Monday, 7/7/97 Screenscene
"Men in Black" Directed by Barry Sonnenfield. Starring Tommy Lee
Jones and Will Smith In last summer’s box office hit "Independence
Day," Will Smith fought big, bad aliens. This summer, Smith
attempts to duplicate that smash success by starring in another
film where he kicks some alien butt. "Men in Black" introduces a
secret division of the government in charge of alien regulation.
They are the "best of the best" soldiers, recruited from the Army,
Navy, Marines and the NYPD. In exchange for having a personal life,
they are responsible for protecting unknowing citizens from
extraterrestrials who are trying to take over the world. Jones’s
veteran character takes Smith under his wing to teach him the finer
points of alien policing. But this movie is not about plots or
character development. It is a glittery showcase of clever
one-liners and amazing special effects. "Men" does very well in
fulfilling the task and even goes one step further. It is superior
to "Independence Day" because it knows it is pure fun. Unlike other
poorly plotted action films (like "Lost World," all the Batman
flicks and just about every other special-effects movie), "Men"
never pretends to be more than it is. There are no contrived moral
lessons nor are there melodramatic emotional scenes. Its witty
humor and imaginative action scenes give the audience an
entertaining action flick that doesn’t make them think too hard.
The other important element is Tommy Lee Jones. With his commanding
charisma and too-cool exterior, the formidable Jones takes charge
of every scene; even the Fresh Prince must take a step aside when
Jones is speaking. The unlikely partnership works surprisingly
well. With sharp black suits, matching Ray-Bans and futuristic
gadgets, director Sonnenfield delights in cramming in as many sight
gags as possible. With the surge in popularity of alien movies and
Smith’s growing stardom, there is not a doubt that "Men in Black"
will turn into box office gold. But unlike "Independence Day," "Men
in Black" deserves its success due to its sharp humor,
unpretentious attitude, and the stars’ cool chemistry. Aimee Phan
Grade: B "For Roseanna" Directed by Paul Weiland. Starring Jean
Reno and Mercedes Ruehl Love knows no limits, so the saying goes.
And director Paul Weiland ("Mr. Bean") intends to push the adage to
a level of absurdity in "For Roseanna," a comedy about the
misadventures of a man big in heart and firm in purpose. Jean Reno
("Mission: Impossible") plays a simple trattoria owner, whose wife
Roseanna, played by Mercedes Ruehl ("The Fisher King"), is about to
die from an unspecified illness. To make things more difficult,
there are only three burial spots remaining. Roseanna’s dying wish
is to secure one of them. To ensure the rest of the provincial
Italian community remains in good health, a doting Marcello
reinserts the plug to a life-support system of a comatose man and
stores a corpse in a Mercedes. Under Weiland’s direction, the story
lacks logic; it is an overdose of absurdity. If it were not for the
witty dialogue, one might be tempted to throw their arms up and
cry, "This is too much!" But the story is ingenious, despite all
its antics, which are quite horrific and even immoral. The
anti-hero seems to absolve himself perhaps because his motive is so
pure. After confessing his actions to Roseanna, she aids in the
cover-up. The pitfall is the plot, which proves to be blatantly
convenient. The bad guy blows his head off without any motive.
Money is needed and the banker dies. Things fall into place too
conveniently. Then again, it’s a farce. The cast is superb, with
Reno showing effortless comic timing. Who will not be beguiled by
his big childlike eyes and carried along by his energetic gait? Yet
even the most ridiculous story has a lesson to it. Love does
triumph in the end, but it also leaves a trail of havoc behind.
Alicia Cheak Grade: B+ "Wild America" Directed by William Dear.
Starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas Jonathan Taylor Thomas is
considered by many in the industry to be the "next big thing"
despite starring in a slew of forgettable films. His newest film is
with fellow teen poster boys Devon Sawa ("Casper") and Scott
Bairstow ("White Fang 2") in the family film "Wild America."
Directed by William Dear ("Harry and the Hendersons") and inspired
by the true story of the Stouffer brothers, who are now
award-winning documentary filmmakers, the movie is seen through the
eyes of young Marshall Stouffer (Thomas). The film follows him and
older brothers Marty (Bairstow) and Mark (Sawa) photographing
endangered wildlife across America. As it crawls along, the
audience is inundated with the usual cliches of all
"buddies-on-the-road-together" pictures. Subplots such as
Marshall’s desire to fly a plane and Marty’s struggle to gain
independence from his temperamental father come off as overtly
hokey and sentimental. The variety of animals shot by
cinematographer David Burr ("The Phantom") are well done, but fail
to capture the excitement or majestic quality that other similar
films such as "Black Stallion" or "Fly Away Home" inspire. The main
problem with "Wild America" is that it insults the average viewer’s
intelligence and emotions by telling him what to feel. Close-ups of
actors accompanied by sentimental music are laughable rather than
touching. The only thing that saves it from total failure is the
solid presence of veteran character actors Frances Fisher
("Unforgiven") and Jamey Sheridan ("Chicago Hope"), who play the
Stouffer parents. Unfortunately, their screen time is limited.
"Wild America" will appeal to 6-to16-year-old girls who enjoy
watching three teeny-bopper cover boys prance around together on
screen. Everyone else will be bored and dismayed by a film which,
if anything, is wildly inept. Tristan Thai Grade: D "Face/Off"
Directed by John Woo. Starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage For
those who feel Hollywood has reached its limit on the number of
planes, boats and automobiles it can demolish in a film, meet Hong
Kong director John Woo. His latest film is not only full of action,
but has a good plot and complex characters, something that the
average action movie lacks. The premise takes the traditional "good
cop chasing long-time nemesis" formula and adds a twist. John
Travolta is FBI agent Sean Archer, who has been chasing eccentric
terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) to avenge the death of his
son, Michael. When Troy falls into a coma, Archer assumes his
identity to find out from Troy’s brother where a bomb is hidden.
The plot turns as Troy awakens and kills the only two people who
know about the covert operation. Believability is a potential
problem. The film nearly succeeds, although the reasoning for the
surgical procedure is a bit far-fetched. But "Face/Off" adds
realism through character development. Archer’s obsession over his
son and Troy’s love for his brother are key elements. And the film
boldly adds complexity to an already unusual circumstance. For
those more interested in action than character development, Woo is
at his best, using innovative shots and interesting sequences. Even
with its abundance of action, the film would not work without its
actors. Cage and Travolta are entirely convincing. It is not a
matter of "Oh, Nicolas Cage is the good guy now." Rather, the
actors actually have the audience believing that the hero has the
villain’s face. Cage shines as Archer struggling to act like Troy
without compromising his morals. Travolta and Cage’s impressions of
each other are entertaining. "Face/Off" takes a tired genre and
livens it up with a talented cast and well-developed plot.
Stephanie Sheh Grade: A- Columbia Pictures Government soldiers K
(Tommy Lee Jones) and J (Will Smith) neuralyze a witness of an
alien encounter. Related Links Face-Off, official site For
Roseanna, official site Men In Black, official site Wild America,
official site