Hey folks, Harry here with a sleigh full of films I'm anxious to hear about. Personally, out of the selection below, the one I'm most anxious to see for myself is THE COOLER, but that's because I'm a self-professed William H Macy SuperFan. And the concept just makes me giggle. Glad to hear it's a good film, shame on that Dylan thing, but we'll hear about it from others as well to see if it is really that awful, or just a taste thing. Here's Memento Man...
Hi Harry!
The Sundance Adventure continues!
THE COOLER (Wayne Kramer) * * *
Buzzed-about film (the first to be picked up at Sundance this year, I believe, by Lion's Gate) that almost-but-not-quite lives up to all the hype. Certainly the strongest card in its hand is yet another winning performance by William H. Macy as Bernie Lootz, the "looser of all loosers." Bernie is employed by a Las Vegas casino as a cooler: somebody whose luck is so bad that he or she can stand at winning tables and cool down the winning streak. As Bernie explains, he does it, "just by being myself." The kicker, though, is that one night Bernie gets lucky in love with a cocktail waitress Natalie (Maria Bello), and suddenly goes from making everybody at a table lose to making them win. This, of course, is not acceptable to the boss (Alec Baldwin), who is willing to use mob-like methods to keep the profits high. A few twists and turns keep the action moving.
LAUREL CANYON (Lisa Cholodenko) * * *
Having premiered last year at Cannes, Sony Pictures Classics heeded Sundance's request not to show it at any other festivals so that it could play here as its U.S. Premiere. Couple Sam (Christian Bale) and Alex (Kate Beckinsale) move from Harvard to the Los Angeles area so Sam can do a psychology residency and Alex can finish her dissertation. The problem comes when they move in with Sam's mom Jane (the always-brilliant Frances McDormand), a record producer who introduces the straight-laced Alex to her world of sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. (Get ready for a threesome between Alex, her future Mother-in-law Jane, and Jane's 16-years-younger boyfriend.) Directed by Lisa Cholodenko (whose HIGH ART won the screenwriting award here at Sundance five years ago) this film constructs some interesting characters, throws them into a pit of boiling emotions, and then sits back and lets us watch the effects.
MASKED AND ANONYMOUS (Larry Charles) * 1/2
The hottest ticket in town last night (Bob Dylan, Penelope Cruz, Christian Slater, John Goodman, Val Kilmer, Jessica Lange, and several others big-name stars were all in attendance at this Festival Centerpiece Premiere) turns out to be a disaster. A challenging script by Larry Charles (Seinfeld) deconstructs so many things that we're quite honestly left with nothing. Apparently the film takes place in some unnamed foreign country beset with revolution, counter-revolution, and counter-counter revolution which are never fully explained. Uncle Sweetheart (John Goodman) tries to put together a benefit concert with some big name performers ("because we all know that musicians only show up if there's a benefit concert or an award.") He's only able to get Jack Fate (Bob Dylan) who is released from prison (he was jailed for hitting on the President-of-this-mysterious-country's girl.) All sorts of strange, not-developed, not-explained characters played by big name stars (all of those named above at the premiere as well as Giovanni Ribisi, Jeff Bridges, Luke Wilson and others who were not here last night.) The worst part of the film hands down was having to suffer through Bob Dylan's (a legend, I know! The voice of freedom!) wretched performance. The man can sing (and, OK, the soundtrack of his songs is great) but he couldn't act his way out of a paper bag; this is particularly, painfully noticeable around this Hollywood plethora of talent. This is the movie that should have remained masked and anonymous.
THE SHAPE OF THINGS (Neil LaBute) Play: * * * *. This Filmed Version of the Play: * * * 1/2. This Filmed Version of the Play if You are Stupid Enough to Go into it Not Expecting a Filmed Version of the Play: * * * .
Neil LaBute brings his powerful play about the possibilities of emotional cruelty to film. The other side of IN THE COMPANY OF MEN, it will knock you out of your chair. Yes, it's true, the film feels quite stagey. LaBute refuses to open this work up cinematically, retaining his three-act structure, his only-four characters, his bound settings, and his theatrical lines and cadences. But I think this is the point. If "all the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players" then LaBute wants us to watch a staged performance of the cruelty possible in all of the relationships we act out everyday. Paul Rudd and Rachel Weisz are stunning as the lead couple who meet in an art museum. Rudd is working as a guard just as Weisz is about to deface (free?) a nude statue that has been covered up by a local morality group. Little by little, the two grow togeher as Weisz encourages Rudd to take on her constructed characteristics of freedom. Rudd and Weisz played these roles on Broadway and it shows: every nuance, ever line, is delivered with a perfect sense of theatrical splendor. They are foiled by the minor couple, the also-adept Gretchen Mol and Fred Weller. What happens next will have you questioning whether there are any real relationships or merely just episodes of performance art.
As we pass the center point of the festival, maybe a quick review of films I've seen so far (in order of preference) will be helpful:
EXCELLENT
dot the I
The United States of Leland
VERY GOOD
The Shape of Things
The Mudge Boy
The Singing Detective
Normal
Soldier's Girl
GOOD
Laurel Canyon
The Cooler
The Event
Commandante
Bookies
FAIR
It's All About Love
In America
The Maldonado Miracle
Buffalo Soldiers
AVOID WITH YOUR LIFE
People I Know
A Foreign Affair
Masked and Anonymous
All the Real Girls
I hear there's going to be a big anti-war demonstration on Main Street on Thursday! Maybe I can join it and report from there! Until then, this is Memento Man, signing off!
