The Rugrats Movie - * *

Posted on November 20, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

The Rugrats have made their way from Nickelodeon to the big screen, and the result is, well, alarmingly similar to the television cartoon.

For those unfamiliar with the animated series, it is centered on the point of view of several very young children (ranging in age from 1-2). The leader of the pack is Tommy Pickles (E.G. Daily), a bald, but fiesty, one year-old. His best friend is Chuckie Finster (Christine Cavanaugh). Also along for the ride are twins Phil and Lil DeVille (Kath Soucie), and obnoxiously precocious cousin Angelica (Cheryl Chase).

The film features the arrival of a new member in the Pickles household. Tommy gets a little brother, Dylan (aka Dill Pickles). This, of course, sets off a round of sibling rivalry, as Tommy must share the affections of his parents with this loud newcomer.

In an attempt to solve the problem, Tommy’s friends kidnap Dylan and (with Tommy in tow), try to return him to the hospital. Of course, the five babies soon get lost in the wilderness (despite a high-tech dragon wagon which provides their ride), and the film follows their attempts to get back home.

Despite a few desperate pop-culture references, The Rugrats Movie is strictly kids stuff. From its incessant diaper humor to a series of mispronounciations that only a Family Circus devotee could love, the film is too obnoxious for younger kids, yet too juvenile for those much older.

The animation style boasts a few computer-generated backgrounds, but overall isn’t that much more impressive than television quality. In fact, there’s very little about this film that calls for seeing it on the big screen.

The Rugrats Movie has the look and feel of a direct-to-video film. Unless you’re a hard-core Rugrats devotee, you can wait till then.

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Enemy of the State - * * *

Posted on November 20, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

You’re not paranoid if they’re really after you. That’s the message of Enemy of the State, the latest techno-thriller from director Tony Scott who takes an exciting, if exaggerated, look at the lack of privacy in our increasingly technological society.

Will Smith portrays Robert Clayton Dean, a DC lawyer who unexpectedly becomes the target of intense scrutiny, when a former acquaintance (Jason Lee) gives him possession of a tape desperately wanted by the National Security Agency.

You see, the tape implicates NSA bureaucrat Reynolds (Jon Voight) in a highly unethical and illegal activity. So, he is bringing the full technological power of “big brother government” to track down and recover the tape, no matter whose civil liberties get violated.

So, when Robert finds himself under constant surveilance, the target of a smear campaign in the press, in unexpected financial distress, and in danger of losing his very life, there’s only one person he can trust. Brill (Gene Hackman) is a security expert hired, but never seen, by Robert in the past. But the secretive Brill may not want to get involved.

Enemy of the State is stuffed to the gills with an ample supply of technology and paranoia. Sure, it exaggerates here and there, but it shrewdly grounds all of its hyperbole in technological fact and jargon. We’re introduced to a hidden world…a surveilance state which exists around us even now, but the average citizen is oblivious to the countless electronic eyes upon him.

The bad guys in the film aren’t completely evil (well…okay, Jon Voight is evil…but the rest are simple bureaucrats and technogeeks just doing their job). In fact, some of the most sympathetic characters in the film are a few of those technogeeks. However, the message of the film is that the sum of all these earnest governmental workers “just doing their job” add up to a powerful weapon in the hands of an ambitious bureaucrat (like Voight).

Will Smith once again proves an amiable lead. Taken by itself, the role of Robert Clayton Dean is a little bland. But Smith’s charisma shines through, and makes Dean a character worth rooting for.

Gene Hackman is, as usual, a welcome presence. The surveilance atmosphere of Enemy of the State favorably compares to The Conversation (also featuring Hackman), though the latter is easily a better film. Hackman’s shrewd paranoia enlivens the film just when it begins to drag in its second half. So what if his character makes a few out-of-character mistakes…it’s a pleasure just to watch Hackman chew on this meaty role.

The plot of the film is, unfortunately, coincidence-driven. If a certain sequence of events didn’t happen in just the right order and just the right time, there’d be no movie. Luckily the action sequences have enough energy that you can ignore the manufactured plot and still have a good time. But a truly sharp thriller should be able to combine both plot and action.

Enemy of the State is a fun film to watch, even though it doesn’t have as much substance as it initially seems. Still, you might think twice the next time you spy a surveillance camera glaring your way.

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Meet Joe Black - * * *

Posted on November 13, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

Meet Joe Black

Meet Joe Black is your classic boy-meets-girl, boy-likes-girl, boy-gets-killed-in-horrible-accident, supernatural-entity-takes-over-boy’s-body, supernatural-entity-falls-in-love-with-girl story. Based on the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday, Meet Joe Black is a well acted romantic drama which explores the meanings of life and love.

William Parrish (Anthony Hopkins) is a billionaire businessman on the brink of his 65th birthday. He has built a huge media empire, and raised two beautiful daughters, Allison (Marcia Gay Harden) and Susan (Claire Forlani). William has been able to negotiate his way out of many tough spots…but he has suddenly begun fearing his own mortality, the one situation he won’t be able to talk his way out of.

And he has good reason to fear, for Death himself is stalking him. However, Death has a deal to make. Death has taken possession of a man who has recently died (Brad Pitt), and wants William to be his guide in a holiday among the living. In return, William gets to live a few extra days. Of course, he agrees.

Death, under the human name of “Joe Black”, gets to experience life as a complete innocent. He never before has experienced the simple pleasures of a springy matress or peanut butter. And he’s not quite compared for the more complex pleasures when he and Susan fall in love. But, is their affair doomed to an early demise?

At nearly three hours in length, Meet Joe Black is a little bit on the leisurely side, though it never gets boringly lengthy. Instead, the film gets a chance to develop some nicely textured characters and situations. You get to soak in and enjoy the atmosphere, rather than being hurriedly rushed through it.

The romantic angle works well, though, surprisingly, the interactions between Joe Black and William Parrish are more interesting than those with his daughter. This is most likely due to Anthony Hopkins, who once again displays his superb acting skills. William is a desperate man who has had a seemingly ideal life, and doesn’t want to let it go. By contrast, Claire Forlani is merely the romantic interest. She gets to show Joe the ropes of love, but is hardly as interesting a character.

As Joe Black, Brad Pitt seems a bit stilted. Granted, he’s supposed to be out-of-place, but the overly formal technique used by Pitt begins to distract from the role. Still, he is able to hold his own, and over the course of the three hours, his character begins to grow on you.

The main character who seems out of place here is Drew (Jake Weber), an ambitious executive in Williams’ company who is Joe Black’s main rival for Susan’s affections. Weber plays the character with a hammy relish reminiscent of Snidley Whiplash. This cartoonish foil an aberration in a film filled many more dimensional characters.

The supernatural elements of the film are handled murkily, but never distractingly so. We never learn what is the exact nature of Death, or why he’s never done something like this before. It actually gets a bit creepy when Death talks to the dying in their own voices/accents. (His initial conversations with Hopkins sound shockingly like Hannibal Lecter…) And the ultimate resolution to one of the film’s supernatural problems seems, well, somewhat superficial.

Still, even with the film’s length, it was a pleasant time at the movies, something you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a film about Death…but one which Meet Joe Black delivers anyhow.

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I’ll Be Home For Christmas - *

Posted on November 13, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

I'll Be Home for Christmas

It must be the holiday season already. Stores are stocked with decorations galore, and the local theaters are stocked with “feel-good” holiday films, like I’ll Be Home for Christmas. However, don’t be fooled by its title…you aren’t likely to build up much holiday cheer by forcing yourself to sit through this torturous ninety-minute debacle.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas stars as the annoying prep school kid, Jake. Jake is the type of smarmy kid who tries to talk his way out of everything, and mostly succeeds. His father (Gary Cole), believing the only way his son will return home for the holidays, resorts to bribery. If Jake can make it home by 6:00 Christmas Eve, he will get his dad’s classic Porsche as a present. Jake would do anything for the car…but he runs into a little bit of trouble along the way…

A group of angry jocks, angry at Jake for a failed scheme of his, kidnaps him, glues him into a Santa suit, and strands him in the California desert. Penniless, Jake must make his cross-country trek in a few short days if he ever hopes to see that car…or his girlfriend.

You see, his charms have been wearing thin on his girlfriend, Allie (Jessica Biel). She’s had one too many stories and lies, and when he fails to meet her for the Christmas return home, she decides to take a ride with Jake’s rival, Eddie (Adam Lavorgna), instead.

All of this might be the slightest bit interesting if we cared one iota about Jake and/or his predicament. But we don’t. From the get-go, his cocky attitude is extremely offputing, and his “charms” never grow on us. Frankly, his dad might as well keep the car, and Allie would certainly be better off with the only slightly-less annoying Eddie.

Of course, we are treated to all sorts of wild adventures and wacky, “colorful” characters which Jake runs across in his cross-country trek. Anyone who’s seen any sort of road-trip movie will be intimately familiar with the type. Most of these are not near as interesting, nor as entertaining, as they might have appeared on paper (though it’s even doubtful that some of these appeared interesting there either).

I’ll Be Home for Christmas is reminiscent of an annual present that you don’t really want to get. It means well, but is best left alone and forgotten.

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I Still Know What You Did Last Summer - 1/2*

Posted on November 13, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

You’ve got to love the slasher genre’s amazing productivity, despite the lack of imagination. It’s a little like a broken factory: it keeps churning out faulty parts, but at least it does it efficiently. With the latest slasher sequel, clumsily and innacurately titled I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, it proves that you don’t need fresh ideas or an innovative script to create a movie…as long as you’re not hoping for a good one.

Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt) is still recovering from the horrific events of I Know What You Did Last Summer, when the evil Gorton’s Fisherman, aka Ben Willis (Muse Watson), stalked and killed several of her friends for accidentally killing (or was it not killing) him the summer before.

Now, Julie is attending college, and has a whole new set of fresh meat, uh, er, friends. The closest of which is Karla (Brandy), who has the disturbing habit of creeping around in the dark and making scary noises. Julie still maintains contact with Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.), another survivor of the previous film, but he’s a link to her past…one she would rather forget.

But someone still remembers…three guesses who… Yep, that’s right, Ben Willis, back from the dead. Yawn. He’s still as bland as in the original film, but with even less of a motive this time. His first several victims lack even a tangental connection to the accident which supposedly started his murderous rage for revenge. (Speaking of that, why don’t any of these victims ever come back from the dead to haunt Ben?) In any case, in the new film, each time he has a shot at finally getting even with Julie James, he tries for revenge in rather unorthodox ways (one scene has him cursing her with a really really bad tan).

This time, the sequel, with a larger budget, naturally takes place in the Carribbean (where the Gorton’s Fisherman doesn’t look the least out of place). Julie and Karla have brought their respective boyfriends, Will (Matthew Settle) and Tyrell (Mekhi Phifer), to this island paradise right before a torrential hurricane hits. So, naturally, aside from a few cannon fodder hotel staff, the island is remote and deserted. It’s the perfect place for a little mass murder.

The script for I Still Know What You Did Last Summer was written by Trey Callaway rather than the original’s overrated Kevin Williamson. Though it wouldn’t take much to improve quality over the first, Callaway doesn’t give it any effort, turning in a script that lacks any spark of orignality and wit.

Don’t count on the actors to carry this film, either. The hotel’s eclectic staff are leagues more interesting than the central foursome, and you certainly wouldn’t want to spend an entire movie with them. At least the cast looks good (presumably their only qualification)…but you wonder why the four of them can’t take on the feeble old Ben Wilis. I mean, even one-on-one, one of the athletic teens would likely succeed against the guy… four-on-one would be no contest. I guess, then there’d be no movie (but that would actually be a good thing.)

This one’s for die-hard genre fans only. And even then, it’s only good to snicker at the obvious cliches and overall predictablity.

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Elizabeth - * * * 1/2*

Posted on November 6, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

Elizabeth is a loose biopic of the early years of Queen Elizabeth I. It may be a period piece, but it sure doesn’t feel like one. Thick with intrigue, and even thicker with strong performances, Elizabeth is actually more thrilling than many modern-day “thrillers”.

The film starts when Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett) is merely a princess, and one in considerable danger. The problem, you see, is that she is next in line for the throne…and a Protestant. She constantly awaits an execution order from her half-sister, the dying Queen Mary (Kathy Burke).

Things don’t get any easier when Elizabeth becomes queen herself. The country is in horrible shape, and the political atmosphere is positively deadly. She relies on the advice of the cunning Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush) to avoid the most turbulent encounters: particularly the schemes of the Duke of Norfolk (Christopher Eccleston), who is constantly plotting her overthrow.

The chief concern of many, including another trusted advisor, Sir William Cecil (Richard Attenborough), is that Elizabeth marry and produce an heir. Only then will her reign be secure. But the question remains: whom to marry? Marriage alliances with France and Spain present themselves, but Elizabeth’s heart is with Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes), the Earl of Leicester.

Elizabeth is not your typical period piece. In fact, it has a much more Godfather-ian feel than the traditional costume drama. Politics, sex, murder and deceit are everywhere in this film. It’s not just haughty people in strange attire…there’s a tangible sense of danger that permeates the film.

The film owes much of its success to the stunning performance by Cate Blanchett. She is the heart and soul of the film, and her exciting portrayal of the young queen proves that it is a strong heart and vibrant soul indeed.

That’s not to diminish the contributions of the remainder of the splendid cast. Joseph Fiennes is appealing as the forbidden object of Elizabeth’s desire. Christopher Eccleston triumphs over a rather flat character by imbuing him with a truly sinister side. But the true scene stealer is Geoffrey Rush, whose plots and machinations are a delight as they unfold.

The sets of Elizabeth are truly a marvel. Gigantic and sparsely lit, the shadowy castles, damp corridors and opulent rooms help to establish the film’s moody atmosphere.

Director Shekhar Kapur has created a lush, atmospheric picture, which (though it takes a few liberties with history) paints an captivating picture of the slippery slopes of royalty. Elizabeth is truly a fascinating film to watch.

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The Siege - * * *

Posted on November 6, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

The Siege

What steps are necessary to control domestic terrorism? How far do you go to combat an evil that hides among us? Those are among the questions that are asked by The Siege, a political thriller which goes a bit deeper than your traditional shoot-em-up to explain and question the ethics involved in battling an unseen enemy.

Denzel Washington stars as FBI agent, Anthony Hubbard. “Hub” is the leader of an anti-terrorism task force in New York City, who is thrust into the spotlight when a series of devastating terrorist attacks rock the city. As the incidents and the civilian body count rise, he is placed under increasing pressure to find and eliminate the terrorist cell.

As the incidents continue to escalate, the federal government begins to question whether standard law enforcement can hope to stop the bombings. The spectre of martial law is raised, under the leadership of one General Devereaux (Bruce Willis). Devereaux is personally against the idea, but if ordered to enforce martial law, he is determined to let no obstacle stop the army from destroying the terrorist threat.

Contributing to the confusing situation is the mysterious CIA agent Elise (Annette Bening). She apparently has tangental contacts with the terrorist cell, but how deeply is she (and the CIA) involved with the terrorists themselves?

Though it starts out apparently as a standard fight-the-terrorists thriller, The Siege eventually unfolds into an ethical debate. The Arabic-speaking population of New York (in which, it is presumed, the terrorists are hiding) become targets of suspicion and derision. Hate crimes against the community begin to rise, and the entire city is polarized.

Denzel Washington falls once again into a role where he gets to act out his righteous indignation. I suppose he gravitates toward those roles because he plays them so well (as he does here), but, at least just once, I’d like to see him argue the “wrong” side of a moral dilemma. Anyhow, his performance here is as captivating as always. Even though his character isn’t that interesting by itself, his sheer presence grabs your attention while he’s on the screen.

Bruce Willis is in a mostly thankless role as the reluctant general. He gets to speechify a bit upfront, but for most of the film he’s placed in the “bad cop” role (opposite Washington’s “good cop”). Annette Bening is an intresting wild card, and she’s able to hold her own opposite Washington.

As the bad guys, the terrorists in the film are rather shallow. They’re really used as merely a plot device, rather than actual villains. The true conflict is the ethical one…not the cop vs. terrorist storyline.

The moral questions at the center of the film are truly intriguing, and deserve contemplation. However, in order to wrap the film up with a tidy neat ending, the plot makes a few “lucky coincidence” leaps. It still flows alright, but the film loses a bit of moral resonance…it’s like playing with a stacked deck.

Still, The Siege is exciting and thought-provoking. It’s designed to stir up some questions (something which it certainly does), but it also entertains as well.

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The Waterboy - * * 1/2*

Posted on November 6, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

The Waterboy

After his attempt to broaden his appeal with The Wedding Singer, Adam Sandler returns back to familiar ground in The Waterboy. It may not be terribly innovative, but Sandler’s in peak form, and he delivers a humorous (if predictable) comedy.

This time, Sandler stars as Bobby Boucher, a dimwitted Cajun man who makes his living as the waterboy for a local college football team. Water is his life, and though socially inept, he makes water-serving an exquisite art form. However, it’s not one appreciated by the team, which torments and picks on Bobby incessantly…until one day Coach Red Beaulieu (Jerry Reed) finally fires him.

Not to fear, however, for Bobby soon finds work down at South Central Louisiana State University, where the country’s worst collegiate football team plays. Coach Klein (Henry Winkler), a bit of a loser in his own right, gives Bobby a chance as waterboy. However, when one day Bobby loses his temper on the field, a hidden talent for sacking emerges. Coach Klein immediately recruits Bobby to play linebacker…but there’s one problem: Bobby’s mama (Kathy Bates).

You see, Bobby still lives with Mama, and she’s the disapproving sort. She doesn’t want Bobby to get hurt, either playing football, or even mingling with girls (such as the white trash Vicki Vallencourt (Fairuza Balk)). After 31 years, will Bobby get the backbone to stand up to his mama? (Or at least sneak around behind her back?) Hmmm…would there be a movie otherwise?

To those who have followed Sandler’s career, the character of Bobby Boucher is a familiar one. The character seems like an amalgam of Canteen Boy, Cajun Man and Happy Gilmore. Yet, this is obviously Sandler in his element. He’s played this character so many times before that he does play it well.

The Waterboy is extremely formulaic…but it’s also funny. If you’ve seen one sports movie, you know exactly where The Waterboy is going. But The Waterboy isn’t about plot…it’s about setting up the quick laugh, and delivering it home.

At times, watching The Waterboy is like watching one of those NFL sacking videos (you know, like The NFL’s Greatest Career-Ending-Injuries). It’s a little painful, but disturbingly humorous.

There are no epic moments that will go down in comedy history here. But there’s enough funny stuff to keep you amused throughout the movie, and for a little while thereafter. What more do you want from an Adam Sandler film?

The Waterboy is the epitome of the “Adam Sandler” movie, and as that it’s very unlikely to win any converts. If you love Adam Sandler, chances are you’ll love this movie. If you can’t stand him, this film won’t change your mind…you’d best check the other theaters in your local megaplex.

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Living Out Loud - * * 1/2*

Posted on October 30, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

Living Out Loud is a rather unconventional romantic comedy, as if you couldn’t tell that by its unlikely leads: Holly Hunter and Danny DeVito. However, with strong characters and an unusual storytelling style, it slowly manages to win us over.

Holly Hunter stars as Judith Nelson, the recently divorced wife of a New York City doctor (Martin Donovan). After her husband leaves her for another woman, Judith is left alone in her high-rent apartment.

She unexpectedly strikes up a friendship with her building’s elevator operator, Pat Francato (Danny DeVito). Drawn together by a shared sense of loss, the two discover sense of mutual respect. Pat has dreams of his own: he wants to start an imported olive oil business, but he is saddled with gambling debts and low self esteem. The attentions of a beautiful woman like Judith spark dreams he thought long dead…but her intentions are completely elsewhere.

A third character who enters into their lives is Liz Bailey (Queen Latifah), a blues singer who becomes an unexpected friend and confidante to Judith, and later, Pat.

The movie unfolds in an unconventional way, allowing us to listen in on rambling thoughts, cluttered memories and imagined dreams. The film keeps the audience off guard with sequences that seem to be real, but are shown to be dreams, and sequences that seem to be dreams, but are shown to be real. There’s a moment, early on, when the style threatens to overpower the film with its confusion…but it is fleeting. In the long run, the unpredictability of the structure adds to the film’s charms.

The biggest strength of Living Out Loud is its characters. Judith, Pat and Liz are all wonderful creations. They bristle with life and realism. You get the feeling that these are real people…not just flat characters quickly jotted down on a page.

However, even amid the vivid characters and quirky storytelling, there’s something that’s not quite satisfying about Living Out Loud. Yes, the storyline seems to flow naturally, and the characters all act as they reasonably should. However, many scenes are quickly hurried in and out, leaving you wanting more. In a way, the film seems like an all-too-brief affair.

Living Out Loud does have plenty of good moments, and overall it is an enjoyable film to watch. A film that leaves you wanting more is certainly better than the opposite.

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John Carpenter’s Vampires - * *

Posted on October 28, 1998 by Madeleine Williams

John Carpenter's Vampires

* *

Hot on the heels of Blade, we are treated to another vampire-slayer tale, this time from director John Carpenter. While not one of his best directoral efforts, there are enough scares in John Carpenter’s Vampires to please the casual moviegoer.

The hero of John Carpenter’s Vampires is Jack Crow (James Woods), a “slayer”, raised by the Catholic church, who leads a team of mercenaries to find and destroy vampiric infestations throughout the world. His current stomping grounds are in New Mexico, which also happens to be the current home of one Valek (Thomas Ian Griffith), a master vampire who may be the very first one.

The only link Crow, and his chief sidekick Montoya (Daniel Baldwin), have to find Valek is a prostitute named Katrina (Sheryl Lee). Katrina was bitten by Valek, and has a telepathic link to her new master. The trouble is, in just a few days, Katrina will become a vampire herself.

So, Crow and Montoya, teaming with a novice Vatican scholar, Father Giovanni (Gregory Sierra), have little time to track down their most powerful foe ever. Meanwhile, Valek has plans of his own, both for Jack Crow, and his own personal quest for invulnerability.

Unlike in Blade, where vampires were easier to kill than ants with a magnifying glass…the pests in John Carpenter’s Vampires are stubborn little suckers. There’s probably one too many scenes of a human repeatedly pounding a stake into a vampire’s chest, shouting “Die! Die! Die!”, but at least there’s a sense of accomplishment.

Carpenter is able to whip up a few good scares and a couple suspenseful sequences (most of which involve entering sleeping vampire nests). But, most of the time, there’s a sense of overkill. By the time the film’s implausible climax rolls around, you’ve definitely had your fill of flashing teeth, wooden stakes, and vampires bursting into flames.

The characters in John Carpenter’s Vampires are predictably shallow. Still, James Woods is cast as the right type as the tough talking, tough acting hero. Daniel Baldwin isn’t as lucky, stuck as the stupidly foolish sidekick. At least Sheryl Lee gets to show a little range, displaying the gamut of emotions from ecstasy to rage to terror and back again.

The plot of the film holds little mystery. (If you can’t figure out all the crucial plot questions by the end of the first reel, you haven’t seen many movies.) Still, it gets you from site A to site B with a minimum of fuss. And, since the strength of this movie is in its “hunting” scenes, the less between them, the better.

For sheer entertainment, Blade still holds a considerable edge over John Carpenter’s Vampires. However, if you’re just looking for a few good thrills, this one is certainly better than many recent horror films out there.

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