King is a feast for the eyes, with a compelling
story at its heart
When last we left the hobbits Frodo and Sam, they were heading
to Mordor to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Meanwhile, brothers-in-arms
Aragorn, the elf Legolas, the dwarf Gimli, the wizard Gandalf and hobbits Pippin
and Merry were recovering from battles waged against the armies amassed by the
Dark Lord Sauron. Intent on getting the ring, Sauron has now rounded up an even
more formidable army of Orcs and dragons to make one final strike on the city
of Minas Tirith, where Aragon and his cohorts must make their final stand. Will
Frodo accomplish his mission?
Director Peter Jackson does a masterful job, as he has from the beginning
of this epic, keeping the narrative clear and free of confusion. Though the
evil Lord Saruman is conspicuous in his absence, the director neatly ties up
the plot thread involving the elf Arwen and the sacrifice she makes in order
to be with Aragon, as well as other minor story lines that were left unresolved
in the first two entries.
Much will be made of the visual effects in the film, and rightfully so. The
first two parts of the trilogy showed audiences just what was possible with
computer-generated-effects. King does the same, providing one incredible
sight after another. Glorious stone cities with spires that scrape the heavens,
vast armies in movement over seemingly endless plains and massive battles populated
with tusked mammoths and flying dragons as well as armies numbering in the hundreds
of thousands crowd the screen in a visual extravaganza that never feels overwhelming.
This is a film that truly has to be seen, especially on the big screen, to
be believed. But while the visuals prove to be impressive, it is the story at
the movie’s heart that makes the film truly extraordinary. King is replete
with examples of heroism, loyalty, and friendship, embodying J.R.R. Tolkien’s
themes of fellowship, honor, and the belief that even the smallest creature
can effect great change.
When Harry meets Erica, sparks fly
Burned by love, 50-something Erica Barry (Diane Keaton)
is content to write her Broadway-bound plays at her lovely seaside home, spending
time with her brilliant sister Zoe (Frances McDormand). This is all changes
when her 30-something daughter Marin (Amanda Peet) brings her 60-something boyfriend
Harry (Jack Nicholson) for a visit. Harry then suffers a heart attack while
attempting to make love. His doctor, Julian Mercer (Keanu Reeves), orders Harry
to recuperate at Erica’s home. The twist: Dr. Mercer is completely captivated
by Erica, recognizing her for the beautiful, intelligent woman she is, creating
an interesting dynamic.
Writer/director Nancy Meyers is able to skewer society’s double standard:
That it’s okay for older men to date much-younger women, but not okay when genders
are reversed. Seeing Nicholson portray a character who suddenly finds himself
attracted to an older woman adds to the film’s humor. Nicholson perfectly captures
this man’s confusion as well as his vulnerability in a touching and comic performance
that’s a natural progression from his turn in last year’s About Schmidt.
Keaton was recently named Best Actress of the year by the National Board of
Review for her work here and it’s easy to see why. She runs the gamut, tapping
into Erica’s fear and elation at having rediscovered love so late in life, as
well her heartbreak when her dreams fail to materialize. Few actresses can simultaneously
break your heart and make you laugh, but Keaton pulls it off here, never veering
into parody, always keeping us in touch with her character’s humanity. And she’s
damn sexy too, refusing to hide behind makeup or soft lighting and gloriously
reveling in her natural good looks. Keaton easily shows us what it is Harry
sees in Erica.
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What other critics are saying. . .
Bad Santa [R] Two cons, dressed as Santa and his
elf, work the holidays at malls. They’re not doing it to spread holiday cheer.
“The foulest holiday movie I’ve ever seen — and the funniest.”
(Mark Caro, Chicago
Tribune) ShowPlace West
The Cat in the Hat [PG] The popular Dr. Seuss tale comes to life in
a film starring Mike Myers. “Comes scarily close to being the most unendurable
Hollywood creation of the last dozen years.” (Michael Atkinson, Village Voice)ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Elf [PG] A giant elf (Will Ferrell) wreaks havoc on an elf community
so he’s sent away to find he true identity. “Wan Christmas concoction.” (Ed
Park, Village Voice) Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
Gothika [R] A ghost story, in which a psychiatrist (Halle Berry) wakes
up as a patient with no memory of committing a terrible crime. “Logic is tossed
out the window, chased down the road and abused so roundly that it never comes
back.” (Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer) Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace
East
Haunted Mansion [PG] A ghost teaches a workaholic the importance of
family during a visit to a haunted house.“I know I’ll take some sort
of perverse pleasure in watching Eddie Murphy terrorized by dark spirits.” (Joshua
Tyler, Film Hobbit) ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Honey [PG-13]Honey (Jessica Alba) is a music video choreographer whose mentor demands he sleep with him or be blacklisted. “Showgirls without the flying french fries; Hardball on the dance floor; Flashdance with less grease and elbow.”(Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine) Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
Love Actually [R] Five weeks before Christmas, and love is in the
air for a large cast of characters who converge in London. “A roundly entertaining
romantic comedy, Love Actually is still nearly as cloying as it is funny.”
(Todd McCarthy, Variety) Parkway Pointe
Love Don’t Cost a Thing [PG-13] A high-school loser (Nick Cannon)
wants to be cool, so he hires a cheerleader (Christina Milian) to pose as his
girlfriend. “It’s unclear why a remake of 1987’s Can’t Buy Me Love was
necessary.” (Nicholas Schager, Slant magazine) Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace
East
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World [PG-13]A sailing
tale told against the backdrop of Napoleonic wars. “A rousing high-seas adventure
that sweeps you into another world.” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) Parkway
Pointe, ShowPlace East
The Matrix Revolutions [R]Third and final installment of the
Matrix series.“Conclusively proves that the Wachowskis had little
substantial to add to the premise of the 1999 original.” (Rene Rodriguez, Miami
Herald) ShowPlace West
The Missing [R]A father comes back home to reconcile with his adult daughter in 19th-century New Mexico. “The second good Western of the year comes, surprisingly, from director Ron Howard.” (Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews) ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Mystic River [R] Three childhood friends are reunited after one loses
a daughter. “A haunting, ambitious but ultimately flawed film that treads some
of the same somber moral territory director Clint Eastwood explored in Unforgiven.”
(Jonathan Foreman, New York Post) ShowPlace West
Pieces of April [PG-13] April Burns (Katie Holmes)
is having her family over to her tiny New York City apartment for Thanksgiving
dinner, and things don’t go as expected.”Economically
paced and emotionally satisfying, Pieces of April is a good example of
what small independent movies can do.” (Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger)
Parkway Pointe
Stuck on You [PG-13]The relationship between co-joined twins
Bob (Matt Damon) and Walt (Greg Kinnear) gets tested when Walt convinces them
to move to LA. “There’s a daft sweetness and inclusiveness at work that sustains
the . . . movie long after the notion of attached brothers boxing or quarterbacking
or manning a burger joint’s kitchen fails to stir the chuckle meter.” (Michael
Atkinson, The Village Voice) Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
This article appears in Dec 11-17, 2003.
