Roll-M: The Latest on Screen |
The Others (starring Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston, Elaine Cassidy, Fionnula Flanagan, James Bentley, Alakina Mann, Eric Sykes; written and directed by Alejandro Amenábar; rated PG-13)
A classy, classic haunted house flick, The Others is this summer’s don’t-miss thriller. Spanish director Alejandro Amenábar (who also wrote both the screenplay and the music) has directed his first film in English, his second language. If The Others is any indication, his tongue-twisting name should soon be a household word.
And speaking of households, the eerily dark, fog-bathed mansion in The Others sets the scene for the thrills to come. Set in 1945 at the end of the Second World War, on a remote island off England, Amenábar draws us into his web with a frightening scream, then lets the story unfold at a leisurely pace, by which time we’re completely enmeshed. Everyone in this dark and mysterious house is downright spooky, from the aptly named Grace (Nicole Kidman), a religious war widow who gets her jollies reading scary bible stories to her children; to the kids themselves – two tykes who suffer from allergies to daylight, and finally to the gruesome threesome of servants who arrive unbidden at Grace’s door one day to help with the children and the household. Grace has long ago discontinued electrical service, the drapes must be drawn at all times, and rooms must always be locked upon entering and exiting. And then the fun begins.
Doors slam, floors and chandeliers shake, a piano plays when no one’s there, the kids have an “invisible” friend, and other gothic delights abound (thankfully, minus any blood or gore). And the ending is to die for – so to speak. ’Nuf said. Be prepared for a Sixth Sense kind of surprise twist.
The Others impresses with a superbly written script, excellent mood-setting direction and fine acting, even from the little ones. One thought – perhaps Amenábar should lay off the music – it tells us when to expect something scary – hesitates, then when we think everything’s okay – boo! gotcha! This timeworn technique spoils the surprises on occasion. Other than that – there are no others in sight to rival this movie for sheer summer horror fun. Rating4 ½ /5
Rush Hour 2 (starring Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Zhang Ziyi, Roselyn Sanchez and Alan King; written by Jeff Nathanson, directed by Brett Ratner; rated PG-13)
I still haven’t seen or rented Rush Hour 1, but it’s now on my to-do list. When Stevie Crowley (former MAAM editor) reviewed that first film, I recall her saying it was a “park your brain” movie, but thoroughly enjoyable. The same can be said for this sequel, a dual genre fish-out-of-water/buddy pic, and the best of the summertime movies redux so far. Chan and Tucker reprise their roles from the first film, this time in Hong Kong, on Chan’s turf. The story concerns a crime lord, spies and… oh, who cares. Park you brain, or at least put it in neutral. Go and enjoy the typical Chan martial arts scenes (including a great one in a massage parlor), humor, and especially the outtakes under the closing credits. Rating 3/5
American Pie 2 (starring Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Shannon Elizabeth, Eugene Levy; screenplay by Adam Herz, story by David Steinberg and Adam Herz; directed by J. B. Rogers, rated R)
Okay, I missed the first Pie also. Without benefit of that film, there are still a few good laughs in this, although I felt like I had dropped into someone’s frat party uninvited. These horny kids would seem to have nothing on their minds but sex (no drugs; some rock and roll) and the occasional beer. Hey, they’re in college, right? I really didn’t care who got it on with whom, and the lead character is definitely not Mensa material (he can’t tell Crazy Glue from shinola). Actually, this was one of the film’s better scenes, although the trailer gave away most of it weeks ahead of opening. And the advertising tag line, for those of you who actually might have missed this, hammers it home: “This summer it’s all about sticking together.” Insert wild laughter here.
If you’re 18, you might enjoy this, and as a 50-something, I must admit I had a few laugh-out-loud moments in spite of myself. But Mensans, be warned – your brains may become fodder for Pie 3. Rating 2/5
Planet of the Apes (starring Mark Wahlberg, Tim Roth, Helena Bonham-Carter, David Warner, Kris Kristofferson; screenplay by William Broyles Jr., Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal, based on a novel by Pierre Boulle; directed by Tim Burton; rated PG-13)
Okay, this isn’t a sequel, it’s a remake. When stumped for originality, Hollywood sings its past praises and hopes the audience won’t compare the results (which they inevitably do anyway). So here goes. There are some things that I like better about this new version (better special FX, costuming and makeup – although I wish the upper lips were a bit more articulated) and some things I think were done better in the 1968 original. The story also is slightly improved. But I long for a hero à la Charlton Heston, whose immortal line, “Get your hands off me, you damned dirty ape!” has taken a new and decidedly less satisfying turn in this new version. Ditto the ending. I liked the original version, with the Statue of Liberty buried on the beach, the nihilistic yet hopeful feeling it gave because perhaps we could still save the earth from such a fate. POTA Redux doesn’t have an appreciable ending, other than to say, “Stay tuned for POTA 2.” Perhaps next summer, we’ll be “treated” to Planet of the Apes 2 along with Rush Hour 3 and American Pie 3 (and no doubt Jurassic Park 4). Gotta love those exponents. Rating 2 ½ / 5