It must be the webs in my head, but an eagerly awaited motion picture made its home debut last week, yet for the life of me, I can’t recall its title. Maybe it’ll come to me soon; in the meantime. . .
Still one of this year’s best films, Y Tu Mama Tambien (
1/2 out of four) turned a pretty penny on the specialized circuit this past spring and should find itself earning a nod or two from year-end critics’ groups. To tag this Mexican import from director Alfonso Cuaron (A Little Princess) and screenwriter Carlos Cuaron the art-house equivalent of a teen sex comedy would be misleading — Y Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too) has more on its mind than the male orgasm. Ultimately, it begs comparison with Thelma & Louise more than American Pie, exploring the liberation (sexual and otherwise) of its leading characters as well as the mythos and pathos of the landscape they cross while making their life-altering journey. Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna portray two of the most realistic teenagers recently seen in movies, raging bulls of hormonal overdrive who, during one fateful summer, decide to embark on a road trip to the beach. They take off with an “older” (late-20s) woman (Maribel Verdu) at their side, a dental assistant from Spain who’s trying to come to terms with her failed marriage and the dark secret that seems to inspire her increasingly bold actions. Sexually explicit in a manner rarely seen in American titles, yet also mindful of its country’s sociopolitical breakdown, this is a mature drama that snares the viewer with seductive ease. DVD extras include audio commentary by members of the cast and crew, deleted scenes and a making-of feature.
Movies that adopt an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach are often maddening messes, but France’s The Brotherhood of the Wolf () is reminiscent of countless other films yet still manages to retain its own swagger of originality. With a first half that plays like Sleepy Hollow, a second half that begs comparison to From Hell, and elements of Jaws, The Last of the Mohicans, The Company of Wolves and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon scattered throughout, this delirious film covers most bases and makes at least a cursory stab at the few it misses. In 18th century France, a naturist/ philosopher (Samuel Le Bihan) and his Iroquois companion (Mark Dacascos) are sent by the royal court to investigate a series of slayings in the French countryside. The creature responsible is reportedly a monstrous wolf, but as the pair investigates, they discover that several of the locals may know more than they’re admitting. This one’s got it all: martial arts, political intrigue, tender romance, steamy sex scenes, and a snapping, snarling, bloodthirsty beast. DVD extras include deleted scenes and theatrical trailer.
Moving from foreign imports to a remake of a foreign import, Insomnia () turned out to be an unusually brainy summer flick. With its bleak atmosphere, internally driven performances and unsettling ending, the 1997 Norwegian character study Insomnia seemed like just the type of movie whose pedigree would be tainted by a needless American remake. Instead, this new version, directed by Memento‘s Christopher Nolan, is a surprisingly faithful remake of its chilly predecessor. When it does elect to head off in its own direction, it employs changes that still work within the context of the storyline rather than imposing them for the sake of commercialism. Al Pacino, in top form, drops the ham to play Will Dormer, an exhausted LA detective who journeys to Alaska to help investigate the murder of a high school student. Plagued by bad luck that doggedly clings to him like clothes static in a dryer, and wracked by guilt over an unfortunate turn of events, Dormer begins to allow his fatigue to dictate his actions, even to the point of entering into an unorthodox partnership of sorts with the case’s primary suspect (an effective Robin Williams). DVD extras include audio commentary by Nolan, co-star Hilary Swank and other crew members, additional footage, a feature on insomniacs and a making-of documentary.
My spidey-senses still haven’t allowed me to recall November’s big title, so let’s move on to one of the month’s feeblest releases, Enough (). A sleazy exploitation flick disguised as a serious message movie about a nutcase who beats his wife, this stars Jennifer Lopez as a supposedly savvy waitress who ends up meeting and marrying the “perfect man” (Billy Campbell). But in about the time it takes to clip half a fingernail, Hubby turns into a complete monster, an ogre who has affairs with apparently every woman on the continent, beats his wife to a bloody pulp and even gets rough with their helpless daughter (Tessa Allen, cast not so much for her acting ability as for the fact that she’s programmed to draw an “aww” every time the camera zooms in on her tear-streaked little face). The fact that he excuses his beastly behavior by declaring that he’s simply doing what a man’s gotta do is offensive enough, but don’t think this wanna-be feminist empowerment fantasy goes easy on the women, either: Thousands of wives in this country feel trapped in abusive marriages because they don’t have the funds to escape or fight back. But hey, that’s no problem in this movie, not when Lopez manages to track down her estranged father (Fred Ward), a boisterous lout who’s so rich he can personally bankroll his long-lost daughter’s entire revenge plot. It would take too much space and effort to list the countless plot holes littering the movie, but rest assured, there are enough of them to draw comparisons to the Grand Canyon. DVD features include a Jennifer Lopez music video and theatrical trailer.
In the ripe-cheese tradition of Conan the Barbarian, Kull the Conqueror and dozens of grade-Z sword-and-sorcery epics that invariably featured the hammy likes of Jack Palance or Richard Lynch as the sneering villain, we get The Scorpion King (), a made-on-the-run quickie meant to transform the wrestling world’s The Rock into the latest Schwarzenegger model. A prequel to last year’s The Mummy Returns (which was a sequel to 1999’s The Mummy), this relates the back story of the villainous character played by The Rock in that blockbuster’s prologue, showing how he was once a likable anti-hero, a mercenary with a soft spot for kids, camels and comely sorceresses. In this outing, he squares off against a ruthless Russell Crowe wanna-be (Steven Brand). And you also get a shapely co-star (Kelly Hu) who wears just enough clothing to maintain a PG-13 rating; a slumming Oscar nominee (The Green Mile‘s Michael Clarke Duncan) as a fellow fighter; special effects that are often downright laughable (dig those goofy ants); and a monolith of a leading man whose screen presence constantly wages war against his wooden line delivery. Thanks to its awareness of its own limitations, The Scorpion King is watchable enough, but you’ll be satisfied after an hour. DVD features include an alternate version of the film, feature commentaries by The Rock and director Chuck Russell, outtakes and a Godsmack music video.
Ah, now I remember: It was a little picture called Spider-Man (), which despite its low profile managed to earn a buck or two this past summer (hey, there’s even talk of a sequel). In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s based on a popular comic book and stars Tobey Maguire as a nerdy teenager who turns into a wall-crawling, web-swinging superhero after being bitten by a unique arachnid. The picture largely works because director Sam Raimi and scripter David Koepp managed to turn the movie into a successful tightrope act between soap opera and spectacle, retaining the personal elements that made the comic book so popular while providing the requisite big-bang special effects that thankfully never overwhelm the story. Despite the picture’s relative anonymity, the DVD is a two-disc deal packed with countless features. The usual items are included — audio commentary (by Raimi and co-star Kirsten Dunst, among others), making-of features, outtakes, theatrical trailers — along with some added treats, such as “factoids” that pop up during the course of the film (provided the viewer has that option selected) and a comics archive that spotlights important issues from the web-slinger’s 40-year illustrated history as well as his past loves and most infamous enemies. Check the film out at your local video/DVD store; I’m assuming a copy or two should be available for rental.
Must-See DVD:
Beauty and the Beast Last year, Walt Disney Home Entertainment kicked off its Platinum Edition line with the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the most logical choice for a launch considering that was the film that “started it all.” Yet as the movie that largely spearheaded the renewed interest in animation — as well as the only animated movie to ever be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar — it’s a no-brainer that this modern classic from 1991 should be the second picture to be released under this ambitious banner. The two-disc B&B set isn’t quite as exhaustive as its predecessor, but it’s still an eyeful, featuring the original version of the film and also a new take with an additional music sequence (“Human Again”) integrated into the action and the famous “Work-in-Progress” edition that gave stunned moviegoers a taste of the toon future at the 1991 New York Film Festival. Other attractions include behind-the-scenes footage, short features documenting the film’s evolution (covering everything from story development to casting the voice talents), and several games.
This article appears in Nov 6-12, 2002.
