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Movies
MOVIES AS OF 08 - 18 - 2008
New Releases
TROPIC THUNDER
Make Jokes, Not War
Reviewed by Sean O'Connell
Attempting to single out the funniest part of Ben Stiller's "Tropic
Thunder" makes me feel like a parent asked to name my favorite child.
The high point has to be Robert Downey Jr.'s rule-shattering
performance in modern-day black face, a sharp lampoon of
self-important method actors like Russell Crowe or the late Heath
Ledger.
But then again it might be Jack Black, acting with something other
than his girth to play a pampered, overweight comedic mega-star
(reminiscent of Mr. Black) who is stripped of his (illegal) creature
comforts.
Perhaps it's Tom Cruise's unhinged cameo, which I'll leave for you to
discover. Or how about teenage newcomer Brandon Soo Hoo, cast against
type as a drug kingpin overseeing a heroin factory buried deep in the
jungles of Vietnam?
The safe answer -- "All of the above" -- applies, though honestly,
"Tropic Thunder" peaks in its first five minutes. Stiller opens his
fourth directorial effort, a self-effacing piece about Hollywood types
making a movie, with bogus trailers for films that feature his
fictional celebrity talents. The targets are broad, the caricatures
easy to spot, and the humor so "inside" it should come with a
subscription to "Variety." It's also, hands down, the sharpest barrage
of spot-on jokes I've see this year. And the laughs don't let up until
"Tropic Thunder" has landed its last gut-busting punch nearly two
hours later.
Filmmakers have bitten the Hollywood hand that feeds before (Robert
Altman's vicious "The Player" drew gallons of blood in 1992), and
Stiller's fearless comedy follows suit by mercifully poking at the
film industry's inflated ego. "Tropic Thunder" tosses combat-film
actors into an actual jungle setting, slowly stripping away their
personality shields until they're left staring deeply into their
Hollywood hearts of darkness. Cruise buries himself under pounds of
makeup to bark vulgar phrases as a maniacal studio chief. Matthew
McConaughey mimics Hollywood's lecherous agents.
Stiller directs as well as acts, virtually stealing his own show
playing fictional action star Tugg Speedman. There's a subplot that
has Tugg attempting to attract Oscar heat by playing the mentally
handicapped character Simple Jack. It instead has attracted protests
from special interest groups who, if they've seen the movie, have
missed the point of the joke. It's only offensive if you are "I Am
Sam" star Sean Penn or Cuba Gooding Jr. of "Radio" fame.
Behind the camera, Stiller crafts a passable war film that could hang
with Brian De Palma's "Casualties of War" or other entrants to the
combat genre. But like most of "Tropic Thunder," it takes what's
expected and smashes it over the head, using impressive military
footage as a gateway to inspired comedy spoofing genre classics like
"Platoon" and "Apocalypse Now."
David Gordon Green's "Pineapple Express" took a similar approach to
the stoner comedies of the 1970s and 1980s, though "Tropic Thunder" --
like Martin Sheen's Capt. Willard from "Apocalypse Now" -- goes deeper
and darker down its river of comedy.=
Credit the entire cast for their willingness to check the collective
ego at the door. Credit Stiller for leaving the lens focused on his
inspired performers as they embrace the comedy in Justin Theroux and
Etan Cohen's fantastic screenplay. And credit Paramount and DreamWorks
executives for recognizing "Tropic Thunder" needed its hard R rating
for vulgar, offensive, disgusting and humiliating humor that hits its
intended mark every time. (R) GREAT ACTION-COMEDY Dir-Ben Stiller
Lead-Robert Downey Jr. RT-110 mins.
COPYRIGHT 2008 BY
FLY ME TO THE MOON
3-D animation comes to the very young in a gentle adventure story
about three little flies that stow away on the historic Apollo 11
space mission. It's 1969 when Nat and his buddies, IQ and Scooter,
buzz into the rocket's cockpit along with the astronauts after hearing
their grandfather's often-told story about riding along with Amelia
Earhart on her solo cross-Atlantic flight. A jealous Russian spy fly
attempts to sabotage the mission, adding a certain "Rocky &
Bullwinkle" element to the plot. While not a scintillating movie for
adults, it's easy fun for tykes and a learning experience to boot. (G)
FAIR ANIMATED ADVENTURE Dir-Ben Stassen Lead-Tim Curry RT-85 mins.
HENRY POOLE IS HERE
This isn't a movie, it's a sermon. A gentle sermon, but one with
nothing to offer non-believers; and the devout probably don't need a
lesson on the value of choosing to believe. When the face of Jesus
appears in a water stain on the side of the California house of "sad,
angry" Henry Poole, he rails against the little old church ladies who
come to pray and, they hope, be healed of whatever ails them. Will the
stain heal whatever's ailing Henry? The inevitable ending is
forgivable. That all doubt is removed -- hence all need for faith as
well -- is not. (PG) BORING DRAMA Dir-Mark Pellington Lead-Luke Wilson
RT-100 mins.
MIRRORS
In his latest shoddy effort, "The Hills Have Eyes" director Aja can't
be bothered to concoct imaginative frights or even tenuous bonds
between the supernatural terror and the human drama. An overacting
Sutherland stars as a pill-popping detective who, after being
suspended from the force, takes a security guard job at a derelict NYC
department store and finds himself menaced by the building's mirrors.
The stiff performances can partly be blamed on a silly premise -- evil
mirrors are far from scary -- and lousy dialogue. But while Aja is
genre-conversant enough to establish an unsettling mood, he fails to
generate a smidgen of tension. (R) BORING HORROR Dir-Alexandre Aja
Lead-Kiefer Sutherland RT-110 mins.
STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS
On George Lucas' infinite "Star Wars" timeline, this animated saga
bridges 2002's "Attack of the Clones" and 2005's "Revenge of the
Sith." Technically, that makes it a prequel to a prequel, the
equivalent of reading chapters 21 to 24 in a lengthy novel after
you've digested chapters 25 through 30. The story has Obi-Wan and
Anakin (Lanter) rescuing Jabba the Hutt's kidnapped child so they can
secure the slug's allegiance in the battle against Count Dooku
(Christopher Lee). The animation makes these sci-fi icons look like
wood carvings and new character Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) is more
petulant than whiny Anakin. (PG) FAIR ANIMATED ADVENTURE Dir-Dave
Filoni Lead-Matt Lanter RT-98 mins.
VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA
Although certainly not on the level of his best work, Woody Allen's
39th feature is consistently engaging, thanks largely to the
smoldering lead performance by Javier Bardem as a Spanish artist who
gets involved with two American tourists (Scarlett Johansson and
Rebecca Miller) spending the summer in Barcelona. Penelope Cruz is
equally dazzling in a fiery supporting turn as the artist's mentally
unstable ex. The movie is occasionally marred by stiff dialogue and
contrived plot points, but compared to much of the director's recent
output "Vicky Christina Barcelona" gives us reason to hope he's still
got a few good movies up his sleeve. (R) GOOD DRAMA Dir-Woody Allen
Lead-Javier Bardem RT-96 mins.
Current Showings
THE DARK KNIGHT (PG-13) Christian Bale - Chaos, fear
and Heath Ledger reign in Gotham City (GREAT)
HANCOCK (PG-13) Will Smith - Vehicle for ornery
superhero falls apart after promising start (FAIR)
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (PG) Brendan Fraser -
What lies beneath is a B-ticket ride (BORING)
MAMMA MIA! (PG-13) Meryl Streep - ABBA-inspired stage
musical arrives on the big screen (FAIR)
THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR (PG-13) Brendan
Fraser - Best kept sealed under airtight wraps (POOR)
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (R) Seth Rogen - Cannabis rules in
action-comedy from Judd Apatow & Co. (GOOD)
THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2 (PG-13) America
Ferrera - Soggy, stone-washed sequel (BORING)
SPACE CHIMPS (G) Andy Samberg - Animated family dud
misfires thanks to more than one problem (BORING)
STEPBROTHERS (R) Will Ferrell - Vulgar, asinine
comedy makes you regret guffaws (FAIR)
SWING VOTE (PG-13) Kevin Costner - Too many hanging
chads in unfunny political satire (BORING)
WALL-E (G) Ben Burtt - Pixar masterpiece has two robots
fall in love and bring humans back to Earth (GREAT)
THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE (PG-13) David Duchovny
- Horror movie for grownups still compels (GOOD)
COPYRIGHT 2008 BY