Earth Girls are Easy (1989) (***1/2, comedy) (D-, Julien Temple,Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, Julie Brown, Jim Carrey, Damon Wayans, Michael McKean) I hate... No, I loathe musicals. Earth Girls Are Easy is a musical of sorts. I liked it. This is one strange movie. A valley girl beautician, Davis, works at the Curl Up and Dye hair salon. She is exploited and verbally abused by her doctor boy friend, who is a crashing bore ("He thinks more of himself than he does of me." Ambrose Bierce) Her life is turned upside down when three spectacularly hued and hairy, horny, spacemen crash in her swimming pool. It gets worse. Much worse. The interaction of these aliens with our, to them, completely alien environment is a riot. Some of the scenes where all three of them are wandering around the house getting into mischief simultaneously must be viewed several times to pick up on everything that is going on. Their looks are "improved" after a cut and complete make over at the salon, but looks still don't correct their failure to connect to our society and technology. Pure Keystone Cops. Light hearted, energetic, and infectiously amusing. So much so, that I can even put up with the few musical numbers. Brown also wrote and sings the savagely satirical "Cause I'm a Blond". The recent TV release was cut in at least one significant place. Beginning

Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) (***, 50s sci fi) (D.-Fred F. Sears; Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, Morris Ankrum, Tom Browne Henry, voice of Paul Frees) Stylish little "aliens invade earth" (surrender or else) done in matter of fact movie theater film news presentation voice over style.a Special effects courtesy of master miniature manipulator Ray Harryhausen. Harryhausen's climactic battle is pretty nifty, especially when you consider that it was all done with stop-action miniatures. For example, when the saucer crashes into the government building, the collapse of the building was all done with stop action. Each individual piece of rubble had to be suspended and lowered bit by bit between each frame while still having the supports invisible. (7-31-95) Beginning

Eating Raoul (1982) (**1/2, black humor) (D.-Paul Bartel, Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov, Robert Beltran) A very black, very tasteless, but quite funny comedy. A young couple in desperate need of money to finance their dream diner discover a cornucopia. It proves very lucrative to attract sexual perverts and do them in; however, not for the reasons you might think. The less said, the more enjoyable the shock--or maybe not. Be forewarned. Not for the squeamish or the tasteful. Incidentally, Bartel and his wife Woronov are fringe B level directors who hit it big with Raoul. (8-2-93) Beginning

Edge, The (1997) (***1/2, suspense, drama) (D.-Lee Tamahori; Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Elle Macpherson, Harold Perrineau, L.Q. Jones, Kathleen Wilhoite) Definitely a big screen film, so don't miss it at the theater. Another first class suspense film this year. In a year dominated by high tech films, it is refreshing to find that some directors can still get by largely low tech with characters and nature. Since it was written by David Mamet, it is no surprise that dialogue, plot, and nuances are important. Taut. Brutal. Cerebral, but also a real adrenal rush. Charles Morse (Hopkins) is a self-made billionaire. He is distant and single minded. Once confronted with a problem he goes about solving it dispassionately, efficiently, and methodically--including acquiring a beautiful trophy wife (Macpherson). He is also a voracious reader who assimilates everything. On an Alaskan outing, he is about to find out how theoretical book-learned survival skills work when confronted with raw, unforgiving nature. With him is his young employee Robert Green (Baldwin) who may have a hot thing going with his wife and, thus, a vested interest in Hopkin's failure to emerge from the wilderness. However, in this case survival required a keen interest in your colleagues' welfare. Baldwin and Hopkins are perfect foils.

The magnificent wilderness is an integral part of the film (with stunning Alberta standing in for magnificent Alaska). Humanity's insignificance in the face of beautiful, overwhelming nature is stunningly portrayed. Human problems are reduced to total insignificance. Nature isn't actively trying to kill them; it just doesn't care about them. The exception to passive extermination is the grizzly. Lewis and Clark first encountered them on their western expedition and were in awe of these fearsome "grizzly" killing machines. This group quickly learns why.

Don't fret over the bear's psychology. As with the shark in Jaws, liberties are taken for plot development. However, in terms of physical prowess, there is no exaggeration, but may be understatement. Their sheath of fat covers a frame of pure muscle, bone, and sinew. Efficient killers, with no natural enemies or fear of man, a grizzly at full gallop can do 30 mph and take down a caribou with one blow. Much of what you see is Bart the Bear supplemented where necessary by an Animatronic bear.

There are a few serious errors. Unless I missed something in physics, you cannot magnetize a paper clip by rubbing it on silk (although it may well be magnetized by having been on a magnetic paper clip holder). Also, as our son pointed out, the little yellow plastic tags on many of the trees (trail markers, camera targets, markers for the actors?) seemed a bit out of place in trackless wilderness. Although we didn't count them in the heat of the moment, the six matches seemed to last an awfully long time.

I conclude with two thoughts. I think the ending was perfect. It left plenty of room for discussion of what will happen next and the long term effects on the characters--although my wife felt it could have ended 30 seconds earlier. Finally, "Why isn't the rabbit afraid of the panther?" (10-27-97) Beginning

Edge of Darkness (1943) (***1/2, war, drama) (D.-Lewis Milestone; Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Walter Huston, Nancy Coleman, Helmut Dantine, Judith Anderson., Ruth Gordon, John Beal, Roman Bohnen) A propaganda film, but when has that stopped talent from making art? Set in a small Norwegian town during the Nazi occupation. The opening, like a pit bull, buries its teeth in you and never lets go. A German patrol, investigating the failure of their garrison to report and an ominous Norwegian flag flying over the town, finds remnants of a give no quarterask no quarter battle. The sole living thing is a crazed Norwegian. The town is littered with German and Norwegian bodies, as is the German's final strong hold. The garrison's commandant is found in his smashed office lying across his desk with a bullet in his head and a luger nearby. The next cut is to a few weeks earlier and the events leading to the carnage. The story is taut, brutal, and compelling. The characters are rich, ambiguous and believable. In short, real humans with uncertainties, fears, and genuine disagreements about what to do. Excellent acting. Scenes that Spielberg could have lifted for Schindler's List. The German commander (Dantine) is portrayed with far more complexity and humanity than you would expect, nor was probably even desirable, for a propaganda film. Excellent cinematography and a rich tapestry of details and character nuances make for a thought-provoking evening. Note for example how the townspeople post look outs and are warned of approaching Germans. Also, the "young" German soldiers look genuinely frightened during the apocalyptic final confrontation, quite possibly because they were or would shortly be draftable and this was painfully realistic. Also, note the number of bullets fired and the final reporta fertile ground for argument in my family. A warning: The back drops and models weren't very good. However, this was war time, and I don't feel that it detracted from the plot's intrinsic power. Finally, it is a propaganda piece and ultimately does push its message. (9-12-94) Beginning

Ed Wood (1995) (****, docudrama, comedy) (D.-Tim Burton; Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sara Jessica Parker, Bill Murray, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio) NOT for all tastes. The following review is based on the film, the 1 hour documentary Ed Wood: Look Back in Angora, and a re-viewing of the five day filming wonder Plan 9 from Outer Space. Wood is a truly offbeat film about a marginalized, but very recognizable and believable, group of people. Wood was a cross dresser with a penchant for angora sweaters and well-endowed blondes. He was a highly decorated WWII Marine who went into battle in panties and bra hoping that if he were hit he would be killed so he wouldn't have to explain. His overriding passion was to make films. His entourage included Cresswell (Jones), a psychic, who probably couldn't get the time of day right in front of a clock tower, Tor, a Mac-truck sized Swedish wrestler, Bela Lugosi (Landau) in his waning years, and Vampira (the down-on-her luck TV horror show host) who hoped that by not speaking in Plan 9 perhaps no one would recognize her!! A genuinely touching film about the man who is considered to be the world's worst director and credited with the world's worst film Plan 9 from Outer Space.a Footnote: a Actually, this really isn't accurate. It isn't clear what the term "worst" really means in film and director. The truth is that there are any number of modern films, the slasher genre comes to mind, that make Wood's films look like paragons of love and artistry. Even the 1953 Robot Monster makes Wood's movies look like Academy Award level productions. Wood was just so enthusiastic, so noteworthy, and "lucky" to achieve this fame.

Ed Wood never saw a performance he didn't like, a take that wasn't perfect (rarely did he do a second shot), or a piece of stock footage that he couldn't cannabilize into his films. Classic examples of the last were the buffalo stampede in his Glen or Glenda, which is about his transvestite character, or the swimming octopus that he used in Bride of the Monster. In short, Ed Wood had a VISION of film making that didn't exactly match the main stream.

It has been said of Orson Welles that he entered film making at 25 with the greatest film ever made and then never lived up to expectation--the rest of his career was down hill. Actually, not such a bad compliment. Well, Ed Wood started his career with some of the funniest bad films ever made, now has a tremendous cult following, and his name is probably known by every film buff in the world. True, the rest of his career was a down hill slide, but for a guy who just wanted to make movies, I don't think that is such a bad accolade. I wouldn't be surprised if Ed were alive now that he wouldn't be genuinely pleased with his status. In the film, Wood allegedly meets Orson Welles who gives Wood a pep talk and laments his own travails, which mirror Wood's--at a higher level. Welles has a very funny line if you are familiar with his films.

I think Depp's performance is inspired. He captures the maniacal energy and total absence of critical faculties that characterized Wood's early career. Wood clearly was loved by everyone around him even when they recognized his shortcomings and Depp manages his character to make that believable. Indeed, to the very end when Wood was a nearly nonfunctional drunk, his loyal friends still tried to steer work his way.

Landau (Academy Award) is superb as the failing, drug-addicted Bela Lugosi. He plays it with just the right amount of enthusiasm, fatalism, and awareness of reality. Wood idolized him and considered him still a great actor. Lugosi had the same irresistable drive to make films that Wood did, although he recognized the lack of class in what he was doing. Lugosi provided Wood with his idol and star; Wood provided Lugosi with moral and emotional support and adulation. This beautifully rendered symbiotic relationship continued until Lugosi's death and beyond. Yes, Lugosi actually was buried in his Dracula costume.

Incidentally, in a Wood film one doesn't fret over continuity errors or inept production values. Indeed, these are some of his films' charms. Night and day shots are freely intermixed. Graveyard tombstones wave like tree leaves. The same footage is used multiple times. Shower curtains are doors going into an airliner cockpit and straight backed folding chairs are pilot seats. Lugosi's shadow continues walking even after he is run down off screen by a car. In Ed Wood, there is one fabulous scene where Tor, playing the brain damaged Lobo runs into a door jam as he tries to walk through it and nearly takes down the set. The camera man wants to reshoot it, but Wood dismisses the request indicating that in real life this is the sort of thing that Lobo would have to contend with every day. When they "midnight requisitioned" a giant octopus to fight with Lugosi, they forgot the tentacle actuator motors. So Lugosi had to tangle himself up in the tentacles and thrash them around simulating a fight; it almost works in the actual film! Lugosi died before the filming of Plan 9. Wood, who needed his "star" used some home film that he had of Lugosi and a girlfriend's larger, younger chiropractor, who had to cover his face in his scenes.

Judging from the documentary, the director and actors got Wood's early career and the personalities dead on. By a judicious choice of actors and minimal make up, they even succeeded in getting spectacularly good character likenesses. Its hard to tell the original movies from the reenactments. The only character who does not bear a good resemblance is Depp, who is much better looking as a man and in drag than Wood. However, his characterization more than makes up for this.

Perhaps the defining moment of the film is when Wood and the group, dressed in movie custumes, arrive at the opening of Plan 9--in a hearse. This is normal. This is reality. And they are having a ball. (1-29-96) Beginning

Eight Legged Freaks (2002) (**, horror, sci fi, comedy) (11-25-02) (Ellory Elkayem; Chris McCormack, David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer, Scott Terra, Scarlett Johansson, Leon Rippy, Matt Czuchry, Rick Overton, Eileen Ryan) I went into this hoping to see a campy send off of the 50s big bug horror films. What a disappointment. This is basically your toxic chemicals get dumped into the river, spiders get fed chemicals and mutate into giant man eaters, unsuspecting town gets overrun and fights back. Throw in a love interest between mine owner Chris (Arquette) and Sheriff Parker (Wuhrer) and you have the plot. My wife said that if there was an original idea in there somewhere, she missed it. I think she exaggerated slightly. The cat scene was unique and blackly funny. The chairs in the Jefferson were comfortable, it was raining outside, and the peanut covered M&Ms were good, so we sat through the whole thing. The special effects were not bad at all, which goes to show that even a really bad movie nowadays can support decent FXs. It has been compared to Tremors. No comparison. The stylish Tremors had consistent humor, thrills, chills, and good acting. So if you want a good B movie send off, rent Tremors.

I will say that many Grade B horror film aficionados on the Internet Movie Database enjoyed it, so it appeals to some. If this were the 50s, this would be good drive-in fare to take a date to and snuggle. Now it might make a good few beers Saturday if you had nothing better to do. As an aside, the spider man is a good actor who is unbilled. You got to eat, but you don’t necessarily have to have your name on it. Beginning

Election (1999) (***1/2, satire, comedy) (7-7-00) (D.- Alexander Payne; W.- Payne and Jim Taylor; Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Phil Reeves, Mark Harelik, Colleen Camp) The setting is simple enough. A type-A high school woman, Tracy Flick (Witherspoon), is running unopposed for class president. One of the teachers, Jim McAllister (Broderick), thinks she needs an opponent and sets not too swift jock, Paul Metzler (Klein), up as the competition. This is not what you think it is. Election is not another teenage flick. It is a savagely satirical look at human nature and the choices that we make that can irrevocably alter our lives. The dynamics of the school, the in-fighting, the personalities, the interpersonal relationships are all depressingly and delightfully familiar. Election is like a comedic film noir. You make choices for seemingly plausible reasons, but with unexpected disastrous consequences. The harder you struggle, the deeper you sink into the quagmire.

We have all known Witherspoons and their driven parents who account, at least in part, for their personalities. Jim is Mr. Everyman. An adult who reacts to a situation with a little less than mature behavior. Jim as well as Paul’s put-upon sister all have behavioral counterparts in the adult world. The staff and their reactions are realistic. The behavior is ever so believable.

The acting is excellent. Broderick is Jim. His intimidation and irritation with Flic are fully comprehensible as we have all known people like her and felt similarly. Witherspoon is Flic. Go! Go! Go! Smile! Smile! Smile! Yet underlying this is a core of steel that brooks no competition or opposition. And she wears her success like a general's star. It is clear why she is respected but not necessarily well liked.

This review is based on the DVD, which has a delightful commentary by the director. The movie was largely shot in a midwest high school and it is entertaining to try to guess who were actual students and teachers, who were actors, and who ended up being both. The background noises that you hear are frequently actually noises from adjacent classes or students in the hallway. The big rally had an interesting story. By the time they did that, there weren't enough students to fill the gymnasium. The director commented that the students had apparently found out by then how much work it was to be an extra. So they had to shoot the sequence in two pieces. First with all the students on one side. Then with all the students on the other side. Creative editing! A full gymnasium.

The scene with the tearing down of the posters was shot in one take on Thanksgiving eve. It was the only time they could get the halls clear. And one take because everyone wanted to go home. That really is Witherspoon falling. She wanted to do it herself and her only protection is some padding in her clothes. Beginning

In March on Turner Movie Classics is the opportunity to capture a rare great film. Elektra (AKA Electra) will be showing on Tuesday March 10 at 1:00 p.m. It is not available on tape in the US and this is only the second time that I am aware of it ever showing on cable. Don't miss it!! (2-16-98)

Electra (1962) (****, drama) (D.- Michael Cacoyannis; Irene Papas, Yannis Fertis, Aleka Katseli) Absolutely stunning black and white version of the Greek Tragedy (Euripedes version). In the opening Klytaemnistra (Katseli) and her lover slaughter the hero Agammemnon on his victorious return from the Trojan War. Agammemnon's young son Orestis (Fertis) is spirited out of harm's way by a faithful retainer. Spring to the future where the matured daughter Elektra (Pappas) is married off to a peasant to neutralize her hatred. The story follows the return of Orestis, the retribution, and the consequences. This simple summary belies the film's emotionally draining raw intensity.

The opening scene grabbed me by the throat and the film never let go. The integration of visual imagery and musical accompaniment into the powerful story is flawless. The cinematography by Walter Lassally is awesome. Any one of a number of scenes is worth the price of admission (e.g., the opening or the funeral march). Cacoyannis appears to follow closely the classical form, and yet the story seems as modern to me as a multiplex. While there is no Greek chorus, there are always bystanders whose body English and expressions are every bit as instructive as a chorus.

Revenge is said to be best served cold. Well, the revenge here is glacial. The principals fully understand their actions and consequences and go forth with an icy hatred. Stark. Brutal. Remorseless. The acting is impeccable with Pappas being a standout.

The Greek highlands are an integral part of the story. Bleak. Barren. Unforgiving. A reflection of the underlying human emotions. One could just not image this story in lush fields and forest. These people are forged by their environment. Anything less in their behavior is unthinkable. In the cinematography, I am not sure whether they used filters of special film, but the daylight outdoor effects are almost surreal. The world is bleached like bones too long under the sun. I cannot imagine the film being in color.

Elektra is in Greek with good subtitles. The story is so direct, the dialogue so sparse, and so much of the plot revealed by body movements and expressions that you will not notice the subtitles after the first minutes. (2-16-98) Beginning

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El Mariachi (1992) (***, drama, crime) (D.-Robert Rodriguez; Carlos Gallardo, Consuelo Gomez, Peter Marquardt, Jaime De Hoyos, Reinol Martinez, Ramiro Gomez) High spirited, taut little film that combines elements of Hitchcock and Leone's spaghetti westerns. Holds it own and trounces many Hollywood films with mega dollar budgets even though it was made in two weeks for $7,000. Hollywood apparently did a little sprucing up on it before the current release, but it is clear that the original is largely intact. You've seen it all before but it is delivered here with style, characters for whom you feel empathy, and genuine suspense. The camera work is done with crisp documentary style intensity. Rodriguez does use cinematic excesses including hyperkinetic movement and odd angles, but except for his exuberance with the wide angle lens it works well. The plot, as in the spagetti westerns on which it is in part modelled, is not designed to be scrutinized too closely. A young mariachi, charmingly played by Gallardo, comes to a small Mexican town and is mistaken for a violent killer, which suddenly raises his life insurance premiums to the stratosphere. To say more would spoil the fun. Director Rodriguez (23 at the time) photographed, edited, coproduced, and wrote the picture; Gallardo served as coproducer. In Spanish with good subtitles. (2-5-96) Beginning

Enchanted (2007) (***1/2 adults, **** children, fantasy, comedy) (1-21-08) (D.-Kevin Lima; W.- Bill Kelly; Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Susan Sarandon, Rachel Covey, Idina Menzel, Narrator: Julie Andrews) Everyone else has been getting rich making fun of Disney's fantasy world, so why not Disney? And do they have a grand time with their sacred cows. Enchanted is a delightful romp. A mixture of animation and live action. Giselle (Adams) is a lovely, charming, and naïve fantasy land cartoon girl much like Snow White waiting for her prince to come. Well, Prince Edward (Marsden) does come, and all looks well. However, this is a fairy tale, and the princess' step mother, Queen Narissa (Sarandon), likes the status quo with her in charge of the kingdom. So a little push and Giselle is down the rabbit hole (actually a well) where there is "No happily every after." Where is there? Giselle as a real woman in her voluminous wedding dress pops up through a sewer manhole cover in Time's Square on a miserable night. Speak of a culture shock.

Not surprisingly, all is not going well until she is rescued by Robert (Dempsey) and his young daughter Morgan (Covey) who still believes in fantasy. However, as she has no ID, no driver's license, no money, no cell phone, and no idea where she is other than some place very strange, Robert is more than eager to unload her as soon as possible, especially since he is about to pop the question to his long term girl friend Nancy (Menzel). Under these conditions, a beautiful, ditzy girl in your apartment does not make for a good conversation piece. But this is a fairy tale, and pretty soon, all the animation fantasy elements mix with real life, love blossoms, the prince come out of the sewer after his beloved, and the stepmother sends her not-so-bright manservant Nathaniel (Spall) though the sewer to finish the job. Finally if you want something done right, you just have to do it yourself.

The chemistry of the principles is charmingly believable, and Adams is superb. She has the perfect air of naivety, awe, fairyland pluck, belief in true love, and spirit to make the part work. The clash of the two worlds is excellent as the fantasy characters try to place our items in their framework; and, similarly, the film turns many of our expectations on their head. The interplay between Nathaniel and Giselles's chipmunk, who came through the sewer with him, is priceless. And Sarandon is a hoot as the queen. Evil is always so much fun to play, and it doesn't get much better than this.

This is a fairy tale. All comes out well at the end-unless you are an evil queen. The ending is predictable for any adult, but our 10 year old granddaughter "Didn't see the ending coming". So there still is wonder and surprise at that age. Actually, these were not in short supply for the adults. A great family movie that doesn't insult adult intelligence or humor. But do remember poison apples don't grow on trees.

Incidentally, one thing I did notice was that Disney didn't make their cartoon characters exactly like those in their other movies. I assume this was to prevent viewers from associating this romp with their standards. Beginning

End of Days (1999) (**1/2, action, horror, suspense) (9-18-00) (D.-Peter Hyams; Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, Robin Tunney, Kevin Pollak, CCH Pounder, Derrick O'Connor, Rod Steiger) Review based on the excellent quality letterboxed DVD. It is the end of the millennium, and the man with many names (Byne) comes to New York. If he can impregnate the one chosen for his mate, Robin Tunney (York), within one hour of midnight of the new year (forget 2000 really isn’t the new millennium and the calendar is off anyway) then the world will become his and it is the end of us all. The only thing standing between Satan and Tunney is a burned out basket case security agent Jericho Cane (Schwarzenegger) and his associate Chicago (Pollack).

The film is slickly put together with impressive effects. They do try to give Schwarzenegger a real personality and rationale for his behavior. However, Arnie is limited and the plot never gels. Even the cooly malevolent Byrne is misused in my opinion—too campy at times. More significant, the film cannot keep a consistent view. It vacillates from extreme action, to over the top humor, to this really is the end of the world. However, it never fits together into a coherent whole. Had it picked one and stuck with it, it would have been a better film.

But the monster is awesome! Brought to you courtesy of creature master Stan Winston. Winston raved about his monster at last year’s Virginia Film Festival, but couldn’t show it before the film appeared. The raves were justified.

The best parts of the film were the monster, the special effects, and the exceptional documentary on the F/X on the DVD. The first appearance of the monster in the New York streets is genuinely creepy even though you cannot really see it. When you see what underlies the shot, you realize why your subconscious was disturbed by what you weren’t seeing. Much of the success of the F/X was due to the very large size of the models used. Small models, no matter how skillfully crafted, never look truly realistic. The church sequence at the end was a true knock your socks off due to the impressive size (43 ft long and 25 ft tall). The extremely clever way in which they handled the pews was fascinating.

So if you like F/X, action movies, don’t mind a little gore, and can take your Satan pays a visit with a grain of salt, Days is worth a visit, especially on the DVD where you can enjoy the full impact and the supplementary material. Beginning

Enemy At The Gates (2001) (***, war, drama) (8-24-01) (DW.-Jean-Jacques Annaud; W.- Alain Godard; Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes, Ed Harris, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins) This is a film that could not have been made before the end of the cold war. Russians as heroes. Indeed, how many Americans were aware of the fact that there is a statue to Vassili Zaitsev, a Russian sniper, in Stalingrad?

The plot of the movie is simple. During the bloody standoff of the Russians and Germans during the battle for Stalingrad, the sniper Vassili (Law) is made into a political hero. Indeed, in reality his exploits justified it. In 10 days he killed over 40 Germans, many of them officers. He is credited officially with 140 kills in Stalingrad and the figure might be as high as 234. This made him a figurehead for the Russians and feared by the Germans so much that they brought in the head of the Berlin sniper school, master sniper Col. Konig (Harris), to stop Vassili. This begins a cat-and-mouse game through the devastated cityscape where the confident Konig seems to have the edge over the insecure Vassili. Subplots include the propaganda master Danilov (Fiennes) and a romantic triangle with Tania (Weisz), whose family was slaughtered by the Nazis.

The film is as much a suspense thriller as a war movie as the two principals hunt each other ruthlessly through the rubble. The psychology and tools of the sniper is shown in graphic and nerve shattering detail. Gates has some of the most creepy and disturbing sequences that I have seen on film in some time. At this level, I think the movie works very well.

In my opinion the romance was gratuitous. My wife, on the other hand, thinks it worked so you will have to decide on that yourself. Several critics have complained that the sex in the midst of the sleeping soldiers was ridiculous. Given the stress, the situation, the fact that neither party might ever see the other alive again, I think this highly realistic and have no doubt that such incidents happened routinely in mixed units.

The politics of myth making seems realistic. When people need a hero, the government will create and nurture one.

This film opens with a sequence as brutal and harrowing as the D-Day assault on Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan. Not only do the young Russian soldiers have to contend with the Germans and their superior firepower; they have to deal with the ruthlessness of their own officers. Incidentally, Hoskins does a stellar job as Nikita Khrushchev, who took over the defense of Stalingrad. The likeness is uncanny and the brutal efficiency of his actions was good reason to give cause to the Americans fearing his behavior during the cold war.

The acting is solid and I especially liked Harris. Ruthless with a consistent internal code of ethics. A man whose last action is totally logical. The cgi is excellent. You are never sure where reality ends and computer bytes begin. The cgi never calls attention to itself but is used to help create a world of utter hostility, bareness, and alieness. In short, used as it should be to enhance the story, not dominate it.

Now for myth versus reality. I have searched the Internet (admittedly a notoriously unreliable source) and have put together a few pieces of information that seem plausible. I provide some of the links below so that you can follow up if you want.

Vassili was definitely a hero and as efficient a killing machine as depicted in the film. He appears to have survived the war and been a successful engineer. There probably was no Major Konig, although the Germans did want Vassili dead at almost any cost. Sniping duels were routine, and the Germans repeatedly sent out sniping squads to get him. So the cat-and-mouse you see is probably very realistic. There are reports, apparently unconfirmed, of SS Colonel Heinz Thorwald, head of the Berlin sniper school, being sent in to get Vassili. Tania existed; her family was slaughtered, and she was Vassili’s lover. Danilov existed, knew Vassili well and may well have been his spin master. In reality, Danilov was wounded when he exposed himself to a sniper. Vassili killed a sniper under a sheet of tin and, in keeping with standard policy, they confirmed the kill by waiting all day and going out and checking the body after dark. The Russians had learned the hard way of the value of snipers, and Vassili trained them. The Russians lost at least 500 men to Simo Hayha, a Finnish farmer during the Winter War of 1939/40.

The following is apparently an accurate Vassili quote: Await the right moment for one, and only one, well-aimed shot. References:

http://users.pandora.be/stalingrad/snipers.html

http://www.lawbuzz.com/movies/enemy_gates/enemy_story_ch6.htm

Beginning

Enemy Of The State (1998) (***1/2, drama, action, sci fi) (D.-Tony Scott; Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight, Lisa Bonet) Taut brutal thriller where attorney Robert Dean (Smith) inadvertently ends up with incriminating evidence of a crime by NSA bigwig Reynolds (Voight). Dean doesn't know he has it, and Reynolds wants it back so badly, it doesn't matter that Dean might not have it. Reynolds brings all the power of the government surveillance and dirty tricks down on Dean to get it back. This includes tracking devices, access to security cameras, bank accounts, phone calls, satellite surveillance that allows real time following of his actions, etc. Classic Hitchcock style film as Dean is drawn deeper and deeper into the quagmire without understanding why. I particularly liked the editing of some of the early chase sequences. Chaotic. Appropriate since even Reynold's people were trying to work with incomplete, fragmentary, even contradictory information. These pursuits lead to Dean connecting with the paranoids' paranoid, Brill (Hackman).

Smith is respectable as the lawyer who sees his whole world come crashing down. Hackman is cooly and enjoyably efficient as he tries to warn Dean without being taken down with him. This is the flip side of Hackman's stellar performance in The Conversation where he was ultimately the victim of his own technology. Voight, of course, can exude abstract malevolence with ease; he is a man who, if you got on his wrong side, would crush you like a bug and never stop sucking on his breath mint.

Enemy is taut, efficient and with some nicely staged sequences. As with many thrillers, the plot doesn't bear close scrutiny, but it is so well done that you don't notice it in the theater. The technology is somewhat overblown. While military satellite photos can read your license plate, they cannot follow you in real time or play back your actions after the fact. Much of the rest of the technology including the phone tapping certainly seems technologically feasible. For dramatic effect, you do have to cut them some slack on the ability to trace the location of a radio receiver.

As I watched Enemy I couldn't help thinking about The Anderson Tapes. The structure and the plotting reminded me over and over again of Anderson. I suspect the writer saw the earlier film. Not a complaint, just an observation.

Ultimately, what does the film say about government invasion of our privacy? Probably, as indicated, it isn't so much the official activities that we have to worry about but the renegades who may do things for ever so good reasons or just be dishonest. We've had clandestine cover ups, seizure of properties by law enforcement and the IRS, and outright theft. Who is guarding the guards? These are not abstract questions as the technology allows for simpler and increasingly more efficient invasion of our most intimate information. Enemy never really addresses these issues, but it does raise the questions. (11-23-98) Beginning

Enigma (2002) (***, drama, war, romance ) (7-8-02) (D.-Michael Apted; W.-Tom Stoppard; Novel by Robert Harris; Dougray Scott, Kate Winslet, Jeremy Northam, Saffron Burrows, Nikolaj Coster Waldau, Tom Hollander, Corin Redgrave) A romantic triangle. A military intelligence triangle. A thriller. A mystery. WWII is in full swing. The British at Bletchley Park have brilliantly broken the unbreakable German Enigma code using mathematical genius, insight, and primitive computing. Tom Jericho (Scott) was at the heart of the effort. Due to a little romantic falling out with sexpot Claire (Burrows), he crashed and burned emotionally. The Germans have now raised the ante by making the code incredibly more difficult to break and only Jericho may be able to break it, so he is brought back. He still wants to know obsessively why Claire dumped him, but this proves not so easy to sort out since she has disappeared. Intelligence, led by the coolly enigmatic Wigram (Northam from Gosford Park), thinks there is a spy and seems willing to sacrifice anyone to find him. Hester (Winslet) is Claire’s roommate and may be the key to helping Jericho find Claire.

Can they break the code? Is there a spy? If so, who? Where is Claire? Besides sex, what kinds of games was she playing? Ultimately, the answers to most of these questions are secondary to the getting there. The acting is good with Claire being the kind of woman a man might be willing to die for. Scott is excellent as the disturbed mathematician. Winslet is delightful as a very bright, frumpy worker who can exude great sex appeal. The chemistry between Jericho and Hester and between Jericho and Wigram makes the film.

I give it the ***, but my wife and daughter liked it more than I did. I found the plot too contrived and unbelievable. My wife and daughter accepted the plot at face value and went with the story flow.

The film is beautifully photographed, the acting excellent. There are many fine points. The imposing presence of the scarred Admiral Trowbridge (Redgrave) is a continual reminder that no matter how game-like the decoding may seem, this is not playing a dainty parlor game. The cold sacrifices made are indeed necessary in war. The ending believable.

That really is an Enigma machine, owned by producer Mick Jagger (of the Stones). Although U-571 used a real Enigma machine (20 pounds of brilliant mechanical engineering), you didn’t get to see it working as you do in Enigma. I don’t know how accurate the operation of the Bletchley computer was. It looked similar to, but more elegant than a photo I recently saw of the Bletchley computer. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see it in operation, and the function must have been similar to what you saw in the movie.

In real life, Alan Turing was probably the mathematical genius. However, he was a homosexual who was ultimately driven to suicide by the British laws. Beginning

Entrapment (1999) (***, action) (6-28-99) (D.-Jon Amiel; Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ving Rhames, Will Patton, Maury Chaykin) The *** is a family average. I didn't think it was great, but my wife and son really enjoyed it. Entrapment is a classic caper/heist film of the Topkapi class stirred, not shaken, with a James Bond actioner. Mac (Connery) is an allegedly retired world class thief. Gin (Zeta-Jones) is an insurance investigator out to nail him. Connery will be 70 next year, although the film calls him 60. That we all could remain in as good a shape and still exude his sex appeal at 70. And exude he does. The chemistry between Connery and Zeta-Jones is critical to the film and it works. Little in this film is as it seems, although much of it makes sense. Revelations occur as successively grander and more elaborate heists are executed. The effects are good. Zeta-Jones is a fine foil for Connery. Some of the plot developments surprisingly twisted. If you go into Entrapment only expecting an escapist evening with charming actors, and you aren't concerned about the plot holes, then Entrapment is an enjoyable way to while away the evening.

As an aside, Zeta-Jones did all of her acrobatics. She is a trained dancer (remember her performance in Zorro), and it shows as she slithers through the alarm laser beams. Beginning

Eminent Domain (1991) (**1/2, thriller, politics, docudrama) (D.-John Irvin; Donald Sutherland, Anne Archer, Jodhi May, Paul Freeman, Bernard Hepton) Kafkaesque story of high Polish official (Sutherland) who finds that his favored position disappears over night. He and his family are treated either like they don't exist or worse. Every attempt to discover what happened seems to make their sinking into the quagmire faster. Friends no longer acknowledge him, and his perks and access to the government evaporate like mist in the morning sun. The family's behavior is truly believable, although the very ending seems contrived; however, it is supposed to be based on a true a story and stranger things have happened. (4-29-96) Beginning

Emma (1996) (***1/2, romance, comedy) (D.-Douglas McGrath; Gwyneth Paltrow, Toni Tollette, Alan Cumming, Ewan McGregor, Jeremy Northam, Greta Scacchi, Juliet Stevenson, Polly Walker) At Vinegar Hill Theater until October 3. Probably your last chance to see it on a wide screen. Yet another Jane Austen comedy of manners. Paltrow is Emma, a 21 year old young woman who subjects every unmarried person to her meddlesome matchmaking. Never mind, the destruction to existing relationships or how poorly paired the couple actually is. As Emma mismatches everyone in sight, she forgets herself and her long suffering friend, Mr. Knightly (Northam), who looks on longingly. This is an Austen, so not to worry. Everything gets sorted out and ends happily, but the real fun is getting there. The cast is good, and the costuming and cinematography are excellent. Paltrow and Northam are excellent and charming. So much action is stated only in body English, and both manage to convey ever so much without words. Some have criticized Paltrow as being no Emma Thompson. Of course she isn't. She plays an immature 21 year old who is growing emotionally as we watch. In my opinion, she does an outstanding job.

Austen pokes good fun at human nature, especially our timeless mating rituals. She revels in our absurdity without rancor or spite. The insecurity, the confusion, the misread signals, the misinterpreted verbal statements, and the body English that is obvious to everyone but yourself and your intended, are all there. These things haven't changed since the cave man and will end only when the sun expires. The novel may be pre-Victorian, but you will recognize every type and every situation. Smile and chuckle your way through Emma. Beginning

Emperor and the Assassin, The (1999) (****, historical drama) (1-29-01) (D.- Kaige Chen; W.- Kaige Chen, Peigong Wang; Li Gong, Fengyi Zhang, Xuejian Li, Zhou Sun, ZhiwenWang, Xiaohe Lu, Yongfei Gu, Benshan Zhao, Xun Zhou) The year is 221 BC and China has finally massed into 7 powerful states. The King of Qin, Ying Zheng (Zhang) has taken as his sacred duty to unite all of China. "Have you forgotten the commandment of your ancestors to unify all under Heaven?" He has not forgotten, which will lead to a human and military struggle of epic scale. It is also a Shakespearean tragedy at the most intimate level. The plot involves Zheng’s loving concubine Lady Zhao (Gong) (who will sacrifice her most important asset for him), treachery at the innermost level, deceit, sieges, assassination, and mass murder. Central to the story is the master assassin Jing Ke (X. Li) hired to stop Zheng once and for all. Expect little more in plot as I do not wish to ruin your pleasure of discovery.

The word epic repeatedly comes to mind. The scope and the grandeur are stunning. The costumes and sets are mind boggling. The cinematography awesome. The battle scenes and the Shakespearean depth are reminiscent of Akira Kurosawa’s best. All this is matched by a marvelous story told outstandingly with superb acting.

One of things that you notice immediately is the stillness of many of the scenes. The characters use very subtle body movements and facial expressions, but nevertheless succeed in conveying the enormous gravity and depth of what is going on. Of special note are the interactions between the Queen Mother (Gu) and Marquis Changxin (Z. Wang). Their opening scene with the officials is so clearly loaded with subtext. It is not what is said, but what is going on below the surface that is crucial. By close attention, you think you pick up on most of the points. You are wrong. Replay the scene after you have watched the complete film.

The film explores the depth of human love, hate, and psychopathology. The characters are complex and largely completely believable. The only weakness was the film’s failure to develop any reason for Zheng’s personality change; but perhaps the adage about absolute power applies. My only other complaint is with the 160 minute length; I felt that the middle dragged, although my wife disagrees with me.

In this magnificent film, there was a line so seared into my mind that I doubt that I will ever forget it. "You’re left handed, aren’t you?"

Review based on the outstanding letterboxed DVD available at Sneak Reviews. In Mandarin with excellent subtitles. The DVD includes a secondary sound track with the director’s commentary. We rented it when it was new and only had one night rather than the ususal three; so we only did about an hour of this. Fascinating. Assassin was one of the PRC’s most expensive film to date. It shows. The director supplies numerous technical, anecdotal and personal tidbits about the film. For example, the opening battle scene on the plains lasts 3 minutes and took a week to film. This made for very unhappy crews as it was in the hinterlands away from ALL amenities. To give the right feel, the set for the Forbidden City was actually three times larger than the real thing. Oh yes, do pay attention to what is on the map; it has modern importance. Beginning

Emperor's New Groove, The (2000) (***, animation, comedy) (12-18-00) (D.- Mark Dindal; W.-David Reynold on story by Chris Williams and Mark Dindal; voices by David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick) Not Aladdin, but fun. Also, it isn’t a musical. My wife and I were the only adults in the theater without children. This is a pity since Groove is a film that adults can enjoy on its own, but it is also great, since the children seemed to love it and adults can take them without fear of being bored out of their minds. Emperor Kuzco (Spade), an arrogant, self centered, egotistical young man, is about to get a lesson in humility. He crosses his evil advisor Yzma (Kitt), who arranges a little dinner surprise. It doesn’t work quite right, and Kuzco’s only salvation lies in the help of Pacha (Goodman), who might have a personal problem giving that help. You can guess the broad outlines from here, but it is the details and style that make the film. The humor ranges from droll satire to Roadrunner Coyote style slapstick. I found myself chuckling throughout with some belly laughs. In short an entertaining evening.

The characterizations are delightful. The characters bounce off of each other the way they should. Spade, who replays his TV persona, could get old quickly, but he is tempered by Goodman and Kitt and especially Yzma’s henchman Kronk (Warburton). Kronk is a good natured hunk, a house of bricks short of a full load, and a talented chef. All of which are used to great effect. He was our favorite character.

Groove is not sophisticated animation. It is closer in style to the old Bugs Bunny and Roadrunner cartoons. Indeed, many of the scenes are homage to these classics. However, drawing sophistication is not the point. Humor is, and it works. So if you have access to little ones, take them for cover; it looks odd to be the only adults present without children. Beginning

End Of The Affair, The (1999) (**1/2, drama) (1-31-00) (D/W.- Neil Jordan; Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Stephen Rea, Heather Jay Jones, James Bolam, Ian Hart) A melodrama based on a Graham Greene novel about a WWII adulterous affair and its aftermath, probably with many autobiographical elements. In keeping with Greene's righteous Catholic upbringing, it is about sin, jealousy and its destructive power, and possible redemption. The film starts with a chance encounter a few years after the war between Maurice Bendrix (Fiennes), a writer, and his past acquaintance Henry Miles (Rea), a government official. Maurice cuckolded Henry during the war but was dumped by the wife, Sarah (Moore). Hell hath no fury like that of a lover spurned. Since Maurice is still brooding over the question as to why Sarah dumped him, he inflicts himself again on the couple. The story of their original romance and the break up is developed in flashbacks as we follow them in the present.

London is dreary. Rain soaked. The husband is even blander. As with many affairs, it is rushed, tawdry, and lacking in love. A coupling of passions inspired by boredom and fear, as the bombs fall, that there may well be no tomorrow. But why did it end? Because much of the interest of the story is in how it unravels, enough of plot.

The basic story has some intrinsic interest and much of the filming is beautifully done. In addition to the ending dragging out well beyond what is required for the story, a critical weakness for me was the failure to stir empathy for any of the characters. Henry is so nondescript and hangdog, that you almost forget he is in the film even when he is on the screen. Nobody is that bland and non-dimensional. Maurice is just hateful as he is driven by his inner demons for which we are given no explanation. While Sarah looks great in her various stages, we never get a chance to understand the character inside, which is ultimately critical to the film. The most interesting and entertaining character is the bit player Parkis (Hart).

There isn't much in the way of special effects, except for one pivotal explosion. However, this is done with such elegance and grace befitting its role, that it will stick with you long after the film.

Some viewers may not recognize the significance of the sounds during one of the air raids. The droning noise is a V1, known as a "buzz bomb" from its characteristic noise. The V1 was a RAM jet powered (the same as modern cruise missiles) aircraft carrying a ton of explosive. When the programmer had estimated the rocket had flown long enough to reach its target, a timer would shut the fuel off, the engine would stop, and the bomb would begin its lethal descent. As long as you could hear them, you were safe. These facts lead to a possible inconsistency in the movie. A case could be made for a technical error, artistic license, or a plot element. Your choice. Beginning

End of Violence, The (1997) (**1/2, drama) (9-13-99) (D.- Wim Wenders; Andie MacDowell, Bill Pullman, Gabriel Byrne, Traci Lind) Wenders is a stylist, and Violence is rich indeed in mood, sound, and visual subtlety. The whole film is a build up where you replay scenes and try to figure out what is actually going on. A disturbing mood poem. Unfortunately, there is no coherent payoff. However, getting there is entertaining as is the post discussion to try to figure out what the director may have been trying to say. Ray (Byrne), devoid of any human contact, is a surveillance expert monitoring what is going on in the city through clandestine cameras. But we don't know why. Bill (Pullman) is a film director noted for his insightful films into the human condition and violence. However, he is so divorced from direct human contact that his wife Paige (MacDowell) can see him from her bedroom, yet has to call him on his cell phone to tell him that she is leaving him. And even then is put on hold. A kidnapping and homicides link these two unlikely individuals as fatefully as cojoined twins. The bulk of the film is spent in following how they react to their situations and their fates.

The film is far and away at its best when it is setting mood. Sound and visual are beautifully integrated to produce a truly brooding, introspective atmosphere. Very disturbing. Very creepy.

Violence has elements of Blow Up and The Conversation. Sometimes safety does indeed lie in not looking too closely and in keeping your distance from others. Or maybe not. It depends on the situation.

Ultimately though, I think Wenders fails to produce a story that holds together. So if you want an intriguing and moody 122 minutes, and can live without the payoff, do check out Violence. Beginning

English Patient, The (1996) (****, drama) (D.-Anthony Minghella; Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin Scott Thomas, Naveen Andrews, Colin Firth) Written by Anthony Minghella. Based on Michael Ondaatje's novel. Melodrama, but great melodrama. A visual, aural feast where scenes flow together like spring mountain streams to form a river--so naturally it is difficult to realize the magnitude of the changes until the flood is upon you. I will give only a thumbnail plot sketch as much of the artistry and pleasure on the first watching depends on your ignorance. The film clearly justifies repeated viewings.

The film opens with a small biplane with a woman and a male pilot rising from the Egyptian desert and skipping over the wasteland on its rendezvous with destiny. Now move forward to Italy in the closing days of WWII. A hospital convoy advancing behind the front with an emotionally shell-shocked nurse Hana (Binoche) tending a dying unrecognizably burned man who claims no memory of his past. To ease his dying she leaves the convoy and sets up a makeshift hospital in a deserted monastery. They are joined by two bomb disposal experts and an enigmatic stranger Caravaggio (Willem Dafoe) who may know more about the patient than anyone else. The patient's love story and how it connects with the opening are slowly extracted in flashbacks triggered by items in his copy of the histories of Herodotus, and by conversations with Caravaggio. The flashbacks and forwards are gorgeously choreographed frequently using the patient's one remaining good sense, sound, as transitional triggers. The developing parallel love stories from the past and the present form the point counterpoint of the narrative.

Before the war, archaeologist Almasy (Feinnes) is working in the Egyptian desert and is joined by Katherine and Geoffrey Clifton (Thomas and Firth). A tragically doomed love affair results and ultimately brings us to the beginning and back to the end. The final scene evokes the fatalistic Eastern view that since they are all dead, it remains only for them to do the right thing. Only the viewers can individually decide whether anyone succeeds in doing the right thing.

The story is told skillfully as it emerges with increasing clarity with each bit of additional information--much like the initial scattered pieces of a jig saw puzzle that ultimately coalesce into a complete image. The acting is superb. However, Patient is more a visual-aural poem. It is lyrical story telling at its best. The haunting music by Gabriel Yared is as integral a part of the tapestry as the superb cinematography by John Seale. Patient has its own ebb and flow, its own rhythm and way of telling the story. The seemingly enormous human problems are consistently juxtaposed and dwarfed by the vast, barren beauty of the desert or the unfolding of the end of the war. Yet these microcosms of human emotion hold and focus our attention because of their immediacy, their intensity, and their very humanity, which is complete with all human strengths and weaknesses. The film does drag in a few places during its 160-minute length, but on the balance it doesn't seem long at all.

A number of intriguing questions arise for post discussion. Did the patient really have amnesia? If not, why did he remain silent? Why exactly do we have the parallel love themes? What will happen to each of the principals? Who, if anyone, did the right thing and could the enormous tragedies have been averted? Patient is rated R for nudity and sexual content.

The film was savaged by some for its rewriting of history. Almasy was an actual historical figure and was a German spy. However, in the book and the film it is made quite clear that even though some of the characters were historical, this telling is strictly a work of fiction. Beginning

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004) (***, drama) (5-17-04) (D.- Michel Gondry; W.- Charlie Kaufman; Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst) Eternal is a film that you should not let anyone tell you about or read about beforehand (except for this reader-safe review). Too much is too easily given away. Let me begin by saying that it was written by Charlie Kaufman who wrote On Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, so if you go in expecting a linear ride, better try another film. On a dreary winter day Joel Barish gets up, decides on a lark to play hooky from work and goes to the beach where he meets Clementine Kruczynski. Joel is uptight, introverted, and largely lacking in communication skills. Clementine is everything that Joel isn’t. Off the wall, flamboyant, extroverted, and hides nothing including her flaws. In spite of the chasm, things click. These differences can be very stimulating and, if the two principals are adaptable, can form a great long-term relationship. Here we get the anatomy of the rises and falls in a relationship, but as I said above, not in a linear fashion. Not at all. Don’t let anyone tell you about it.

Human beings are creatures of habit and enormously affected by memories. Eternal deals with the impact of these memories. It also examines the truth of the statement “Blessed are the forgetful for they get the better of their blunders”. Eternal also has an interesting series of subplots based on a clinic Lacunas.

The acting is excellent and Carrey more that carries his weight as a dramatic actor. Winslett is perfect. This is not the woman you would want to bring home to mom and dad, but she would never be boring.

The storytelling is fascinating, although I think it goes on a little too long. If you like your films off beat do check out Eternal. Just don’t let anyone tell you about before-hand. A caveat is in order. Be careful what you wish for. Beginning

Event Horizon (1999) (**1/2, sci fi, horror) (7-7-00) (D.- Paul Anderson; Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richardson, Richard T. Jones, Jack Noseworthy) Time for my regular fix of harum-scarum sci fi. A secret rescue mission to Neptune is led by Dr. Weir (Neill), who may know a lot more than he admits. It turns out that their goal is to rescue a faster than light space craft, the Event Horizon, which disappeared without a trace 7 years earlier on its maiden flight. The ship is a mess. Frozen solid. Barely holding its own in Neptune’s stormy upper atmosphere. However, crazy life sign readings are distributed throughout the entire craft. A sign. A bad sign. And of course, the crew, led by Captain Miller (Fishburne) ignores it. The film borrows shamelessly from the excellent Solaris, as well as The Dark Side of the Moon, and Sphere. In actuality, Horizon has a lot in common with Frankenstein. Is it a good idea for man to delve too deeply into nature? Nevertheless, it works well up to a point. The first half before too much gore is an effective mind game both with the viewers and the crew. Delightfully disorienting. Unfortunately, the film never delivers on its promise. However, the last quarter, in spite of being derivative, did give me an adrenaline rush and I walked away wired. So while not a good film, it did satisfy me for the genre. Beginning

Ever After (1998) (***1/2, humor, fantasy) (D.-Andy Tennant; Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott, Patrick Godfrey, Megan Dodds, ) A fairy tale for the 90s. A retelling of Cinderella. Not as good as the more droll The Princess Bride, but similar in the important points. Ever After is a children's film, but one that adults will love to take children to since they will enjoying watching it at a different level.

Danielle (Barrymore) is servant and maid for her stepmother Rodmilla (Huston) and step sisters, the beautiful, vain, short tempered Jacqueline (Lynskey) and the sympathetic Marguerite (Dodds). Of course, there is the handsome Prince Henry (Scott). The story is retold as a setting-the-record-straight for the Grimms' Brothers. As presented, one could easily see how factual events could be converted into our well known fairy tale. However, one of the pleasures of the film is that the story differs in enough important points that we are kept guessing as to where it is going.

Danielle is no wall flower. She is a liberated woman who gets into and out of trouble with her brass and skills. Her first meeting with the prince is a good example. Nor is the prince your usual pretty face. He knows there is more to life than what he has, and, in particular, marrying a Spanish princess for country doesn't rate high on his list of desired activities. Beyond that he has little in the way of interests--until Danielle.

Huston's part is beautifully rendered. Rodmilla is not evil, although she is smart and ruthless. She is a very Darwinian creature. After the death of her first noble husband, she remarried in an attempt to maintain her station. Her new husband's quick demise left her on a decaying farm in the hinterlands with an ill mannered, wild step daughter. This is not an environment for which she was trained. Her only way back to what she believed to be rightfully theirs would be to suitably marry Jacqueline, which sets the primary conflict.

Barrymore is charming as Danielle. She carries the right amount of brains, spunk, and physical ability. The prince, who could have easily been cast to an air headed pretty face, is played well by Scott. He is thoughtful and a good match in a slow way for Danielle. But the story could have done without Leonardo Da Vinci.

The film puts a pleasant light on the 16th century (but it is a fairy tale), and the princesses' parents are amazingly 20th century in their child raising. The film is peppered with jarringly amusing modern slang and viewpoints--which successfully adds to its charm.

In summary, if you have any 8-15 year olds around, especially girls, volunteer to take them. Otherwise, just brass it out and go by yourself. You won't be the only unaccompanied adult enjoying it. (7-17-98) Beginning

Everest. An IMAX Experience (1998) (****, documentary) (D.-David Breshears, Ed Viesturs, Jamling Tenzing Norgay, Araceli Segarra, Sumiyo Tsuzuki) ) At the Virginia Science Museum in Richmond. Few words raise such almost mythical feelings in the listener as "Everest". Savagely brutal Everest is the tallest mountain (29,028') in the world and, due to continuing tectonic activity, grows 4" per year. It was not climbed until 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the father of the young climber in this party. It was not climbed without oxygen assistance until 1980; Viesturs did it without oxygen. Everest will leave no doubt as to why it brings feelings of humility, awe, and fear to so many. Everest is both a technological tour de force and, for me, an awesome glimpse into the minds of those who march to a very different drummer than I do.

Greg MacGillivray, producer of 18 large format films, wanted an IMAX documentary on the ascent of Everest. There were a few problems. The IMAX cameras weighed 80 pounds, which is 40 pounds heavier than the largest load ever carried to the top of Everest. The film weighs 5 pounds a roll. A marvelous technological reengineering of the camera brought it to a doable 35 pounds. 700 pound of film were taken on the expedition.

The crew was at Camp II (21,300 ft) on May 10, 1997 during the disasterous storm that killed 8 climbers. The climbers and film crew assisted in the rescue. We get footage of these fateful days and the rescue of one of the survivors, although this is not the main thrust of the film. We also see our group's final assault on Everest.

To give you some idea of the problems, the night time temperature is 40 below. The winds can exceed 80 mph. The crevasses in the lower ice fields are effectively bottomless and move 4' per day, which can cause massive and lethally unpredictable sudden shifts. The region above 25,000' is aptly named "The Death Zone". At the top, there is only one third as much oxygen as at sea level, and at the summit an unacclimated person would become unconscious in a minute and be dead in 20 minutes. Even for the acclimated, above 21,000' the human body just starts to fall apart; so the climbers cannot stay too long at the higher altitudes waiting for good conditions. The final ascent is along a narrow spine. The simplest slip to either side by the essentially drunken oxygen-deprived climbers results in a fall of thousands of feet. 148 climbers have died trying to make the ascent before January 1997. Climbers are reminded of this as they pass frozen corpses; it is not possible to bring them down, and it is traditional to leave them.

The cinematography is awe inspiring. The character of the climbers is revealed, possibly more than they intended, in their conversations and their behavior. My only complaint is that some of the film was restaged in the US, but we aren't told what parts. One can guess, but it leaves open the issue of what was fabricated. To me this lowers the level of what otherwise appeared to be a first-rate production. Do be sure to get a copy of the newspaper on the film at the museum. (4-20-98) Beginning

Evolution (2001) (**½, comedy) (7-16-01) (D.- Ivan Reitman; David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Ted Levine, Julianne Moore, Seann William Scott, Dan Aykroyd) I give it **1/2 because my wife enjoyed it more than I did. If you saw and really enjoyed Ghostbusters, then you might like Evolution. Ghostbusters and Evolution are so close that if Reitman hadn’t done both, plagiarism suits would be flying. A large organic goo-covered meteorite plows into the Arizona desert with a not-too-bright fireman (Scott) in training at ground zero. Among the first people there are Professors Ira Kane (Duchovny) and hyperkinetic Harry Block (Jones). As it turns out the goo is a primordial DNA with 10 bases instead of the 4 that we have. This leads to incredible quick evolution, which starts at the cute and ends with the horrific. Since Duchovny is in the film, the government and especially the military take a keen interest, move in with their scientists (including the klutzy Allison Reed (Moore)), and in their ham fisted fashion set up the ultimate crisis. Some of the best segments revolve around sly references to Duchovny’s role in the X-Files. Moore, in my opinion is miscast; she isn’t enough of a comedian. Jones is a hoot. The F/X are as good as you would expect for today. Unfortunately, the film never gels, and I found long stretches without so much as a smile.

I would be curious to see what my son, an avid X-Filer, thinks of it. If you are really into that, the references might make a difference. Some people do consider Evolution a good popcorn movie if you don’t go into it with high expectations. Beginning

Executive Decision (1996) (****, action, thriller) (D.-Stuart Baird; Kurt Russell, Halle Berry, John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt, Joe Morton, David Suchet, Steven Seagal, B. D. Wong, Mary Ellen Trainor) With Russell and Seagal in it, I had serious reservations. I was wrong. If you accept the operational premise and the genre, Decision delivers as white knuckle a thriller as you are likely to run into this year. Decision has some fine action pieces, great special effects (courtesy of models and computer effects), ruthless and able villains, and equally resourceful good guys. The acting is acceptable. However, where Decision excels is in set ups and delivery. Baird shows a superior talent at crafting thrillers. Decision is not one continuous stream of action, but has finely crafted build ups to each of the explosive set pieces. Or equally fine builds ups to stoppers. A point frequently overlooked is that when something DOESN'T happen, it can be more dramatic or draining than when something does. Baird clearly appreciates this and milks each scene for maximum impact. When the big adrenaline rushes start, be careful you don't rip the chair arms off. Of course, there are plot holes and inconsistencies, although not too many. However, as with any good thriller, who notices as the plot sneaks past your intellectual checks and carries you away on a wall of adrenaline.

I won't say much about the plot, but things don't always follow expected formula. Seagal is head of a crack antiterrorist team that specializes in aircraft hostage situations. Russell is a government think tank intelligence official. Terrorists seize a U.S. bound 747 carrying 403 passengers with the apparent goal of forcing the release of their jailed leader. However, a lot more than 403 passengers are at stake. Like maybe half the U.S. and the current government. An amusing side line is that while the politicians and government officials can be moral and responsible, nobody said that they weren't always thinking about their own political hides.

The end is spectacular, and Russell, who is a licensed pilot, wondered if it would work. So he reenacted the scenario in a big airline flight simulator. His response: "Let's just say, its not very likely."

Those with a quick eye will remember Berry as a show girl who got 15 minutes of fame in The Last Boy Scout before being stopped by 8 bullets. She has a bigger part here.

Decision is a great opportunity to see the inside of an operating computer hard disk. However, you won't see this in your computer if you open it up. Hard disks are hermetically sealed again the environment. The read/write heads (the part you see moving back and forth over the disks or platens of magnetic material) float on cushions of air. The tolerance is so close that a speck of dust is larger than the spacing, and if the head hits the dust it becomes air borne, crashes to the surface, and digs a big furrow that ruins the disk (a dreaded "head crash" in computer vernacular). So take a good look, it may be the only time you'll ever see one. (4-1-96) Beginning

Empire Strikes Back, The (1980) (****, sci fi, space opera) (D.-Irvin Kershner; Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Alec Guinness, Clive Revill, Julian Glover, John Ratzenberger, voice of James Earl Jones) The second reason this year you must go to a big screen. Worthy sequel to Star Wars. Awesome in its own right. While it doesn't have the raw impact of the original, it makes up for it by being both more action driven, deeper philosophically and dramatically, with a darker edge, and the ultimate cliffhanger of the trilogy--needed to set up the triumph of good in the finale. As with Star Wars, if you haven't seen Empire on the big screen, then you haven't seen it.

The motion-control camera space scenes are even more polished than the original. Throw in the puppet wizardry of Frank Oz with his marvelous implementation of the two foot high Yoda, the trainer of Jedi. Add to this some of the best stop action animation since Ray Harryhausen. John Williams' classical style sound track is again perfect for development of the story. Tie it all together with a plot that works, and you have Empire.

Vader, portrayed by the enormous, graceful Prowse and with the evilly seductive voice of Jones, is without a doubt the film villain of the 80s and perhaps of the century. The battle on the ice planet Hoth is magnificently orchestrated as the outgunned rebels try to extricate their forces. One of the most memorable scenes is the few seconds that it takes the rebel defense perimeter to crumble. This is captured in a few stark, brutal images. Finality. Survivors not captured are doomed to a quick death. The last 15 minutes or so on the gas planet is perfectly orchestrated drama, suspense, and action.

The visual capstone of the Empire's forces is Vader's Star Destroyer. Whenever it was on the screen, it overwhelmed everything. The film makers had not planned to use it so extensively until they viewed it on film.

The attack by the ice beast on Hamill was not in the original script. He was in a car accident that marked his face and covering the injuries wasn't possible, so they incorporated them into the film.

What were the new additions in the current release? There is a clear view of the ice creature that, in my opinion, was not necessary. We also get to see much more of the city in the clouds. In particular, the previously cramped hallways were opened up with big windows viewing the city. The originals were either enclosed or windows were filled with nondescript building patterns. I really liked this addition. It was beautifully futuristic and was the way such a magnificent city should look. As an aside, the original Flash Gordon serials of the 30's had hanging cities. One marvelous new scene was Vader's return to the Star Destroyer near the end. The enormous docking bay, his assembled honor guard, and the magnificent polished surfaces reflecting everything once again drove home without words the enormous might of the Empire and of Vader.

Two things came to us as we watched the new release. First, even though the new computer generated graphics are awesome, they are still not as yet as good as physical models for well defined physical objects. Second, the generation that has grown up on post-Star Wars' effects cannot truly grasp the impact of the original on us and on cinematography. Star Wars was revolution, not evolution. It was a quantum leap. Go back and play just about any 60's or 70's sci fi followed by Star Wars to see my point. (3-17-97) Beginning

Enter the Dragon (1973) (****, Kung fu adventure) (D.-Robert Clouse, Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri, Yang Tse, Angela Mao) Not great art, but great entertainment. Done in the best James Bond tradition with villains and heroes straight from the comic books. THE kung fu movie against which all others must be judged. The legendary Bruce Lee and several others with their own personal reasons penetrate an island fortress to destroy an opium, white slave trade. Unencumbered by the banality of plot lines and character development, Dragon races head long through some of the most breath takingly choreographed martial arts sequences ever put on film. Lee plays the diminutive baby-faced, charming Grim Reaper who brings new meaning to the statement "My whole body is a lethal weapon." He couldn't have had more than one gram of fat, and from the way he moves he had 100% fast twitch muscle fiber. Campy and humorous from start to finish, Dragon not only doesn't take itself seriously, but revels in its absurdity. If you only see one martial arts film in your life, make it this one. The cobra sequence is a delight and the hall of mirrors finale is an absolute visual knock out that alone is worth seeing. Kentucky Fried Movie allegedly does a parody of Dragon. Impossible. While Kentucky manages a delightfully fractured variation, it is impossible to parody Dragon. You will recognize Chuck Norris in spite of the facial scars as the henchman who has close encounters of the worst kind with every lethal surface on Lee's granite hard body. You will also recognize the mountain of muscle as the villain from Bloodsport. As an aside, these martial artists are superbly fit fighters. Many martial arts films made in the orient go in for heavy contact to preserve realism. (11-1-93) Beginning

Episode 2: Attack Of The Clones (2002, ***) (5-13-02) (DW.- George Lucas; Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Temuera Morrison, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker) Views run the full range on this. Forget the less than memorable romance and the stilted dialogue. This is another installment of a classic tale of good versus evil and when reduced to elemental issues it works. The story is much better than Part I. The acting is marginally better, although Christensen does manage to create some genuine dark corners in the personality that will ultimately become Darth Vader. When I walked out of the theater I was wired and not a little depressed by the darkness descending upon the Republic. Anakin Skywalker (Christentsen) is assigned to protect Senator Padme Amidala (Portman). His long distant admiration turns to love; this is unacceptable. “A Jedi Shall Not Know Anger. Nor Hatred. Nor Love.”

We have the building tension as the Jedis, headed by Obi-Wan Kenobi (McGregor) try to trace assassins. This search leads to an unexpected discovery. Ultimately, they should have heeded the warning about if something looks too good to be true…. However, under the circumstances, they had to make a Faustian bargain, and in Episode III they will regret it.

The visuals are impressive. The action sequences exciting. The strange worlds and aliens are riveting. The villains are worthy of the name. Christopher Lee as Count Dooku still makes an imposing figure even at about 80. But then I guess having played vampires countless times is good for the complexion. Indeed, one of my favorite set of characters was the bounty hunter Jango Fett (Morrison) and his young son Boba (yes, this does ring a bell as do many of the other building threads). Jango is a perfect professional. No animosity or hatred. Admiration as required for a worthy foe, but ultimately just cold, calculating efficiency. You can believe that people like that exist.

Much of the cgi really worked for me. However, it generates a lot of heat from those who consider it unconvincing. The totally computer generated Yoda is so good, I never had the slightest hint that it was cgi. The monsters in the arena were delightful with the cat/rat creature being my favorite. I loved the water world and the elegant cloners. The massive battle sequences had a terrible conviction and horror to them in spite of a lack of graphic gore, and the penultimate scene with the massive storm trooper armies going off to battle the droids was stellar. The visual impact, the lighting all brought home the monster that had been unleashed and the gathering darkness around the Republic.

In summary, I would rate Attack of the Clones as a fine action film with building historical elements that are required to set the stage for the collapse of the Republic and the scattering of the seeds that take root in the original Star Wars. For Star Wars lovers, a must see. Beginning

Epoch (2000) (**, sci fi) (10-22-04) (D.-Matt Codd; W.-Jonathan Raymond; David Keith, Ryan O'Neal, Stephanie Niznik, Brian Thompson, Steve Bond) The appearance of a bizarre and powerful monolith in Mongolia gets the world scrambling to find out what it is. The US gets there first, but China is not far behind. Will the confrontation between the two super powers precipitate a final apocalypse? As the scientists scramble to uncover its meaning and intent, will they themselves trigger a machine of enormous power and unknown intent towards mankind?

The set up is good; the resolution so-so. The tension is defused with some nice comedy, generally black. The acting is adequate. The monolith, however, is a little gem of art design. It is alien and dynamic. It frequently fills unused space on the screen bringing a continual sense of unease and foreboding. Is it the destruction or the rebirth of man? It is not clear up to the final moments. Beginning

Escape From Alcatraz (1979) (***, drama) (.D.- Don Siegel; Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Roberts Blossom, Jack Thibeau, Fred Ward, Paul Benjamin) Taut, well done retelling of true story of only successful escape (?) from impregnable Alcatraz prison in 1962. If you have never seen Alcatraz, even seen from the shoreline this is one impressive feat. The movie is fascinating to watch to see the extraordinary strategies humans devise to overcome what appear to be impossible circumstances. Maltin claims Danny Glover appears in his film debut, but I missed him. (1-10-95) Beginning

Eraser (1996) (***1/2, action) (D.-Charles Russell; Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vanessa Williams, James Caan, Robert Pastorelli, James Coburn) Top drawer Bondsian style actioner with some spectacular visuals, a droll sense of humor, and a first-class way of putting suspenseful scenes together--although not as good as Executive Decision in my view. John Kruger (Schwarzenegger) is a federal marshal who specializes in protecting witnesses and in erasing their prior identities. Kruger's methods are not always orthodox and a high body count is a small price to pay for a safe witness. His activities are also highly classified. When one agent asks who he is, the only half joking answer is "I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you." A clandestine weapons sales by a top weapon manufacturer put a young programmer (Williams) in dire need of Kruger's skills, which then forms the core of the film.

The weapon in question is a hand held electromagnetic (EM) rail gun that fires aluminum pellets at near the speed of light (actually rail gun particles are at a significant fraction of the speed of light) coupled with a nifty through-the-walls sighting scope. Marvelous! Suspenseful! For the story, we can easily forget the gun is recoiless, a physical impossibility, and that there is no suitable energy source. Also, ultra-high speed particles explode violently and crater on impact rather than penetrate. But who cares. Other great computer generated effects are some of the crocodiles.

The director has a keen sense of dramatic timing and really knows how to crank up the tension. While physically ludicrous, the airplane sequence is great as is the superbly orchestrated end of that scene where skillful use of point-of-view shots allow full impact. One lovely scene, which will long stick with me is where the two protagonists confront each other in the weapons company; their behavior is beautifully realistic as their hatred and testosterone take over their powers of observation. However, I do feel that the final dock battle was a bit much, and the film would have improved by shortening it.

The acting is adequate to very good. Arnold is Arnold--you know what to expect and you get it. Williams is very good. Just the right blend of fear, intelligence, and skillful adaptability to be believable. Caan as Kruger's mentor and control is cool and immensely competent. Pastorelli, a gangster saved by Kruger, along with his dockside relatives supply comic relief and extra fire power. (7-1-96) Beginning

Eraser--Interesting Fact: The evil company is CYREZ. Actually when originally filmed, the name was CYREX. However, when the film was ready to go, Intel wannabe major computer chip manufacturer CYRIX objected strongly to a name pronounced exactly like theirs. So what you see is the result of hasty post-production computer editing of the film. Beginning

EXistenZ (1999) (***1/2, sci fi) (1-31-00) (D/W:- David Cronenberg; Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Ian Holm, Don McKellar, Callum Keith Rennie, Sarah Polley, Christopher Eccleston, Robert A. Silverman) EXistenZ came out shortly after Matrix. Both deal with implications of a cyber world, but in extremely different ways. Matrix had super FX, a truly intriguing story line, and was fascinating up to the end, where it degenerated into your standard shoot em up. EXistenZ, much less of a mainstream film, is less flashy, has an equally intriguing plot line, and maintains its intellectual tension to the end. The time is the near future. Computer games have reached a level where they are biological (organic pods) that plug directly into the players' nervous systems through bioports. To call them realistic is to do them an injustice. The game is Reality. The film starts with the clandestine unveiling of a new game to a select group. The group as a whole is to be treated to a rare experience--playing the game with the creator Allegra Geller (Leigh). "I have devoted 5 of my most passionate years to this pod." When they are interrupted by an attempted assassination of Allegra, she and one of the attendants, Ted (Law), run for their lives.

At one point we actually get to see the game in action. As one of the players says about his current surroundings when he comes out of the game: "It feels completely unreal. I'm not sure here -- where we are --- is real at all. This feels like a game."

Role game players in particular are likely to love EXistenZ. Even with the new technology, they will feel right at home and comfortable. "You have to play the game to find out why you play the game."

EXistenZ is thought provoking, eerie, disturbing. The director doesn't beat you over the head with his idea. You arrive at your conclusions about the society and human nature based on the evidence that slowly unfolds. Ultimately, given the technological advances, the society and the reactions of its members are completely realistic, perhaps even understated.

The acting is good. Leigh, in particular, is a standout. She has made an occupation of playing fringe, off-the-wall roles. Her game mistress maintains this status.

A warning. This is a Cronenberg film. It is very organic. Those familiar with his films will know instantly what I mean. Some might say gross. Even though there is no nudity or sex, it is very sexual. So if you are interested in an intriguing, unique experience, try EXistenZ. However, just remember, mainstream it isn't. Beginning

Exorcist, The (1973) (****, horror) (D-William Friedkin; Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Miller) Classic adaptation of William Peter Blatty's best seller. The basic plot is the now hackneyed possession of a 12 year old girl by the Devil and the attempt to exorcise him. Well, this is the granddaddy of all exorcism. However, it isn't really the story in horror movies that counts, but the presentation. This baby is a well crafted classic--a real roller coaster ride from start to finish. Gorgeous cinematography, beautiful set ups, and inexorably built tension until the final climactic confrontation of flawed good and pure evil. Oscar winning Blatty screen play, and a truly haunting sound track with Satan's voice by Mercedes McCambridge. Young viewers will be surprised by how highly controversial this was when it came out (the crucifix and vomiting scenes). A good horror movie on a good budget with talented actors. A must see for all serious students of horror, and still a serious adrenaline rush for the rest. Beginning

Extreme Prejudice (1987) (**, action) (D:-Walter Hill; Nick Nolte, Powers Boothe, Michael Ironside, Maria Conchita Alonso, Rip Torn, Clancy Brown, William Forsythe, Larry B. Scott) It clearly deserves *, but I cannot bring myself to give it that. I am reminded of the proverb: "Nobody is ever a complete failure. You can always function as a bad example." Prejudice is a superb bad example. Never have so many pounds of testosterone been sacrificed for so little. The movie, especially the end, positively reeks of it. It is enough to give males a bad name. It seems to be saying that it doesn't matter what you do; just do it with enough machisimo and all is forgiven. So excessive it is actually inadvertently funny at times. The plot such as it is: On the Texas-Mexico border boyhood friends Nolte, a Texas Ranger, and Boothe, a drug kingpin, have a long standing and eventually bloody feud that climaxes in a standoff that uses more lead than D-Day. (6-27-94) Beginning

Eyes of Hell (AKA The Mask) (1961) (*1/2, horror) (D.-Julian Roffman; Paul Stevens, Claudette Nevins, Bill Walker, Anne Collings, Martin Lavut, Jim Moran) Showing on the cables now as The Mask and of greatest interest for its striking similarity to Jim Carrey's The Mask. Low budget 3-D horror. The first Canadian film to make it big in the US. An intriguing sociological study would be Why? A Dr. Jekyll and Hyde wannabe. Wearer of ancient Mexican mask has hallucinations and acts on his deepest desires. Dull direction and lethargic acting doom the already weak plot. Some of the dream sequences can rise to surrealistic and disturbing. However, the 3-D may have been effective in the theater but without it, the stream of objects rushing at you is more irritating than disturbing. (1-27-97) Beginning