Tapeworms
Two top-notch independent films come out on video this week:
last year’s Sundance Film Festival success, "Living in Oblivion,"
and Giuseppe Tornatore’s psychological "A Pure Formality." If these
titles don’t stimulate you, also entering your video stores this
week are "Dangerous Minds," "Desperado" and "The Amazing Panda
Adventure."
"Living in Oblivion" (Sony Pictures Classics) Movies about
movie-making are a tricky affair. Robert Altman’s wickedly funny
"The Player" skewered Hollywood and the business of movies so
deftly, it looked easy. Two subsequent entries into the field, "And
God Spoke" and "My Life’s in Turnaround," attempted to satirize the
making of independent films, and failed miserably. Self-indulgent
and banal, these films seemed to prove that movies about
movie-making were one long, unfunny inside joke. Happily, "Living
Oblivion" destroys this theory with its clever, very funny
depiction of a film set beset with disasters. Steve Buscemi is a
hapless director who must contend with an insecure leading lady
(Catherine Keener), a temperamental cinematographer (Dermot
Mulroney) and an insufferably pompous leading man (a hilarious
James LeGros) as he struggles to realize his cinematic vision.
Writer-director Tom Dicillo is no stranger to the indie film world,
and his experiences have served him well. LeGros’ character is
rumored to have been inspired by Brad Pitt, the star of DiCillo’s
last indie flick, "Johnny Suede." DiCillo is taking shots at
everyone, from David Lynch (there is a segment about a dwarf and a
dream sequence) to himself, to anyone who’s ever dreamed of success
in the film industry. "Living in Oblivion" is wicked good fun, and
its crowning achievement is that those who have never worked on a
film can still enjoy it. C.T. A
"Dangerous Minds" (Hollywood Pictures) The plot for "Dangerous
Minds" is a familiar one: Teacher inspires underachieving students
to believe in themselves and reach new academic heights. From "To
Sir With Love" in 1967 to "Stand and Deliver" in 1988, the
specifics of this scenario have changed, but the theme has remained
the same. The teacher succeeds, the students prove they are not
losers and viewers shed tears of joy. "Dangerous Minds" sticks to
this formula, and though occasionally predictable, overly
sentimental and questionably credible, the film successfully
achieves genuinely funny, touching and poignant moments that
highlight the talent of Michelle Pfeiffer and her young supporting
cast. C.T. B
"Desperado" (Columbia) Writer-director Robert Rodriguez’s first
studio picture proves with startling efficiency that big is not
always better. Armed with several million dollars, a full crew,
Antonio Banderas and a whole lot of explosives, Rodriguez serves up
a disjointed mess that emphasizes cartoonish violence at the
expense of a coherent plot. This sequel to Rodriguez’s ultra-low
budget "El Mariachi" fails to preserve any of the original’s charm
or cinematic ingenuity. Banderas and voluptuous newcomer Salma
Hayek look great, but good hair and sex appeal can only get actors
so far when the script makes no sense. C.T. C
"A Pure Formality" (Sony Pictures Classics) This psychological
thriller imported from France begins with a bang – literally. A gun
swivels, points directly into the camera and fires. There is a
moment of confusion, then the sound of heavy breathing is heard as
the camera moves swiftly through a forest as a thunderstorm rages.
The scene is a bit jarring at first, but successfully captures
one’s full attention, and "A Pure Formality" will not lose its hold
on viewers until its remarkable conclusion. Gerard Depardieu stars
as Onoff, a reclusive writer of considerable fame, who is arrested
one night after police find him running through the rain. Unable to
establish the man’s identity, the police call in the Inspector
(Roman Polanski) who detains the writer for questioning. The
Inspector tells Onoff the interview is "a pure formality," and
promises to release him once some simple questions are answered.
Onoff has no choice but to cooperate,and what begins as a routine
interview becomes a grueling interrogation. It appears a murder has
been committed near Onoff’s farmhouse, and the Inspector believes
the writer is his chief suspect. Eerie, intriguing and thoroughly
engrossing, "A Pure Formality" will keep viewers talking about the
complexities of its plot for days. C.T. A
Reviews by Colburn Tseng. Tapeworms runs on Tuesdays.
"Safe" (Sony Pictures Classics) A
"Kids" (Trimark) A-
"Secret of Roan Inish" (Columbia/Tristar) B+
"Martha and Ethel" (Sony Pictures Classics) C
"Love and Human Remains" (Columbia/Tristar) C-
"Something to Talk About" (Warner Bros.) D
"Jade" (Paramount) FComments to webmaster@db.asucla.ucla.edu