a nightmarish honeymoon is inconsistent, it does score some big chuckles. Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher rise above some routine material that, nevertheless, does provide some belly laughs, including a bout with a cockroach that had me snorting. The film shifts between sweetness and ugliness a few times too many, and the conclusion is about as predictable as these things can get. Still, Murphy and Kutcher make a decent screen pairing, and that cockroach kicked my ass.--BG

Kangaroo Jack

1 star. Rated PG. 87 minutes. This is a delightful journey into an existential world where the innocence of animals is savagely violated by greed, betrayal and lust. It's a story of nobility, with nature defying all attempts to be corrupted by the hands of man, and the victory of intangible forces over raw human evil. Only kidding, folks, this movie about a CGI kangaroo really blows, and you are advised to skip it (After the Full Metal Critic submitted his opinion, America went on to make this movie No. 1 at the box office on its opening weekend).--FMC

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

5 stars. PG-13. 179 minutes. While this reviewer does have a few "geek" quibbles regarding this continuation of Tolkien's grand adventure, this film still qualifies as the best of the year, and further proof that director Peter Jackson is the right man for the job. Part two is every bit as good as part one, and will leave viewers clamoring for the next and final chapter. Featuring outstanding CGI effects, including an excellent Gollum, this is a terrific cinematic achievement.--GS

Maid in Manhattan

3 stars. PG-13. 105 minutes. Better than your average J-Lo movie, this is yet another Cinderella story delivered with class by the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes and director Wayne Wang. Lopez plays a hotel maid who ends up dating a senatorial candidate (Fiennes) under some dishonest circumstances regarding her identity. Nothing new here, but the film is cute enough to make you and your date smile.--BG

National Security

1 star. Rated PG-13. 90 minutes. Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn play security guards who like to act like cops in ways that are shockingly unfunny. A tired genre film with a racist heart, and very few good laughs. A return to lousy films for Lawrence after his funny concert film, Runteldat, and yet another bad pairing for Zahn and director Dennis Dugan, who worked together on the terrible Saving Silverman. Also stars a white-haired Eric Roberts doing his best Gary Busey.-BG

The Pianist

4 stars. Rated R. 148 minutes. Roman Polanski's latest film, winner of last year's Palm d'Or (Best Picture) at the Cannes Film Festival, is an adaptation of Wladyslaw Szpilman's (played by Adrien Brody) memoirs, the story of a pianist and Holocaust survivor. What gives his story its transcendence is his passion for music. Even in his most malnourished, delirious state, he can still play air piano to some of the more complicated pieces of music ever put to paper. Polanski is a natural to bring this story to the screen, given his own survival of World War II Poland as a child. The film doesn't go into the death camps, but remains focused on Szpilman's singular survival, his dedication to living and his muse.--MP

The Quiet American

3 1/2 stars. Rated R. 118 minutes. A sad movie about a devastating love triangle, with the origins of the Vietnam War as a backdrop. Michael Caine (nominated for an Oscar) is excellent as a British journalist taking refuge from a tedious marriage in Saigon, where he has taken a young lover and smokes lots of opium. A na•ve American (Brendan Fraser) comes to Saigon and threatens to disrupt the journalist's fantasyland. Caine and Fraser deliver excellent performances.--BG

Rabbit-Proof Fence

4 1/2 stars. PG. 94 minutes. Three aboriginal girls escape labor encampment and trek across Australia in a bid to return home, using a rabbit-proof fence as their directional guide. Director Phillip Noyce has cast three amazing young actresses in this true story about a terrible Australian law that lasted into the '70s, in which the government would essentially kidnap "half-white" aboriginal children, train them as domestic servants and incorporate them into white society. Kenneth Branagh is magnificent as a racist, corrupt official. Excellent soundtrack by Peter Gabriel.--BG

The Recruit

4 stars. Rated PG-13. 105 minutes. In a movie about CIA recruits, it's good to have some secrets. Unfortunately, the marketing team for this Al Pacino thriller has chosen to give away many its secrets in the preview trailer. If you should come into contact with the commercial before seeing the film, cover up your ears and eyes and break into song. Colin Ferrell is excellent as a CIA recruit getting put through an increasingly hard test, and Pacino delivers a great performance as a CIA trainer.--FMC

Shanghai Knights

1 1/2 stars. PG-13. 114 minutes. A sequel to the likeable Shanghai Noon, which boasted a fun, cartoon Western setting, the further adventures of Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson prove to be irritating and useless. In search of his father's murderer, Chon Wang (Chan) heads for England with partner Roy (Wilson) in tow. They confront various historical figures such as Queen Victoria and Jack the Ripper, and crash a vehicle into Stonehenge. They also befriend a street urchin by the name of Charlie Chaplin, whose grating accent will make you wish you had no ears. Even Chan's fight scenes are lame.--BG

Two Weeks Notice

2 stars. Rated PG-13. 100 minutes. Sandra Bullock needs to stop. Not stop making movies. She just needs to stop making the same movie over and over again. This time she stars as an attorney who is chief counsel for a spoiled rich land developer (Hugh Grant) who eventually becomes a love interest in pure Sandra Bullock movie style. If you've seen other Bullock films like While You Were Sleeping and Miss Congeniality, you've already seen this movie.--FMC