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film
clips opening or returning: Bug's Life, A: Directed by Pixar's brilliant computer animation wizard, John Lasseter (Toy Story), this Disney insectorama features the voices of Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Denis Leary, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bonnie Hunt and David Hyde Pierce. Foley's an eccentric ant, Spacey's a grasshopper, Leary's a ladybug, Pierce is a walkingstick, and Hunt is a black widow with sex appeal. Randy Newman makes music. G. Springfield Cinemas. Central Station (Brazil: Central do Brasil): Walter Salles' film has won a slew of film awards, and it's in the running for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The story of a young boy (Vinicius de Oliveira) whose mother dies in an accident and his unlikely companion, Dora (Fernanda Montenegro), a lonely older woman who earns her living writing letters for people passing through Rio de Janeiro's major train station. She accompanies the boy on a bus trip to the remote, rural Northeast in search of his father. R. Bijou. Forces of Nature: Starring Ben Affleck and Sandra Bullock who meet when the airplane they're on skids into the bay and he saves her life. Problem is, he's on the way to his wedding. Directed by Bronwen Hughes, the film also stars Maura Tierney as the bride-to-be and Steve Zahn as her old boyfriend. PG-13. Movies 12. King and I, The: Animated version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical from the '50s about an Englishwoman (voice of Miranda Richardson) who goes to tutor the many children of the King of Siam (Martin Vidnovie). Directed by Richard Rich. G. Movieland. Movies 12. Patch Adams: Med school class clown and former mental patient Adams (Robin Williams) uses humor to help his patients heal in this film. Based on the story of the real-life pioneer of the Gesundheit Institute. Nominated for 1998 Academy Award for original musical or comedy score. PG-13. Springfield Cinemas. Pleasantville: Academy Award nominations '98 for art direction, costume design, and original dramatic score. Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon bring a blast of the '90s to the teenagers of this b&w sitcom town. Terrific screenplay, the best use of special effects of the year, wonderful direction by Gary Ross and fabulous performances by the whole cast, including mom (Joan Allen), dad (William H. Macy), and Jeff Daniels. One of the best of '98. PG-13. Springfield Cinemas. Ravenous: Subtitled "Cooking With Friends," the over-the-top trailer was an audience gross-out, so can acclaimed director Antonia Bird (Priest, Safe) bring out the "dark humor" reportedly lurking in the movie's cannibalism? Even with an excellent cast including Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty), David Arquette, Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) and Jeremy Davies (Saving Private Ryan), serious doubts remain. R. Cinema World. Movies 12. Star Trek: Insurrection: Data (Brent Spiner) gets in a lot of trouble on a planet the Federation is supposed to be observing. But not to worry, Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) also falls into an intergalactic conspiracy on this fountain-of-youth planet. The Ba'ku are smart people who choose simple lives, and it's up to our heroes to save them. PG. Late night Bijou. Trainspotting: 1996 Academy Award nominee for screenplay, film features sordid subject, witty script, excellent performances. A wild success in Britain, this picture about heroin addicts in Scotland from the Shallow Grave trio of director Danny Boyle, producer Andrew MacDonald and screenwriter John Hodge stars Ewan McGregor as the film's anti-hero and a great cast as his unsavory buddies. Excellent filmmaking. R. Late night Bijou. True Crime: Clint Eastwood directs himself, Isaiah Washington, Denis Leary and James Wood. Eastwood's a newspaper reporter who takes over a story about a black man (Washington) who's got two days to prove he didn't kill a white woman. R. Movies 12. Cinema World. Films open the Friday following date of EW publication unless otherwise noted. continuing: Analyze This: Robert De Niro plays a New York Mafia don suffering from panic attacks who seeks the help of a psychiatrist played by Billy Crystal. Directed by Harold Ramis. R. Cinema World. Movies 12. Baby Geniuses: Gifted comedienne Kathleen Turner stars here with Christopher Lloyd as scientists whose research leads to the discovery that babies are born knowing the secrets of the universe, which they forget by age two. One smart little baby leads the others to revolt. PG. Movieland. Corruptor, The: Police thriller stars Chow Yun Fat (The Replacement Killers) and Mark Wahlberg (Boogie Nights) as a couple of N.Y.'s finest caught in the middle of a war between Asian gangs on the outside and police corruption on the inside. Directed by James Foley. R. Cinema World. Movies 12. Cruel Intentions: One of those mean-spirited, morally bankrupt premises that appeals to adolescents. Horny hunk Ryan Phillipe is dared by vicious, rich step-sister Sarah Michelle Gellar to seduce a virgin Reese Witherspoon, and he's too dumb not to try it. R. Movies 12. Movieland. Deep End of the Ocean, The: Michelle Pfeiffer and Treat Williams are the parents of a 3-year old boy who goes missing. Devastated, they have big adjustments to make when the boy returns years later but doesn't remember them. Based on Jacquelyn Mitchard's best seller, film is directed by Ulu Grosbard. PG-13. Cinema World. Movies 12. Eight MM: Nic Cage has chosen to squander his talent in yet another over-the-top role with no redeeming possibilities. Joel Schumacher directs this thriller about a film reel that may be an actual snuff film. Also stars Catherine Keener and Joaquin Phoenix. Some sex and violence was trimmed to bring flick's rating down from an NC-17. Don't say you haven't been warned. R. Movieland. Elizabeth: Best Picture nominee about the early years of Queen Elizabeth I's reign when rancorous divisions in the country over religion, nasty intrigue and plots at court and powerful foreign enemies threatened her very survival. Indian-born director Shekhar Kapur (Bandit Queen) gives movie a lively treatment, while Cate Blanchett (nominated for Best Actress), Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston and Joseph Fiennes give it a modern psychological twist. Film is also nominated for cinematography, art direction, original dramatic score, costume design and makeup. One of '98's best. R. Movieland. See Top Ten story this issue. Life is Beautiful: Cannes '98 Jury Grand Prize winner and now Oscar nominee for Best Picture and Foreign Language film. Roberto Benigni's comic masterpiece, set in Italy 1939-1944, is the story a father's courageous attempts to shield his 5-year-old son from the horrors of the times. Very highly recommended. Benigni is nominated for Best Actor, and the film got an original dramatic score nod and an original screenplay nomination. Don't miss one of the best films of '98. R. Bijou. See Top Ten story this issue. Mighty Joe Young: Bill Paxton plays a zoologist who finds Charlize Theron in Africa taking care of an oversized primate and trying to keep poachers away from the big beast. They take him to L.A., where he scares the pants off the natives and the poachers follow. PG. Springfield Cinemas. October Sky: Based on a true story of high school student Homer Hickman (Jake Gyllenhaal) who loves space rockets and aspires to avoid his dad's life in West Virginia's coal mines. Also stars Chris Cooper, Chris Owen and Laura Dern. PG. Cinema World. Movies 12. Other Sister, The: Juliette Lewis plays the mentally challenged daughter of Diane Keaton and Tom Skerrit who leaves the family to be with the similarly impaired man she loves, played by Giovanni Ribisi. PG-13. Cinema World. Movies 12. Rage, The: Carrie 2: As Rachel, newcomer Emily Bergl gets back at teen friends in a big way, like Sissy Spacek in the original Carrie some 23 years ago. The only survivor of that prom night is Amy Irving, now a school counselor, who doesn't like Rachel's too-familiar telekinetic powers. Directed by Katt Shea. R. Movies 12. Movieland. Rugrats Movie, The: Nicklelodeon's Emmy-Award-winning animated babies come to the big screen in a $25-million movie about family trauma when a new baby, Dil, arrives in the Pickle household. Jakob Dylan, Beck, Lisa Loeb and Iggy Pop on the soundtrack. G. Springfield Cinemas. Rushmore: Highly regarded comedy directed by Wes Anderson stars Jason Schwartzman as the all-around worst student at old Rushmore Academy. Formerly friends now rivals, characters played by Bill Murray and Schwartzman want to get to first base with teacher Olivia Williams. A refreshingly innovative take on the coming-of-age movie, with marvelous performances by both Murray (best since Groundhog Day) and newcomer Schwartzman. R. Cinema World. Saving Private Ryan: Steven Spielberg's World War II combat movie is up for 11 Academy Awards: best picture; Spielberg for director; Hanks for acting; original screenplay; sound; sound effects editing; art direction; cinematography; editing; makeup; and original dramatic score. Opens with the terror and horror of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the landing at Omaha beach on June 6, 1944. Among the actors: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Barry Pepper, Giovanni Ribisi, Adam Goldberg, Vin Diesel and Jeremy Davies. R. Movies 12. See Top Ten story this issue. Shakespeare in Love: With 13 Academy Award nominations, including best picture; John Madden, directing; Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman, original screenplay; Geoffrey Rush, supporting actor; Gwyneth Paltrow, actress; Judi Dench, supporting actress; art direction; cinematography; costume design; film editing; makeup; original musical or comedy score; and sound. A clever, bold, funny and modern non-stop romp that finds William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) with writer's block and Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow) as his muse. Also stars Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Rupert Everett and Tom Wilkinson. R. McDonald. See Top Ten story this issue. Varsity Blues: Directed by Brian Robbins, this teen football movie set in small-town Texas follows five graduating seniors who try to be heroic in their own way. Stars James Van Der Beek, Jon Voight and Paul Walker. R. Springfield Cinemas. Waterboy, The: Directed by Frank Coraci, this Adam Sandler vehicle is about a university football waterboy who goes to play for another local team and scores big. With Kathy Bates, Henry Winkler, Fairuza Balk and Jerry Reed. PG-13. Springfield Cinemas. Wing Commander: Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard and Saffron Burrows are elite spaceship pilots in this sci-fi Western. Also stars Tchéky Karyo, Jürgen Prochnow and David Warner. Based on the computer games and characters created by Chris Roberts. PG-13. Movies 12. Movieland. movie
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clips Best Man, The: This 17th-century love drama won the 1997 Golden Globe for best foreign language film but never had wide theatrical release. It stars Diego Abatantuono, Indes Sastre and Dario Cantarelli and is directed by Paupi Avati. The bride and the best man are in love, and it's not funny. In Italian with English subtitles. G. Bride of Chucky: Gore, gore and more gore. Slasher movie for the undiscerning. Premiere cited its "creative fatalities." R. Firelight: In the mid-1800s a Swiss governess played by Sophie Marceau has a brief fling with an Englishman and has his child. Years later she returns as the child's governess. Also stars Stephen Dillane (Welcome to Sarajevo) and Kevin Anderson. R. Mighty Joe Young: Bill Paxton plays a zoologist who finds Charlize Theron in Africa taking care of an oversized primate and trying to keep poachers away from the big beast. They move him to L.A., where he scares the pants off the natives and the poachers follow. PG. Pleasantville: Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon bring a blast of the '90s to the teenagers of this b&w sitcom town. Terrific screenplay, the best use of special effects of the year, wonderful direction by Gary Ross and fabulous performances by the whole cast, including mom (Joan Allen), dad (William H. Macy), and Jeff Daniels, make this one more subtle and delicious than The Truman Show. It's one of the best of '98. PG-13. Ringmaster, Jerry Springer: If you just can't get enough of this drivel, here's a "fictional" treatment of the backstage life of a controversial television show much like Jerry Springer's very own. Low-brow all the way. R. Safe Men: In a case of mistaken identity, two musicians find themselves under the thumb of a mob boss who orders them to pull heists or die. Comedy directed by John Hamburg stars Steve Zahn, Harvey Fierstein, Paul Giamatti and Michael Lerner. R. Slam: This acclaimed independent film directed by Marc Levin. played Portland but not Eugene last year. Saul Williams plays a small-time drug dealer in prison who's also a self-taught poet. He holds a one-man poetry slam to defuse a confrontation between rival gangs. Also stars Sonja Sohn as the writing class teacher who encourages him to write. R. Strangeland: Heavy-metal horror flick stars Elizabeth Peña, Dee Snider and Robert Englund. R. Sunday: This strange, quiet little movie barely made a dent when it was released, although it won the Sundance Jury Prize that year. I saw it at a screening in Portland and was impressed. It stars David Suchet, best known as Hercule Poirot on PBS, as a homeless man living in a shelter and trying to keep himself together. An attractive woman (Lisa Harrow) thinks he's a film director she knew years earlier, and he doesn't tell her otherwise. Not rated. Next Week: Home Fries and The Rugrats Movie. movie
reviews SUNSHINE: Directed and co-written by Istvan Szabo. Produced by Robert Lantos and Andros Hamori. Co-writer, Israel Horovitz. Cinematography, Lajos Koltai. Composer, Maurice Jarre. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Jennifer Ehle, Rosemary Harris, James Frain, John Neville and William Hurt. Paramount Classics. R. 180 minutes. In the first few minutes of Estvan Szabo's exploration of the bloody 20th century as lived by one Jewish family, the Sonnenschiens, we briefly meet the patriarch Emmanuelle as a young boy. In a flashback, we see the boy's father, brewer of a cure-all elixir called "A Taste of Sunshine," killed when his distillery explodes spectacularly. Emmanuelle relocates to urban Hungary (Budapest) from rural Austria -- both ruled by the Astro Hungarian monarchy (1867-1918) -- and rebuilds the family's fortune with the secret-recipe elixir. These are the golden years for the Sonnenschiens. Assimilated Jews and passionate monarchists, Emmanuelle (David de Keyser) and his wife, Rose (Miriam Margolyes), have three children, two sons and a daughter, the child of Rose's deceased brother. The young people are independent, lusty and ambitious. Ignatz (Ralph Fiennes) and Valerie (Jennifer Ehle) fall in love, but their papa refuses to let them marry. Ignatz studies law and becomes a conservative judge and a monarchist like his father. Gustave (James Frain) becomes a doctor. He sees the city's poor and turns to radical socialism, fleeing the country to live in France after a brief (133-day) Hungarian Communist party rule. Valerie simply loves Hungary. She marries Ignatz, and her observations form the heart of the movie. Like the family maid, Kato (Katja Studt and Trocsik Mari, when older), Valerie is the family's lifeline. But this is also the moment this younger generation of Sonnenschiens takes a step the patriarch is unable to prevent: They change their name to Sors after Ignatz is offered a superior court judgeship only if his Jewishness is less noticeable. And so begins a multigenerational move away from the traditional religious teachings and family maxims that have served the family so well. Like the elixir itself, the recipe for living right gets lost even as the events of the larger world affect the family's life more than ever. Eventually the major story line is taken up by Ignatz and Valerie's younger son Adam (also played by Ralph Fiennes), who becomes a fencer on the urging of his older brother, Istvan (Mark Strong). During Hungary's rule by the military (1920-1944), when alliances with Italy and Germany were forged, anti-Semitism spreads. For Adam to be accepted at the Officer's Club and become part of Hungary's 1936 Olympic fencing team, he converts to Catholicism. In short order he marries Greta (Rachel Weisz) and is seduced by Istvan's wife, Hannah (Molly Parker). The final narrator is Ivan (Fiennes), Adam and Greta's son who is a child when the Germans occupy Hungary in 1944. Despite their record of assimilation, the Sors are rounded up and sent to concentration camps or murdered and thrown into the river like other Jews. A brutal torture scene is part of this terrible time. After the war, Ivan is reunited with what remains of his family, notably his grandmother (played by Rosemary Harris). Even now, the horrors are not over, as the Soviets invade the country. After 1947, the Communist Party under Stalin rules, and as history shows us, the reign of terror begins again. Like the other Sors men before him, Ivan tries to go along with the times, along the way meeting and falling in love with Carole Kovacs (Deborah Kara Unger), also a military officer. The film attempts to cover so much ground that some mileposts are necessary, hence the lengthy synopsis. Szabo has created a memorable fictional family here, one overwhelmed by historical forces that rose to power and gave rein to the worst in human nature. Ivan finds hope in the discovery of a letter Emmanuelle wrote to his son at the beginning of the century. This engrossing film with radiant performances by Ehle and Harris and a skillful turn by Fiennes is now playing at the Bijou.
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