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From the moment that the lone figure of Lily Bart (Gillian Anderson) appears out of clouds of steam at a railroad station, we are drawn to her. Her insouciance as she handles her parasol, the hat she wears at a rakish angle, the voluptuous independence of her walk -- they disarm us as they do the friend she meets, Lawrence Seldon (Eric Stoltz). Lily surprises Lawrence by agreeing to accompany him, alone, to his top floor apartment at a fashionable hotel for bachelors. A modern woman trying to break out of the strictures of 1905 society, Lily's poverty requires a bourgeois conventionality to land a rich husband. Her instinct toward rebellion is checked, but she founders, unable to discern the hypocrisy and motives of others. Anderson gives a delicately nuanced performance as Lily realizes a woman alone hasn't a chance against the powerful prudes, vipers and chauvinists who rule the upper class. House of Mirth is the story of Lily's social decline and a stirring indictment of the Gilded Age. Davies directs to Lily's passion, down to the colors she wears, while cinematographer Remi Adefarasin, production designer Don Taylor and costume designer Monica Howe help make the film knock-out gorgeous. A golden light surrounds outdoor daytime scenes, and beautifully lighted interiors create radiant night scenes. A creamy white and various luscious reds dominate the setting and costumes, but the opulence of Lily's aunt's drawing room opens the palette. Dressed in a stunning off-white gown with her red hair piled upon her head, Lily waits for callers near a divan spread with brilliant blue and magenta fringed scarves and decorative satin pillows of gold and rose. Lily's incendiary gown and ornate fan at the opera are the red of a bullfighter's cloak, and all eyes are on her. It's hard to keep track of the characters. Corseted women in long dresses and men in tuxedos and suits look good, but such uniform dress also makes them look alike. Lily's an orphan at the mercy of her aunt, Mrs. Peniston (Eleanor Bron), and a jealous cousin, Grace Stepney (Jodhi May). She makes bad financial decisions that create problems with Gus Trenor (Dan Aykroyd), the husband of an acquaintance, Judy Trenor (Penny Dowie). Besides Lawrence, the lawyer she loves but denies, Lily's circle also includes her best friend, Bertha Dorset (Laura Linney) and her husband, George (Terry Kinney); a social climber whose money buys him influence, Sim Rosedale (Anthony LaPaglia); a wealthy bachelor, Percy Gryce (Pearce Quigley); and one true friend, Carry Fisher (Elizabeth McGovern). Its enticing surface allure aside, the picture's deeper waters reveal the shadow side of privileged society. Davies has created a perfectly measured portrait of a woman whose heart is too open for a time and place where wealth is all and human values nothing. It's a relevant, timely observation to contemplate as Bush launches a new trickle-down formula to make himself and the rest of America's rich richer and keep the rest of us in our place. The film opens Friday at the Bijou with my highest recommendations. Con
Artists
As the movie opens, Dean Cumanno, brilliantly played as a con man in his own right by Ray Liotta, is getting screwed, metaphorically that is. Dean's not a great catch. He's not well-educated, and he runs a chop shop, but he is genuinely besotted by Max. Their wedding night hasn't gone as he planned, however, so he's unduly vulnerable to the invitations of his over-endowed secretary (Page). Leaving Dean in the dust, the two women head to Palm Beach for more lucrative plunder, following a major tax bite from an IRS enforcer (Anne Bancroft). Page has a yen to quit working with mom and set up her own scams, but Max talks her into one more double-whammy, promising she will retire then and set Page free. They find an ideal fall guy in the unattractive, tobacco-obsessed, millionaire William Tensy (Gene Hackman). But Page still wants to go solo, so she also finds someone -- a sweet bartender named Jack Withrowe (Jason Lee). Now there's nothing terribly original about this set up, but Weaver, Liotta and Hackman put idiosyncratic spins on their characters that enliven the film. Hackman hacks his way through his role, making a memorable stab at being the most obnoxious onscreen smoker ever, while Weaver in a patently false Russian accent finagles her way past his suspicious nurse (Nora Dunn). Weaver and Hackman aren't terribly persuasive as a couple, but their dinner in a Russian restaurant, where Weaver belts out the Beatles' still-engaging "Back in the U.S.S.R." to an enthusiastic émigré audience, is memorable. Liotta's flair for comedy comes as a surprise because he's mostly taken serious roles since his outstanding film debut as the ticking-time-bomb ex in Jonathan Demme's Something Wild (1986). His portrayal of Dean here reminds me of John Travolta's loan shark, Chili Palmer, in Get Shorty (1995)4 a genial, self-confident, street-wise fellow who never met a scam he didn't like. Now if someone would just give Liotta great material like that to work with, he might find himself with a leading-man career. Costume designer Ann Roth created Weaver and Hewitt's sexy wardrobes,
while Gary Jones designed for the other actors. The women are supposed to look classy
but seductive, and sometimes the clothes parody high fashion. Watching Hewitt trip
around in high heels on a beach is pretty silly. Roth and Jones shared an Academy
Award last year for The Talented Mr. Ripley, where the vintage clothing was
all class. Now playing at Cinemark, Heartbreakers is recommended. Bamboozled: Eugene premiere of Spike Lee's controversial 2000 movie about black/white issues such as the longevity of blackface minstrelsy, appropriation of rap language and dress by whites and racist caricatures in television. Lee also documents historical treatment of blacks in film and TV clips. R. Spike Lee Film Festival at 8 pm 4/7, 150 Columbia, UO. $3 UO students/$4 gen. public. Blow: Ted Demme directs Johnny Depp as George Jung, now in prison, but in the 1970s the first American to import cocaine from Carlos Escobar's Colombian cartel to the U.S. Based on book by Bruce Porter, movie also stars Penelope Cruz, Ray Liotta, Rachel Griffiths and Paul Reubens. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. Bridget Jones' Diary: Renée Zellwegger plays the neurotic but witty Londoner and Hugh Grant her rude boyfriend in Sharon Maguire's directorial debut. Script by book's author Helen Fielding plus Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis. R. Sneak at 10:25 pm 4/7 only. Cinemark. Catch 22: Mike Nichols' 1970 film, with a script by Buck Henry based on Joseph Heller's black comedy about WWII fliers, is one of the best anti-war films. Fabulous cast and performances. R. 7 pm 4/11, 180 PLC, UO. Free. Do the Right Thing: Spike Lee's brilliant, highly acclaimed and uncompromising 1989 comedy about black/white racial tensions in a Bed-Stuy Brooklyn neighborhood on the hottest day of the summer. Hilarious, but with violence you'll remember. Terrific cast, music. R. Spike Lee Film Festival at 8 pm 4/6, 150 Columbia, UO. $3 UO students/$4 gen. public. House of Mirth: An amazing performance by Gillian Anderson graces Terence Davies' heartbreaking, sumptuous film that finds New York society circa 1905 not only cinematically gorgeous but also classist to the core. Based on Edith Wharton's novel about the social decline of a poor but beautiful woman in a mirthless world where only class and money count. Highest recommendations. G. Bijou. See review this issue. I Am Cuba: Mikhail Kalatozov's 1964 film about the Cuban revolution. Yevgeny Yevtushenko, the great Russian poet, is one of the writers. NR. 7 pm, 122 Pacific Hall, UO. Free. Just Visiting: French actors Jean Reno and Christian Clavier reprise their roles from '93 Les Visiteurs for original director Jean-Marie Gaubert. Switching between the 12th century and the 21st, comedy also stars Christina Applegate, Matthew Ross, Tara Reid and George Plimpton. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. Pokemon 3: 'Nuf said. G. Cinemark. She's Gotta Have It: Spike Lee's 1986 debut film about an independent woman and the three men and one woman who want her. Shot in b&w except for one scene. Best First Feature Independent Spirit Awards '87. R. Spike Lee Film Festival at 8 pm 4/8, 150 Columbia, UO. $3 UO students/$4 gen. public. Three Thousand Miles to Graceland: Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell arrive in Vegas decked out like Elvis but intending to rob the casino. Looks like things go wrong. Directed by Demian Lichenstein, it also stars David Arquette and Christian Slater. R. Movies 12. What Women Want: Mel Gibson stars as an accident victim who can suddenly hear the private thoughts of women. The women in question include Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei and Lauren Holly. PG-13. Movies 12.
Brothers, The: Four African Americans (D.L. Hughley, Bill Bellamy, Morris Chestnut and Shemar Moore) deal with the hassles of dating, commitment and marriage in this Gary Hardwick (Trippin') comedy. R. Cinemark. Cast Away: Academy Award nominee Tom Hanks learns to survive when his plane crashes and he washes up on a remote tropical island. Helen Hunt is the girlfriend he left behind. Intimate direction by Robert Zemeckis, a lean script by William Broyles Jr., and an edgy performance by Hanks. Highly recommended. PG-13. Cinemark. See review. Chocolat: Lasse Hallström directs this best picture nominee, which stars Juliette Binoche (best actress nom), Johnny Depp and Judi Dench (supporting actress nom). It's about the scandal a sexy, free spirited woman causes in a small town when she opens a chocolate shop. PG-13. Cinemark. See review. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Ang Lee's cinematic masterpiece, romantic fantasy set in ancient China garnered -- Academy Awards: best foreign film, art direction, cinematography and original score. Stars Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun Fat, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen. Superlative! PG-13. Cinemark. See review. Emperor's New Groove, The: Disney animation, Sting's music, and the voices
of David Spade, Eartha Kitt and John Goodman enliven this tale of a young emperor
who is turned into a llama and learns to be nicer to others. G. Enemy at the Gates: During the siege of Stalingrad during WWII, a Soviet sniper (Jude Law) is pursued by a Nazi assassin (Ed Harris). Also stars Joe Fiennes, Bob Hoskins and Rachel Weisz. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. Exit Wounds: Steven Seagal, DMX and Tom Arnold mix it up in this action flick about rogue cops. Ho hum. Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (Romeo Must Die). R. Cinemark. Family Man: Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) directs Nic Cage, Téa Leoni and Don Cheadle in this fantasy of an unmarried investment banker who sees what his life could have been had he married his only love. PG-13. Movies 12. Finding Forester: Gus Van Sant film is badly written by Portlander Mike Rich. Sean Connery plays a reclusive novelist and 16-year old newcomer Robert Brown plays the super-bright teen who brings him back to the world. With Anna Paquin and Busta Rhymes. PG-13. Movies 12. See review. Gift, The: In Sam Raimi's Southern Gothic thriller, Cate Blanchett plays a widowed mom who uses her psychic powers to help her neighbors. Greg Kinnear plays the love interest, a school principal whose girlfriend (Katie Holmes) has gone missing. Also stars Hillary Swank and Keanu Reeves. Script co-written by Billy Bob Thornton. Excellent film. R. Movies 12. Hannibal: Ridley Scott chronicles Hannibal Lector's inevitable return in this gruesome sequel that stars Julianne Moore as Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins as the infamous cannibal. Script by David Mamet, Steven Zaillian (Schindler's List). Bloodsoaked, creepy movie earns its R-rating. R. Cinemark. See review. Heartbreakers: Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt play mother/daughter con artists, and Ray Liotta and Gene Hackman are marked men. David Mirkin (Romy and Micheles' High School Reunion) directs. Smarter than the average comedy, Mirkin gets good performances from Liotta, Hackman and Weaver. PG-13. Cinemark. Legend of Drunken Master (2000): First released as Drunken Master 2 in 1995, this re-release of a Jackie Chan Hong Kong action flick tells about a Kung-Fu master who teaches his son (Chan) how to fight with ballet-like movements, the style called Drunken Master. Fabulous ending. R. Movies 12. Mexican, The: Comic road movie stars Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini in a stupid mob caper south of the border. R. Cinemark. See review. Miss Congeniality: Comedy stars FBI agent Sandra Bullock posing as a beauty contestant, Miss New Jersey. Directed by Donald Petrie, it also stars Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine and William Shatner. PG-13. Movies 12. O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Ethan and Joel Coen's feel-good Depression-era comedy and homage to old timey music is their best ever. This Odyssey stars George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson as chain-gang escapees in Mississippi. With Holly Hunter, Charles Durning, John Goodman. Highest recommendation. Great screenplay, cinematography and CD. PG-13. Cinema World. See review. One Hundred Two Dalmatians: Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close) is back, and this time she's got a partner in crime, Jean Pierre Le Pelt (Gerard Depardieu). Live action comedy from Disney. G. Movies 12. Pledge, The: Sean Penn directs this Jack Nicholson detective thriller that also stars Sam Shepard, Helen Mirren and Vanessa Redgraves. Nicholson's a nearly-retired cop who's looking for the murderer of an 8-year old girl when he stumbles on something bigger. R. Movies 12. See review. Pollock: Ed Harris makes his directorial debut in this biopic about the great American abstract expressionist painter, Jackson Pollock, played to near perfection by Harris. Marcia Gay Harden won an Academy Award for her performance as his wife, painter Lee Krasner. Explosive, excellent film. Very highly recommended. R. Bijou. See review. See Spot Run: David Arquette plays a mailman who teams up with a crime-fighting canine in this comedy. Cinemark. Someone Like You: Tony Goldwyn directs this romantic comedy starring Ashley Judd, Greg Kinnear, Hugh Jackman and Marisa Tomei. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Spy Kids: Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi) directs this youth-oriented tale about superspies (Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino) who leave the life to marry and have a family. When they're kidnapped, only their kids can save them. PG. Cinemark. Cinema World. Tom Cats: Gregory Poirier's raunchy sex comedy stars Jerry O'Connell, Jake Busey, Horatio Sanz and Shannon Elizabeth. The last bachelor standing gets the pot. It's a guy thing. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. Traffic: Steven Soderbergh's acclaimed film looks at the failures of America's war on drugs with an all-star cast that includes Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Erica Christensen. Brilliant directing, excellent script and dynamite performances make this the best film of 2000. Academy Awards for Soderbergh's direction, Del Toro's acting, Gaghan's screenplay and Mirrione's film editing. R. Cinemark. See review. Unbreakable: M. Night Shyamalan's film stars Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson, who put themselves on the line in powerfully understated roles. Beautifully directed, very highly recommended movie. PG-13. Movies 12. See review. Wedding Planner, The: Romance about a San Francisco wedding planner (Jennifer Lopez) who meets the man of her dreams when a handsome pediatrician (Matthew McConaughey) saves her from a near-fatal collision with a runaway dumpster. PG-13. Movies 12. You Can Count on Me: Kenneth Lonergan's beautifully understated and generous
film about family ties stars Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo as adult siblings, Rory
Culkin as her kid, Matthew Broderick as her boss, and Jon Tenney as the guy who wants
to marry her. Funny and real, with wonderful performances by Linney and Ruffalo,
it's very highly recommended. Bijou. See
review. Bijou
Art Cinemas Regal
Cinemas Cinemark
Theaters
Men of Honor: Cuba Gooding Jr. plays the first black man in the Navy to try to be a SEAL. Robert De Niro plays the racist officer who tries to break him. Directed by George Tillman Jr. (Soul Food). R. Time Regained: Video is the only way Eugeneans will see this acclaimed film by Chilean filmmaker Raul Ruiz that had theatrical showings elsewhere last year. Based on the final volume in Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, it stars Catherine Deneuve, John Malkovich, Emmanuelle Béart and Vincent Pérez. In French with English subtitles. NR. What's Cooking?: The diversity of the American family is celebrated in this film, which opened in Portland last year but never came to Eugene. The film looks in on four California families on Thanksgiving; it stars Alfre Woodard, Julianna Margulies, Joan Chen, Kyra Sedgwick, Mercedes Ruehl and Dennis Haysbert. PG-13. Next week: Bamboozled; Billy Elliot; For Love or Country; Ladies Man;
Love, Honour and Obey; Rangers; Running Out of Time; Tigerland; Undesirable; West
Beirut and The Yards.
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