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MAN ON THE TRAIN: Directed by Patrice Leconte. Written by Claude Klotz. Produced by Philippe Carcassonne, Carl Clifton. Executive producer, Christophe Audeguis. Cinematography, Jean-Marie Dreujou. Original score, Pascal Esteve. Production deign, Ivan Maussion. Edited by Joelle Hache. Costumes, Annie Perier. Starring Jean Rochefort and Johnny Hallyday. With Jean-Francois Stevenin, Charlie Nelson, Pascal Parmentier, Edith Scob. Paramount Classics, 2003. R. 90 minutes.
This fine, character-driven film is so interesting and different from conventional movie fare that I want to call your attention to it without building unrealistic expectations. Set in an non-specific time, the film is an exploration of character that goes deeper than is possible with the bundle of character-traits that defines most film personae. It is a quiet film. You can relax into the richness of the cinematic experience without fearing the sudden, shocking revelations of the Psycho model of suspense. The film's many laugh-aloud lines surprised me, and its comic moments are as understated as its dramatic intimacy. The delightful quality of the film comes from the compassionate performances by the actors at its center — Jean Rochefort, 72, and Johnny Hallyday, who turns 60 this month. French icons of great versatility and depth, they are easily recognized by their many fans. Rochefort, who has made 80-100 films, has been regarded as an actor of note throughout a career that began in the 1950s. Hallyday made a name for himself as a rock and roll singer (18 platinum albums) and as a screen personality. They had not met prior to the film, but each knew of the other. Rochefort plays Manesquier, a retired poetry teacher who lives alone in this sleepy French town, surrounded by books, music and family history. Hallyday plays Milan, a bank robber who lives by his wits, has known many women and understands he has no real future. Profoundly un-alike, they're drawn to one another by a mysterious attraction. Manesquier and Milan's relationship remind me of the equally auspicious friendship that develops in Pedro Almadovar's Talk to Her between two men caregivers with little else in common, Benigno (Javier Camara) and Marco (Dario Grandinetti). A grace note to Rochefort and Hallyday's respective careers, Man on the Train calls upon not only their professional talents but also their willingness to open themselves emotionally to the experiences of the other. Director Patrice Leconte (Girl on the Bridge) and screenwriter Claude Klotz have stripped bare the story, which is simplicity itself. A stranger rides into town. A resident gives him shelter. They begin to interact in ordinary, everyday ways. Each sees in the other what he himself has not lived. By the end, they're able to enter each other's dreams. The film's opening scenes show that Leconte also uses color to distinguish the characters. Cinematographer Jean-Marie Drejou shot the picture on de-saturated film stock. A thin, steely blue dominates the train scenes, where Milan sits looking out on the blurry landscape, and it suffuses the train station, the empty streets and even the pharmacy where Milan goes for headache medicine. When Manesquier generously offers the stranger a glass of water and they enter his house, blue gives way to warmer brown tones and the softness of incandescent lights. For the final dream scenes, Drejou returns to a creamier blue, a peaceful aquamarine. Likewise, Pascal Esteve composed distinct themes for the characters — Ry-Cooder-like guitar pieces for Milan and lyrical, Schubert-like riffs for Manesquier. Leconte asked Esteve to compose a third theme for when the two are together. Then, he said, "Ry Cooder has to play with Schubert." I can imagine another director besides Leconte taking the care to put all the elements together to create such a film, but failing. Leconte's movie gives us a glimpse into that private place where our secret dreams live, an act done with such grace and humor that it shows the joy of living life or dreaming life to completion. Take time from your busy summer to relax with a film that will reward you by staying in your thoughts long after you've left the theater. Highest recommendations to Man on the Train, which opens Friday at the Bijou.
Passions
and Ideals FRIDA: Directed by Julie Taymor. Screenplay by Clancy Sigal, Diane Lake, Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas, based on Hayden Herrera's 1983 biography. Produced by Jay Polstein, Lizz Speed, Nancy Hardin, Lindsay Flickinger, Roberto Sneider, Sarah Green and Salma Hayek. Executive producers Mark Amin, Brian Gibson, Mark Gill, Jill Sobel Messick and Amy Slotnick. Cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto. Editor, Francoise Bonnot. Production design, Felipe Fernandez del Paso. Original music, Elliot Goldenthal. Starring Salma Hayek and Alfred Molina, with Ashley Judd, Geoffrey Rush, Antonio Banderas, Mia Maestro, Roger Rees, Edward Norton, Saffron Burrows and Valeria Golina. Singers, Caetano Veloso, Lila Downs, Chavela Vargas. Miramax Films, 2002. R. 122 minutes.
If you missed Frida's brief appearance last winter, catch it now before it leaves the big screen, because it is a visual treasure. Mexico City in the 1920s and '30s was alive with color, and painters Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek) and Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) were two of the most colorful people imaginable. Diego was already a well-established muralist and world-renowned painter by the time Frida met him. She was recovering from a terrible accident that affected her for the rest of life, but she wanted to paint if he said she had the talent. Both were Bolsheviks, as were their friends. Julie Taymor's film wisely places the two of them at the center of Frida's life, even though Frida's fame has eclipsed Diego's since her death at 47 in 1954. And despite their stormy relationship, they were friends who complemented each other both as artists and as lovers. Frida married him twice. Frida's work includes 200 emotionally revealing self-portraits, and the film goes a long way toward showing why. She had 35 operations following her accident in 1925 and tried any number of experimental treatments to fix the beautiful body that gave her such excruciating pain. As a result of severe pelvic and back injuries, she was frequently confined to bed, where she painted — her only model herself. While much of her art expresses physical distress, other paintings show her love of rich Tehuana costumes, hair ornamentation, large stone jewelry, exotic pet peacocks and monkeys and her deep joy in an active social life. One of my favorite scenes is at a party Frida attends with Diego before they become lovers. Diego gets into an argument with rival painter David Siquieros (Antonio Banderas), which the hostess, photographer Tina Modotti (Ashley Judd), turns into a drinking contest. Whoever drinks the most gets to dance with me, she announces, setting an opened whiskey bottle on the table. After Diego and David, Frida takes a huge swig, then leads Tina in a steamy tango. Diego is riveted. It's all over for him. The film follows Diego and Frida to New York, where Diego has been commissioned by Nelson Rockefeller (Edward Norton) to paint a mural for his building. Caught up as the city's celebrity darling, Diego is whisked from one adoring public affair to numerous private affairs, while Frida whiles away her time with one of his previous lovers, played by Saffron Burrows. Frida's hilarious fantasy of Diego as King Kong is priceless. Later, Russian exile Leon Trotsky (Geoffrey Rush) falls in love with Frida and proves himself an ardent lover. Trotsky and his wife reside in the home of Frida's father, Guillermo Kahlo (Roger Rees), while Stalin's goons look for him. Like Guillermo, who gives his daughter unstinting support for her art and her rebellious nature, Trotsky cannot resist Frida's beauty, obvious talent and outrageous personality. At least two other characters deserve mention. Lupe (Valeria Golino) plays Diego's former wife, who continues to live upstairs at his house with their two children, even after he marries Frida. Diego cannot live without Lupe's special mole. Cristina Kahlo (Mia Maestro) plays Frida's sister. At Frida's urging, Cristina takes the kids and leaves an abusive husband. The sisters are very close, until Diego's inevitable appetite comes between them. While it's unusual for me to review a film from last year that is about to be available on DVD and video, Frida offers a many-layered spectacle that will be lost on a small screen. Highly recommended, it's now playing at Movies 12.
Better Luck Tomorrow: Asian American high school seniors dabble in criminal activities in this satiric, exciting film directed by Justin Lin on a shoestring budget. Honest performances and relevant subject raise it above the usual teen flick. Highly recommended. R. Movies 12. Online archives. Dumb and Dumberer: Prequel is subtitled When Harry Met Lloyd and stars Derek Richardson and Eric Christian Olsen as the 1994 Dumb and Dumber duo in high school. Directed by Troy Miller, with Eugene Levy, Cheri Oteri and Luis Guzmán. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Hollywood Homicide: Fast-paced action comedy directed by Ron Shelton stars Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett as cops, with Isaiah Washington, Lena Olin, Bruce Greenwood, Master P., Lolita Davidovich, Dwight Yoakum, Keith David and Martin Landau. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. Man on the Train: Patrice Leconte's excellent character-driven film stars French icons Johnny Hallyday and Jean Rochefort as men with nothing in common, who meet in a small town and almost exchange identities. Film gives us a glimpse into that private place where our secret dreams live. Very highest recommendations. R. Bijou. See review this issue. Rugrats Go Wild: Nickelodeon's animated diaper set meets up wit the Wild Thornberrys after being washed ashore to a desert island from a storm-wracked cruise ship. Directed by Norton Virgien and John Eng. Bruce Willis voices Spike the dog. PG. .Cinema World. Cinemark. Stuart Little 2: Stuart goes to school now, and he has big brother George and baby sister Martha to play with. But a mysterious bird named Margalo involves everyone in an adventure. Voices of Michael J. Fox, Melanie Griffith, Nathan Lane, Geena Davis and more. PG. At 10 am Tues. 6/17 only; 50 cents admission. Movies 12. Vampire Hunters: Action-adventure horror film set in 17th century China has style, martial arts, a comic-book simplicity, decomposing zombies and powerful vampires that inhale a victim's blood at 30 paces. Heroes Rain, Lightning, Thunder and Wind dispatch maggot-ridden corpses and sucking vamps. Directed by Wellson Chin, written and produced by Tsui Hark. R. LateNite Bijou.
CONTINUING: Bringing Down the House: Domestic comedy starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifa is directed by Adam Shankman. PG-13. Movies 12. Bruce Almighty: Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Aniston star in this tale of a at TV reporter, who has a really bad day, rages against God and receives more than he expected. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. Core, The: Jon Amiel directs this adventure to the center of the earth. Scientists played by Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank and Bruce Greenwood journey deep into the earth to detonate a device to reactivate the planet's core. An unintentional comedy, it's a great break from reality. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Daddy Day Care: Eddie Murphy and Jeff Garlin lose their jobs and can't afford day care for their sons, so they open their own facility. Comedy directed by Steve Carr also stars Anjelica Huston, Steve Zahn and Regina King. PG. Cinemark. PG. Down With Love: Peyton Reed re-invents the look and feel of a 1962-era Doris Day, Rock Hudson musical with Renee Zellwegger and Ewan McGregor. Also stars David Hyde Pierce, Tony Randall and Sarah Paulson. Entertaining froth. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Finding Nemo: Pixar (Toy Story) presents this computer-animated fantasy of two Clownfish, Marlin and his son Nemo, who get separated in the Great Barrier Reef. Written and directed by Andrew Stanton (A Bug's Life), with voices by Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, Allison Janney. Very highly recommended. G. Cinema World. Cinemark. Online archives. Frida: Salma Hayak plays Frida Kahlo, the feminist painter and wife of Mexico's great muralist and painter Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) and lover of Leon Trotsky (Geoffrey Rush). Directed by Julie Taymor. 2002 Academy Awards to the late Elliot Goldenthal for original score; also, makeup. Underrated film is one of the most visually lush films of 2002. R. Movies 12. See review this issue. Gangs of New York: Martin Scorsese's bloody epic set in mid-1800s N.Y. stars Leonard DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis as rival gang leaders. Co-stars Cameron Diaz, John C. Reilly and Jim Broadbent. One of 2002's great films, with many Academy Award nominations. Very highest recommendations. R. Movies 12. Online archives. Good Thief, The: Neil Jordan directs the great Nick Nolte in this remake of a French heist movie that incorporates some amazing characters and a smart double plot that sneaks right past you if you don't pay close attention. Highly recommended. Bijou. Online archives Head of State: Chris Rock directs, co-writes and stars in this tale of a D.C. alderman who runs for the presidency. Also stars Bernie Mac, Dylan Baker, Robin Givens, James Rebhorn. PG-13. Movies 12. How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days: Magazine columnist Kate Hudson and ad agency professional Matthew McConaughey try to get the other to fall in love, but things go awry. High-energy romantic comedy. PG-13. Movies 12. Italian Job, The: Mark Wahlberg leads a heist that's double-crossed by one of his crew. Charlize Theron plays a safecracker in this cool revenge movie. Also stars Edward Norton, Mos Def and Donald Sutherland. Highly recommended for its pure entertainment value. PG-13. Cinemark. Cinema World. Online archives. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: Directed and re-imagined by Peter Jackson, part two of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy continues. New characters, a surprise return and great battles. Director Peter Jackson's second masterpiece. Very highest recommendations. 2002 Academy Awards for sound editing, visual effects. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Malibu's Most Wanted: Jamie Kennedy, Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson in an urban comedy about hip-hop culture. PG-13. Movies 12. Matrix Reloaded: Second chapter brings Neo (Keanu Reeve), Trinity (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) closer to solving the enigma but also puts them in greater danger. Written and directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski, it also stars Hugo Weaving, Jada Pinkett Smith and Gloria Foster. R. Cinemark. Cinema World. Online archives. Old School: From Road Trip, Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn try to recapture the fun of their college years by starting their own off-campus frat house. R. Movies 12. Shanghai Knights: Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson are out to settle a score in Victorian London in this comedy directed by David Dobkin. PG-13. Movies 12. Spun: Eugene premiere of film co-written by former UO student Creighton Vero and former Eugene resident, William De Los Santos. Stars Jason Schwartzman, who plays a meth freak, and Mickey Rourke, who plays a meth dealer. Other stars include John Leguizamo, Mena Suvari, Patrick Fugit and more. NR. LateNite Bijou. Two Fast, Two Furious: John Singleton directs this sequel action adventure about street racing. Stars Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Cole Hauser, Eva Mendes. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. What a Girl Wants: Teen Amanda Bynes is "trying to fit in, born to stand out." She wants a fairy tale relationship with her absent dad and is tired of living with her unconventional mom, played by Colin Firth and Kelly Preston. Oliver James plays her love interest. PG. Movies 12. Wrong Turn: Jeremy Sisto, Eliza Dushku, Desmond Harrington and Emmanuelle Chriqui are trapped in the West Virginia wilderness and pursued by cannibalistic mountain men. Help! R. Cinemark. X-Men 2: The next link in the evolutionary chain? Directed by Bryan Singer, stars Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden and more, lots more. PG-13. Cinemark. MOVIE
THEATERS Bijou
Art Cinemas Regal
Cinemas Cinemark
Theaters
NEW
RELEASES ON VIDEO Chinese Box (1997): Director Wayne Wang sets the film in Hong Kong during the first six months of 1997, just as the territory was reverting to the Chinese. Very interesting, poetic treatment of the period stars Jeremy Irons, Gong Li and Maggie Cheung. Highly recommended. R. Erich von Stroheim Collection: Three-DVD collection includes re-mastered versions of the director's early films such as the silent and rarely seen Blind Husbands (1919), Foolish Wives (1922), Gloria Swanson's incomplete Queen Kelly (1929); talkie. The Great Gabbo; documentary The Man You Love to Hate, commentary, outtakes, radio performances. Happiness: Todd Solondz's 1998 film is the disturbing story of three sisters, their husbands and domestic woes and one's psychiatric patients. Riveting performances by Dylan Baker, Jane Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Tech credits excellent, cast outstanding, but there's no heart. R. Pipe Dream (2002): Great cast includes Martin Donovan, Mary-Louise Parker, Rebecca Gayheart. Sebastiane (1976): In his first feature film, Derek Jarman retells St. Sebastian's martyrdom, giving it an erotic slant. Reviewer Paul Malcolm notes that "Jarman does more than explore the pleasures and anxieties of men keeping company with men. He outs the latent homoeroticism of onscreen antiquity with a lyrical power that still resonates today." On DVD. Songcatcher: Sweet 2000 film about an early 20th century musicologist (Janet McTeer) who discovers the joys of Appalachian music and culture. Authentic music accompanies unfolding love stories of three couples. Directed by Maggie Greenwald (Ballad of Little Jo), film is a must for traditional music fans who enjoyed Oh Brother Where Art Thou? DVD includes extended scenes and music only tracks. PG-13. Online archives. What's Cooking?: The diversity of the American family is celebrated in Gurinda Chaha's film, which never played Eugene. The film looks in on four California families at Thanksgiving. It stars Alfre Woodard, Julianna Margulies, Joan Chen, Kyra Sedgwick, Mercedes Ruehl and Dennis Haysbert. DVD has cast and crew interviews. PG-13. Next week: Black and White in Color, Dark Blue, The Hours, Intacto, Kangaroo Jack, King of the Hill, Punch Drunk Love and Warm Water Under a Red Bridge. |
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