Seabiscuit
The story of champion racehorse Seabiscuit and the three men who shaped
his destiny sounds like the worst sort of Hollywood hokum. Tragedies affect
all of the characters and seem designed to pull at our heartstrings.
Yet the story behind the Laura Hillenbrand best-seller and this fine adaptation
by director Gary Ross is true. Struggling to recover from the Great Depression,
people embraced Seabiscuit, a short, discarded horse that walked with a limp
and was too lazy and temperamental to be a champion. Like many Americans, the
horse only needed a chance to prove himself. As Seabiscuit began to register
one improbable victory after another, his Cinderella story gave hope to those
who were feeling down-and-out. Seabiscuit became such a star he was named the
biggest newsmaker of 1938, beating out FDR and Hitler.
Three scarred men were responsible for saving Seabiscuit from the glue factory.
Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) made a fortune in the automobile industry, but
a tragedy left him distant and impersonal. Horse trainer Tom Smith (Chris Cooper)
was an old timer who struggled to find meaning in an ever more industrialized
world. And young Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) never had an opportunity to realize
his dreams. He supported himself with odd jobs and came upon success only by
racing horses on dangerous tracks.
Each performer rises to the occasion and provides some of the finest acting
of the year. Ross does a magnificent job capturing the era. While cynical viewers
might say the director overstates the horse’s metaphorical significance, there’s
an undeniable power to this tale. Americans love to believe in underdogs, hard-earned
success, and the possibility of redemption always around the corner. Ross’s
use of visual shorthand to suggest the inner thoughts of the characters is also
effective and keeps the film moving at a brisk pace.
Sticklers will note that the film streamlines Hillenbrand’s boook. Pollard’s
struggles to maintain his weight and his love affair with a nurse are given
little attention, as is Smith’s war with the press. Seabiscuit’s long rise to
fame is also condensed. But Ross and his fine cast economize and make the story
work. (CK)
(Running time 2:20, rated PG-13)
Grade A
Parkway Pointe
Whale Rider
Twelve-year-old Pai has problems that may, at first,
seem unique compared to those of American preteens. Though the young member
of New Zealand’s Maori tribe might not be worried about whether her first crush
will return her affection or if she’s fitting in with the hip clique at school,
she still strives for that universal, elusive validation most tweens desire–to
be accepted for who she is.
Niki Caro’s magnificent new film Whale Rider is based on the novel
by Witi Ihimaera about the livings conditions of the once fierce Maori tribe.
The chieftain of the tribe, Koro (Rawiri Paratene), longs to maintain tribal
traditions. However, when his grandson and daughter-in-law die in childbirth
and his own son, Porourangi (Cliff Curtis), turns his back on him, he’s left
with few options. Still, his obstinacy prevents him from acknowledging the treasure
that survived these tragedies–Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), the twin sister of
the stillborn infant. The young girl grows up to be inquisitive and eager to
please, embracing the Maori ways. Yet Koro’s overlooks Pai as the best candidate
to keep the Maori traditions alive, picking instead one of her peers to assume
his mantle.
Stealing almost every scene she’s in, Keisha Castle-Hughes gives a performance
that’s alive with genuine heartache, pain, and conversely, the joy of life.
This young lady is a major find, lighting up the screen whenever she appears.
The film closes with one of the most emotionally satisfying climaxes of the
year. It plays against our expectations, as much of the film also does, and
refuses to take the easy way out. (CK)
(Running time 1:45, rated PG-13)
Grade A
White Oaks
Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: The
Cradle of Life
Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
(forthwith called Tomb Raider 2 for the sake of brevity and my own sanity)
is the best film adapted from a video game that has ever been made. The irony
is that I also used that phrase to describe the original Tomb Raider,
which I loathed. “Confusing,” “boring,” and “soulless” are only a few adjectives
I sprinkled into my review. And truth be told, I wasn’t expecting anything better
from the sequel.
The key to its success is its star, Angelina Jolie, whose lippy, hippy curves
come squeezed into as many skintight scuba suits and knee-high boots as the
costume department can provide. She’s forming an indelible physical presence
few, if any, contemporary actresses can match. More importantly, Jolie is a
very good actress. She can project a cool confidence in even the most outlandish
situations and recite potentially laugh-inducing dialogue with enough wit to
pull it off. That can’t be as easy as it sounds when you’re portraying an English
aristocrat fighting African tree monsters while hunting for Pandora’s Box. But
Jolie does it in sophisticated style with a pitch-perfect accent to boot.
The plot is standard video-game stuff and is even structured as several “missions.”
Evil scientist Jonathan Reiss (Ciaran Hinds), who creates biological weapons
for terrorists, has stolen an orb which reveals the location of Pandora’s mythical
box, potentially a weapon “more powerful than you can imagine.” Beating feet
to get there first is pony-tailed Lady Lara Croft (Jolie), hired by Her Majesty’s
Secret Service whose guide is Terry Sheridan, a former lover, mercenary, and
traitor. Bouncing her way from Greece to Shanghai to Hong Kong to the peaks
of Kilimanjaro, Croft rarely loses her cool, facing danger with the automatics
pasted to her hips and the sensual snarl on her pneumatic lips. Jolie’s performance
is not unlike Sean Connery’s early turns as James Bond. She mixes suspense with
a touch of class typically lacking in action heroes.
Dean Georgaris’ screenplay is lazy, but the performers are good enough to
make the coincidences work. I’m a sucker for old-fashioned pulp adventures set
in exotic locations, and Georgaris’ glowing orbs, mysterious forces from outer
space, and treasure-filled Greek tombs are joys to behold. Unfortunately director
Jan de Bont (Speed) films too many close-ups to appease the audience
who will one day watch Tomb Raider 2 on TNT. This plays especially poorly
during the film’s climax.
De Bont’s editing keeps the pace moving at a rapid clip and thankfully eschews
trendy MTV-style pyrotechnics. Hollywood’s reliance on digital effects causes
Jolie to unconvincingly bop a shark in the nose and crash a speeding aircraft
into a Chinese lake, yet de Bont’s most breathtaking action sequence is a daring
skyscraper rooftop escape performed by actual stunt doubles. Action filmmakers,
take note. (MM)
(Running time 1:56, rated PG-13)
Grade B
Parkway Pointe, Showplace
What other critics are saying . . .
Edited
by Imran Siddiquee
Bad Boys II Two cops in Miami uncover some funny business. “Could be
the most vile creation to come out of Hollywood since Patch Adams.” (Ed
Gonzalez, Slant Magazine) Chuck’s grade: F. Parkway Pointe, Showplace
Bend it like Beckham Jess, a teenage girl, bucks family traditions
and stereotypes by joining a soccer team. “A smart, lively and altogether warmhearted
dramatic comedy that blends tradition and modernity on screen as adroitly as
teenage Jess does in her irresistibly complicated life.” (Kenneth Turan, Los
Angeles Times) “Coming after Monsoon Wedding and My Son the Fanatic,
Bend It Like Beckham seems like a step backward.” (A.O. Scott, New
York Times). White Oaks
Bruce Almighty Jim Carrey is granted sovereignty over his hometown
by God. “A smart, surprisingly thought-through blockbuster, with a decent grasp
of the theological implications of its idea. . . . It’s a subtle societal critique
that it never occurs to Bruce to think of others.” (Nev Pierce, BBCi) “A fable
overwhelmed by special effects and outsized spectacle.” (Kevin Thomas, Los
Angeles Times) Esquire
Daddy Day Care Eddie Murphy runs an off-the-wall day-care center. “A
woeful miscalculation, a film so wrong-headed audiences will be more appalled
than amused.” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times) “Lighthearted if shy of
a lark” (Ed Park, Village Voice) Chuck’s grade: C. Esquire
Finding Nemo Animated underwater tale. “An upbeat, sentimental
fable about a fearful father fish and a rebellious son who recklessly breaks
away from the school. . . Visual imagination and sophisticated wit raise Finding
Nemo to a level just below the peaks of Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ movies.” (Stephen
Holden, New York Times) “It’s all beautiful, all right. But before long
I began to feel beaten against the rocks of that beauty. . . . After the first
10 minutes or so, it’s exhausting.” (Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com) Chuck’s
grade: A. White Oaks, Showplace
Gigli Romance staring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. “A recent episode
of South Park suggested that a fourth-grader’s hand puppet could turn
in a better performance than Ms. Lopez, and in the case of Gigli, it’s
hard to argue.” (Luke Thompson, New Times newspapers). “Gigli
is so horrible I had to go cleanse my palate afterward by watching Glitter.”
(Danny Minton, KBTV-NBC). Showplace
How to Deal Teenage romance. “[Mandy] Moore’s whinier here than in
churchy weepie A Walk to Remember, but playing opposite Trent Ford, who,
as her rakish beau, affects a chin-down, three-quarter boffo stare in every
shot regardless of circumstance, her spunky resolve still brands like honesty.”
(Laura Sinagra, Villiage Voice) Chuck’s grade: B. Showplace
The Hulk Whenever scientist Bruce Banner gets angry, he turns into
the title’s green monster. “The most talkative and thoughtful recent comic book
adaptation. . . . The movie brings up issues about genetic experimentation,
the misuse of scientific research and our instinctive dislike of misfits, and
actually talks about them. . . . [Director] Ang Lee (The Ice Storm) has
boldly taken the broad outlines of a comic book story and transformed them to
his own purposes; this is a comic book movie for people who wouldn’t be caught
dead at a comic book movie.” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times) “Will somebody
please get Ang Lee away from popular culture. . . . He’s a pedestrian storyteller
with no feel for . . . pop entertainment. . . . At last, a comic-book movie
that National Public Radio listeners can be proud to take their kids to see.”
(Charles Taylor, Salon.com) Chuck’s grade: B+. Esquire, Rt. 66 Drive In
Johnny English Spy spoof with Rowan Atkinson. “Smug with timely zingers
like ‘The only thing the French should be allowed to host is an invasion,’ the
movie’s recommended strictly for Bush advisers.” (Jessica Winter, Village
Voice) “A likeable parody that, while never quite as side-splitting as it
thinks it is, still contains a good number of well-worked comic set-pieces.”
(Neil Smith, BBCi) Chuck’s grade: B. White Oaks
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 19th-century literary heroes
come back to life. “Is it possible for a movie to be monotonously action-packed?
‘LXG’ may well achieve it. The picture’s violence is a snore and its
massacres are soporific. . . . It’s an extraordinary waste of time and an astounding
piece of incoherent storytelling.” (Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune)
“If you’ve seen the miserable trailers for this movie, please ignore them. .
. if this movie, with its literary underpinnings, sounds at all stodgy, relax.
It works wonderfully as a popcorn picture.” (Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel)
Marty’s grade: B. Showplace
Legally Blonde 2 Lovable brainiac heads to Congress to fight for animal
rights. “Moves at such a brisk, easy clip that there isn’t much time to linger
over its flaws. . . . What’s interesting here isn’t what Elle is fighting for
but the unshakable smile with which she wages her war.” (Manhola Dargis, Los
Angeles Times) “The first one was silly fun, amusing and oddly inventive;
the second is plodding, unfunny and almost cringe-worthy.” (Claudia Plug, USA
Today) Marty’s grade: D+. Parkway Pointe
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl “In . . . a
movie based on a Disney theme-park ride–the most high-flying, jaw-dropping special
effect of the summer is . . . Johnny Depp.” (Ty Burr, Boston Globe) “Depp
keeps the film delightfully off balance with his unpredictable comic weave.
. . . The unexpectedly light touch of director Gore Verbinski (The Ring)
gives the film a playful tone without sinking it into self parody.” (Sean Axmaker,
Seattle-Post Intelligencer) Chuck’s grade: B+. Parkway Pointe, Showplace
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over “Frontrunner for 2003’s most mindless and physically
offensive movie-going experience. if you don’t receive a throbbing headache
from the gimmicky three-dimensional effects produced by the flimsy red-and-blue
eyeglasses given out at the theater, you’re bound to get one from the rapid-fire
cinematographic somersaults.” (Nicholas Schager, Slant) “. . .best experienced
as a demonstration of [director Robert] Rodriguez’s boundless creativity. .
. The Spy Kids movies have allowed Rodriguez to exercise his playful
muscles, and the new one is no exception.” (Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune)
Chuck’s grade: D+. Showplace, White Oaks
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Arnold Schwarzenegger comes back,
again, as an android fighting another, more advanced robot. “A taut, exciting
science-fiction thriller that pumps up our adrenaline without forgetting to
engage our heads. . . . The movie also plays as a more palpable cautionary tale
about humans’ ceding control to machines than The Matrix Reloaded.” (Mark
Caro, Chicago Tribune) “Mainly the problem is a weak story that throughout
seems to be building toward something it never quite reaches.” (Mick LaSalle,
San Francisco Chronicle) Chuck’s grade: B. Parkway Pointe
28 Days Later A virus creates a world of zombies, except for the few
people on the run. “Director Danny Boyle, back in Trainspotting
form, puts real zip in the zombie step. These buggers snap to at the scent of
human flesh and take you down like a stealth bomber.” (Peter Travers, Rolling
Stone) “A gory, depressing affair that bears an ultra-Darwinian message
in its blood-stained hands.” (Philip French, The Observer) Chuck’s grade:
C. Showplace
2 Fast 2 Furious Paul Walker and Tyrese star in this sequel to The
Fast and the Furious sans Vin Diesel. “It’s a terrible movie, stuck in plot
idiocies and big, noisy set pieces like a tire mired in mud.” (Charles Taylor,
Salon.com) “Among the most lethargic action movies I have ever seen:
when Mr. Walker and Tyrese are not driving, it might as well be called 2
Slow 2 Tedious.” (A.O. Scott, New York Times) Esquire, Rt. 66
Drive In
This article appears in Jul 31 – Aug 6, 2003.
