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It's a good bet that Chunhyang is probably the first Korean film to ever have a theatrical showing in Eugene, and it's no accident that Im Kwon Taek is the foremost director working in that country. He has more than 90 feature films to his credit, many strictly commercial, but for this adaptation of a well-known tale from literature, Im chose a form of musical storytelling called pansori. Traveling 17th century musicians created the art form, in which a drummer expresses the story's moods through varying rhythms and a singer, dancer, narrator plays all the roles. Chunhyang is unusual in other regards as well. Delight takes on new meanings between the young lovers whose sexuality is boundlessly playful and erotic. But, despite the Disneyfication of fairy tales in our culture, real folk tales aren't just about the good times. The best show the dark side of human nature as well. Inclusion of scenes of torture and degradation may shock Western audiences, but this shadow aspect also gives depth to a love that overcomes class differences, family objections and prolonged absence. The pansori singer, Cho Sang Hyun, 62, opens the film, performing in an auditorium before a contemporary audience. The powerful, emotive voice we hear in the film, however, comes from a 25-year old recording of Cho's voice. This theatrical sequence serves to place viewers in the moment as well as to familiarize them with this stirring, strange music. Scenes of Cho performing are intercut with the narrative. The first character we meet is Mongryong (Cho Seung Woo), the scholarly son of the regional governor. On a rare outing to an exquisite park with his personal servant, Pangja (Kim Hak Yong), he sees a laughing girl in a red dress on a swing, surrounded by other young women. Pangja tells him that she is Chunhyang (Lee Hyo Jung), the only daughter of a proud ex-courtesan. With Pangja's help, Mongryong sneaks out of his father's house that night and rides to the girl's modest home. He is unfailingly polite to the girl's mother, Wolmae (Kim Sung Nyu), who allows him to meet the educated and spirited Chunhyang, whom she has protected from men and their desires. The young couple are perfectly matched in beauty and poetic gifts, and the love they fall into is the state longed for in art, literature and music. But eventually the real world intervenes, and Mongryong must leave for the capital with his family to complete his studies and take the examination that will determine his position in society. The governor who replaces Mongryong's father is a cruel ruler, who exercises his right to every woman he wants. And he wants Chunhyang to be one of his courtesans. Chunhyang opens Friday, May 4 at the Bijou for a short run. Highly recommended.
The actors are strangled by lines best left unsaid and a simple-minded plot that gives each character just one trait and then forces the actor to say each line from within that box. For example, Randy (Matt Dillon) is a sad sack, hang-dog kinda guy. Everything he says comes from this depressed, poor me, she done me wrong state, and his facial expression never changes. Or take Jewel (Liv Tyler), whose three-headed neurosis -- she pouts, she vamps and she longs to be a homemaker -- points to an unhealthy self-involvement. She's the source of all the male characters' joys and woes, with a cold-blooded sexuality that's about as subtle as a coiled, hooded cobra's intentions. Jewel's secret yen to live in a house with Martha Stewart window treatments puts the final dollop on a coy persona that's as inconstant as a chameleon's hues. The other characters are equally one-sided. When you look at Mr. Burmeister (Michael Douglas, who co-produced this junk) with his fake pompadour, you think "What a sleaze." Bingo! At least Douglas underplays his character, which can't be said about Detective Dehling (John Goodman), who is sentimentally stupid and Jewel-besotted. Father Jimmy (Richard Jennings), the priest Dehling confesses his lust to, is a stereotypically repressed cleric who wants to hear every detail of the "sexual congress" between his parishioner and the girl. Andrew Dice Clay plays brothers Utah and Elmo; both are as rancid as Meat Loaf left on a warm range too long. Randy's lawyer cousin, Carl (Paul Reiser), looks like an ordinary guy, but he yearns to be kinky. Guided almost entirely by his little brain down below, Carl's version of kink is one of the film's rare visual jokes. Carl's therapist, Dr. Green (Reba McEntire), is the only actor in the movie to show any sign of intelligence and self-awareness. It's one thing to make TV commercials and music videos and quite another to direct a feature length film, as Zwart's audience quickly discovers. Interior shots at Randy's rundown Victorian house have to compete with too much unrelated pop-culture padding. All the sets are fussy, which suggests the director is not as confident as the brisk pace of the film implies. Zwart has followed the formulaic mix of murder, comedy and sex that Hollywood likes in movies such as Heartbreakers and The Mexican. Here it leads the viewer to empathize with Randy, who early on notes, tiredly: "It's just the sex and the violence all in one night is a little much." Now playing at Cinema World and at Cinemark, which is raising its ticket prices again this week. Not highly recommended.
Beyond the Walls (1984): Jewish and Palestinian convicts in a hellish prison unite to beat the system. Directed by Uri Barbash, it's brutal, but performances are good. Best film at Venice '85. R. 7:30 pm, 5/10, 115 Pacific, UO campus. Free. Chunhyang: From Korea, a folk tale about the plight of young lovers separated by family and circumstance makes a beautiful movie directed by the prolific Im Kwon Taek. The pansori singer who narrates the story is a trans-cultural treat. NR. Bijou. See review. Farewell to Matyora: Based on Rasputin's novel of the same name. 6:30 pm, 5/10, 119 Pacific Hall, UO campus. Free. Hannibal: Ridley Scott chronicles Hannibal Lector's inevitable return in this gruesome sequel starring Julianne Moore and Anthony Hopkins. Script by David Mamet, Steven Zaillian. Bloodsoaked, creepy movie earns its rating. R. Movies 12. See review. Knight's Tale, A: Aimed at 12-year-olds, this medieval adventure fantasy stars Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell. Directed by Brian Helgeland, co-writer of L.A. Confidential. PG-13. Sneak 4/5. Cinemark 17. Man of Iron (1981): Set in the Gdansk, Poland shipyards at the time of the dockworkers strike of 1980, Andrzej Wajda's film is about a journalist torn between party control of the press and the birth of free unions. With actual news footage of the protests, the birth of Solidarity, and an appearance by Lech Walesa. Best film Cannes '81. NR. 7 pm, 5/8, 122 Pacific Hall, UO. Free. Me You Them: Critics like Andrucha Waddington's film based on the true story of a creative, earthy woman (Regina Case) who lives in surprising harmony in a poor village in NE Brazil with her three husbands and many children under one roof. PG-13. Bijou. Mexican, The: Comic road movie stars Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and James Gandolfini in a mobbed-up escapade south of the border. Has its moment, but murder isn't really all that funny. R. Movies 12. See review. Mummy Returns, The: Starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz star in this thriller directed by Stephen Sommers. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. My Dreams, Your Nightmare: Israeli documentary. NR. 7:30 pm, 5/7, 119 Pacific Hall, UO campus. Free. One Word of Truth: Documentary based on Solzhenitsyn's Nobel Lecture. NR. 6:30 pm, 5/7, 115 Pacific Hall, UO. Free. Romero: John Duigan's 1989 movie about the passion of Archbishop Romero in San Salvador for his poor congregation and his murder by government goons stars Raul Julia in a fabulous performance. NR. 7 pm, 5/9, 180 PLC. Free Someone Like You: Tony Goldwyn directs this romantic comedy starring Ashley Judd, Greg Kinnear, Hugh Jackman and Marisa Tomei. PG-13. Movies 12.
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 on the prowl for a man. Hugh Grant's her boss, and Colin Firth is an old friend. Sharon Maguire's directorial debut. Script by Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis. Fun movie, highly recommended. R. Cinemark. Cinema World. See review. Cast Away: 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. Movies 12. See review. Caveman's Valentine: First run neo-Gothic thriller stars Samuel L. Jackson as a man caught between genius and madness who comes out of his fog to find the murderer of a transient. Based on George Dawes Green novel, movie's directed by Kasi Lemmon. R. Movies 12. Crocodile Dundee in L.A.: Simon Wencer directs the return of the old Aussie fave played by Paul Hogan, with Linda Kozlowski as the love interest. PG. Cinemark. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Ang Lee's cinematic masterpiece, romantic fantasy set in ancient China garnered 4 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. Double Take: It's Trading Places for the new century as NY investment banker (Orlando Jones) switches identities with a petty thief (Eddie Griffin). George Gallow directs. PG-13. Movies 12. Down to Earth: Chris Rock gets sent to Heaven by mistake, but then he comes back in the body of a recently murdered Manhattan mogul. Regina King, Mark Addy, Frankie Faison and Chazz Palminteri also star. PG-13. Movies 12. Driven: Sylvester Stallone in a racetrack action picture directed by Renny Harlin. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. 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's turned into a llama and learns to be nicer to others. G. Movies 12. 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. Flawed, but well worth seeing for Harris' performance. R. Cinemark. See review. Forsaken: Vampire flick stars Kerr Smith and Brendan Fehr. Directed by J.S. Cardone. R. Cinemark. Freddy Got Fingered: Tom Green directs and stars in this comedy, with Rip Torn and Julia Hagerty. R. Cinemark. Heartbreakers: Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt play mother/daughter con artists. Ray Liotta and Gene Hackman are marked men. David Mirkin directs. PG-13. Movies 12. See review. Joe Dirt, The Adventures of: Comedy directed by Dennie Gordon stars David Spader as a dunce who goes on a quest to find the parents who dumped him at the Grand Canyon when he was 8 years old. PG-13. Cinemark. Memento: Written, directed by Christopher Nolan, based on his brother Jonathan's story. Stars Guy Pearce as a man whose memory loss following a crime in which his wife was raped and killed propels him toward vengeance. With Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano. Wary viewers should question the film's skewed reality at every opportunity. R. Bijou. 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. Stars George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson, with Holly Hunter, Charles Durning, John Goodman. Highest recommendation. Fabulous screenplay, cinematography and CD. PG-13. Cinema World. See review. One Night at McCool's: Crime/sex comedy stars Matt Dillon, Paul Reiser, John Goodman and Liv Tyler playing one-note characters. She's trouble. Directed by Harald Zwart. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. See review. Saving Silverman: Steve Zahn and Jack Black try to keep Jason Biggs from marrying Amanda Peet when he loves Amanda Detmer. PG-13. Movies 12. See Spot Run: David Arquette plays a mailman who teams up with a crime-fighting canine in this comedy. PG. Movies 12. Spy Kids: Robert Rodriguez directs this youth-oriented tale about superspies (Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino) who leave the life to marry and have kids. When they're kidnapped, only their kids can save them. PG. Cinemark. Cinema World. Thirteen Days: Roger Donaldson's political thriller set in 1962 Cuban missile crisis as the Kennedy brothers scramble to avert Armageddon. Kevin Costner plays Kenny O'Donnell, Bruce Greenwood is JFK, and Steven Culp is Robert Kennedy. Very exciting, excellent film. PG-13. Movies 12. See review. Town & Country: Peter Chelsom directs Michael Laughlin and Buck Henry's comic script about marriage, friendship and love. Stars Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn and Garry Shandling. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. What Women Want: Mel Gibson as an accident victim who can
suddenly hear the private thoughts of women -- Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei and Lauren
Holly. PG-13. Movies 12. Bijou
Art Cinemas Regal
Cinemas Cinemark
Theaters
Interview, The: 1998 Australian film set in a police interrogation room is directed by Crag Monahan and stars Hugo Wearing and Tony Master. NR. Quills: Geoffrey Rush plays the 18th century novelist Marquis de Sade, writing like a fiend in Charenton Asylum for the insane. Joaquin Phoenix plays the good priest who runs the place. Kate Winslet plays the laundress who smuggles de Sade's kinky porn out to the world. Michael Caine plays the malevolent doctor who wants to silence him. This sometimes brutal and violent film is directed by Phillip Kaufman. Highly recommended for cast's great performances, especially Rush's sly madman. R. 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. Next week: Antitrust, Best in Show.
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