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Domestic
Bliss
Does it exist?
By Lois
Wadsworth
THE VERTICAL RAY OF THE SUN (Vietnam):
Written and directed by Tran Anh Hung. Produced by Christophe Rossignon. Production
manager, Eve Machuel. Executive producer, Benoit Jaubert. Cinematography, Mark Lee
Ping-Bin. Art director, Benoît Barouh. Costumes, Susan Lu. Editor, Mario Battistel.
Original music, Ton That Tiet. Vietnamese songs composed by Trinh Cong Son, sung
by Vu Thanh Xuan. Starring Tran Nu Yên-Khé, Nguyen Nhu Quynh and Lê
Khanh. With Ngô Quanq Hai, Tran Manh Cuong, Chu Ngoc Hung, Le Tuan Anh and
Lê Van Lôc. Sony Pictures Classics Release, 2001. PG-13. 112 minutes.
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The three sisters:
Suong (Nguyen Nhu Quynh), Lien (Tran Ny Yen-Khe) and Khanh (Le Tuan Anh).
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This beautiful, languid film centers around the domestic life of three
sisters, their husbands and a brother. The opening scenes set the pace for director
Tran Anh Hung's leisurely storytelling. The youngest siblings -- Hai (Ngô Quanq
HaiLien) and Lien (Tran Ny Yên-Khé) -- share a light-filled, airy apartment
in Hanoi. He wakes slowly, hit by a ray of sun, stretches, yawns and patters around
the flat. Raising the curtain separating his sleeping sister's bed from his, he gently
shakes her awake. She rises and begins her exercises. The radio is playing. Time
stretches out like a lazy cat on a rug, as the routines of daily life commence.
This special day celebrates the birthday of their late mother,
so Hai and Lien, who works as a waitress in the cafe owned by their older sister,
Suong (Nguyen Nhu Quynh), join the others. Their middle sister, Khanh (Le Tuan Anh)
is at the cafe with her novelist husband, Kiên (Tran Manh Cuong), who suffers
writer's block. Suong's husband, Quôc (Chu Ngoc Hung), a nature photographer,
is a more complicated man. Their son is called "Little Mouse."
The sisters sing and laugh together as they prepare food. A picture
builds of harmony and balance, a nurturing family circle where creativity is expressed,
and pleasure is taken and given. But later the sisters talk about how their parents
had the ideal relationship, except for one thing. When she was dying, their mother
called their father by another man's name, Toan. Maybe she had a secret lover.
The sisters mull over this stain on their parents' otherwise spotless
marriage, but before long other secret affairs are revealed -- a husband's secret
wife and child, a wife's secret (and wordless) love affair, pregnancies. But like
everything about this exquisite, lovingly detailed film, such information comes dispassionately.
We do not see the domestic fireworks where adultery is confronted, only the calmer,
more deliberate moments that come later.
If there's a flaw in the film, it resides in Lien, the major character,
who is dangerously naive. Perhaps the mother died before this girl received a good
grounding in reality. She toys with her actor brother, Hai, flirts with him and tells
him that when they are out together, people think they are married. Lien's innocence
(or willfulness) steals very close to incest.
It is a real treat to simply look at the faces, listen to the voices,
especially the singers, and enjoy the loveliness of a world most of us will never
experience first-hand. Thanks to Mark Lee Ping Bin's radiant cinematography, the
scenes set at a remote lake are breathtaking. Its pristine vistas reflect a purity
of form that the movie also aspires to reach. Highly recommended, The Vertical
Ray of the Sun opens Friday, Oct. 12 at the Bijou.
OPENING
OR RETURNING:
Films open the Friday following date of EW publication unless
otherwise noted.
American Outlaws: Les Mayfield (Flubber) directs Colin Farrell,
Scott Caan, Ali Larter in a youth Western about the James Gang. Tag line: Bad is
Good Again. No, but crap is still crap. PG-13. Movies 12.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire: Disney animated tale directed
by Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale. Voices include Michael J. Fox, James Garner and
Leonard Nimoy. PG. Movies 12.
Bandits: In the words of the Village Voice: "One
girl, two guys, two toupees." Bank robbers Billy Bob Thornton and Bruce Willis
visit bank officers, spend the night, and take them in to open the safe the next
morning. Real trouble comes when they fall in love with their kidnap victim, housewife
Cate Blanchett. Barry Levinson directed. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World.
Blow-Up (1966): Set in 1960s London, Michelangelo Antonioni's
beautiful film about a photographer who may or may not have photographed a murder
in a park is also about the voyeurism of the film experience. At 7 pm 10/17 in 180
PLC. Free.
Celebration, The: (Denmark, 1998) It's dad's 60th birthday,
and his three grown children return to the estate where they grew up. Before dinner
is over, a very dark family secret has been revealed. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg,
this Dogme film's hand-held camera, lack of special effects and ambient sound regimen
feels just right for the explosive family drama. Highest recommendations. At 8 pm
10/12 in 180 PLC. $2 students/$3 others. R.
Corky Romano: Corky (Chris Kattan) is a kindly veterinarian
who gets drawn into becoming an F.B.I. agent to help out his long-lost Mafia boss
father (Peter Falk), who's being investigated. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark.
Curse of the Jade Scorpion, The: Woody Allen's 1940s comedy
stars Allen, Helen Hunt, Dan Aykroyd, Elizabeth Berkeley, Wallace Shawn, David Ogden
Stiers and Charlize Theron. Allen's a NY insurance investigator who gets involved
in a crime caper. PG-13. Movies 12.
General, The: John Boorman's excellent fictionalized tale
of the wild antics of real-life Irish crime boss Martin Cahill, who's become a celebrity
since the IRA gunned him down in 1994. Stars Brendan Gleeson in a role he was destined
to play, with a terrific ensemble that includes Jon Voight and Adrian Brody. One
of 1998's very best, it plays at 7 pm 10/16 in 122 Pacific Hall, UO campus. R. Free.
Iron Monkey: Miramax re-releases this vintage '93 Hong Kong
action picture directed by Yuen Wo-Ping, who choreographed The Matrix and
Crouching Tiger. Rongguang Yu stars as a village doctor who has a secret life
as a Robin Hood-like figure. PG-13. Cinemark.
Our Song: Here's another opportunity to see Jim McKay's
highly acclaimed film, which sold out for both showings at EW's 2001 film festival.
Realistic drama explores the lives of three 15 to 16-year old African-American girls
from Brooklyn (Kerry Washington, Anna Simpson, Melissa Martinez) as personal issues
push them into early adulthood and different paths. Highest recommendations. R. Bijou.
Online archives.
Vertical Ray of the Sun (Vietnam): Lovely, understated film
set in Hanoi centers around the lives of three beautiful sisters, played by Tran
Nu Yên-Khé, Nguyen Nhu Quynh and Lê Khanh. A domestic drama, it
gently explores secrets between sisters and between husbands and wives. Written and
directed by Tran Anh Hung, it's highly recommended. PG-13. Bijou. See review.
CONTINUING
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. All three give excellent performances, especially Zellwegger.
Sharon Maguire's directorial debut. Script by Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies and Richard
Curtis. Funnier on second viewing, this smart, good-hearted romp is highly recommended.
R. Movies 12.
Cats and Dogs: An inside look at pet wars at home while
grown up people are at work. Kitty (Sean Hayes, voice) has grandiose plans other
critters want to stop. Live-action comedy directed by Larry Guterman also features
animatronic, computer-generated action. PG. Movies 12.
Don't Say a Word: Based on Andrew Klaven's novel, film is
about a child psychiatrist (Michael Douglas) who tries to save his daughter from
a kidnapper by getting critical information from a disturbed patient. Gary Fleder
directs. R. Cinemark.
Fast and Furious, The: Undercover cop (Paul Walker) infiltrates
gang-like LA street racing teams in Rob Cohen's action-adventure that also stars
Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez (Girlfight). PG-13. Movies 12.
Hearts in Atlantis: Anthony Hopkins and Hope Davis star
in Scott Hicks' late-1950s adventure drama. Written by William Goldman, based on
Stephen King's novel. PG-13. Cinemark.
Joy Ride: Scary road trip about a practical joke turned
lethal stars Paul Walker and Steve Zahn, who play brothers, and Leelee Sobiesky.
John Dahl directs. R. Cinemark. Cinema World.
Jurassic Park 3: Sam Neill reprises his role as paleontologist
Grant. Joe Johnston directs. Grant takes a rich adventurer (William H. Macy) and
his wife (Téa Leoni) for a fly-by of the forbidden island. Lots of dinosaurs!
PG-13. Movies 12.
Legally Blonde: Reese Witherspoon plays a LA natural blonde
who goes to Harvard Law School to persuade Warner (Matthew Davis) that she's the
one for him. Directed by Robert Luketic. Also stars Selma Blair, Victor Garber, Holland
Taylor, Jennifer Coolidge and Luke Wilson. PG-13. Movies 12. See review.
Made: The Swingers team is at it again. Jon Favreau
directs, writes and co-produces with Vince Vaughn in this tale of two goofy guys
trying to break into the mob. Also stars Peter Falk and Sean Combs. R. Bijou. See review.
Max Keeble's Big Move: Seventh grader Alex D. Linz thinks
he's moving in a week so he concocts sweet revenge against classmates, only to discover
that the family's not moving after all. Oops. Directed by Tim Hill. PG. Cinemark.
Cinema World..
Megiddo: Actually this Christian film about Armageddon should
be subtitled Omega Code 2. The Dallas Morning News reviewer wrote:
"You'd just about have to give movie cameras to monkeys to make a film worse
than [this.]" Brought to you by same film companies responsible for other movies
from the religious right, Carman and The Omega Code. PG-13. Cinema
World.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975): Re-release of famous
comedy about the Arthurian legend directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones stars
Gilliam, Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman. Brilliantly
manic and gruesome. A cult classic. PG. Bijou.
Others, The: A haunted Victorian mansion, a rigid and icy
mother (Nicole Kidman) and two special kids who see things makes this one of the
scariest movies made, critics say. Directed by Spanish filmmaker Alejandro Amenábar
with style, it's very highly recommended. PG-13. Cinemark. See reviews.
Pearl Harbor: An over hyped WWII drama that critics have
correctly drubbed and audiences largely ignored. Director Michael Bay and producer
Jerry Bruckheimer's $135 million WWII epic stars Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate
Beckinsale. Forgettable. PG-13. Movies 12. See review.
Planet of the Apes: Re-imagining of the 1968 original by
filmmaker Tim Burton has great makeup and quicker-witted, stronger apes who act more
like real ones. Tim Roth walks away with the show as the menacing chimpanzee who
wants to kill all humans. Stars Mark Wahlberg, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke
Duncan, Paul Giamatti and Tim Roth. PG-13. Movies 12. See review.
Score, The: This Frank Oz action movie stars Robert De Niro
as a career criminal who breaks his own rule to take an unknown (Edward Norton) as
partner on a heist. Also stars Marlon Brando, Angela Bassett. Great acting. R. Movies
12. See review.
Serendipity: Destiny has them meet by chance in a department
story, and fate parts them right away. Now it's 10 years later, and John Cusack and
Kate Beckinsale try to find each other again. Directed by Peter Chelsom (Town
& Country). PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World.
Shrek: Computer-animated fairy tale (by DreamWorks' Pacific
Data Images, makers of Antz) stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
and John Lithgow. Entertaining and funny for kids and grown-ups. PG. Movies 12. See
review.
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. Movies
12.
Training Day: Directed by Antoine Fuqua, this cop show features
a rookie nark (Ethan Hawke) who spends his first day -- a trial by fire -- with a
rogue senior officer (Denzel Washington). With Scott Glenn, Eva Mendes. Snoop Dogg,
Dr. Dre, and Macy Gray make cameos. R. Cinemark. Cinema World.
Zoolander: In his first foray in directing since The
Cable Guy, Ben Stiller also writes and stars in this comedy about a male model
brainwashed into taking on a secret mission. With Owen Wilson, Christine Taylor and
Milla Jovovich. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark.
MOVIE
THEATERS
Use the links provided below for specific show times.
Bijou
Art Cinemas
Bijou Theater 686-2458 | 492 E. 13th
Regal
Cinemas
Cinema World 342-6536 | Valley River
Center
Springfield Quad 726-9073 |
Cinemark
Theaters
Movies 12 741-1231 | Gateway
Mall
Movies before 12:30 are Sat. Sun. only. $1.50 all shows all days.
Cinemark 17 741-1231 | Gateway Mall
NEW RELEASES
ON VIDEO:
Releases subject to change. Available the Tuesday following date of
EW publication, sometimes sooner:
Angel Eyes: Luis Mandoki's romance between a cop (Jennifer Lopez) and a mysterious
man (Jim Caviezel) also stars Sonia Braga. LA Weekly calls it a "sappy
love story," and blames scriptwriter Gerald DiPego who "plots himself into
a dead end where the only way out is to have the lovers each deliver life-changing,
soul-purging monologues." R. Movies 12.
Cats and Dogs: An inside look at pet wars at home while
grown up people are at work. Kitty (Sean Hayes, voice) has grandiose plans other
critters want to stop. Live-action comedy directed by Larry Guterman also features
animatronic, computer-generated action. PG
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: George Lucas' prequel (Episode
One) to his blockbuster Star Wars series stars Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie
Portman and Jake Lloyd, but the real draws are the other worlds and fabulous creatures.
Great special effects and visuals, but human interactions are dwarfed by the scope
and diminished by the technology of future wars. PG-13.
Next week: Dr. Dolittle, Dumbo, Final Fantasy, Freddy
Got Fingered and Town & Country.
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