With all the Oscar buzz that has consumed the movie industry in recent weeks, few new movies have found their way to theaters. But the lack of new releases has not meant that moviegoers have been left completely in the dark. Well, not exactly. From obscure foreign films to random showings on cable television, people in search of a movie have not been without their options. The Daily looks back on what spring break had to offer.
<I>Brotherhood of the Wolf, 4 stars out of 5
In the spirit of my visit to French-Canada, a trip to the Somerville Theater was made beforehand to see this French film that has caused a small sensation. The sensation being that it is neither a romantic comedy, an over the top farce, or an experimental film and yet still crossed the Atlantic. No, this movie is, quite simply, an adventure. A kick-ass, high energy and atmospheric film that delivers the goods Resident Evil could not. Both movies have monsters, but only Brotherhood of the Wolf has the characters as well.The film is based on real events, sort of. There was a "beast" that terrorized the countryside of France before the French Revolution. Two men were sent to kill it, and succeeded. At least that's what the history books say. The movie intends to tell the real story, much like the children's books that claim to tell the real story of the big bad wolf.
The film's structure: the two men are shown beating up some thugs early on and performing kung-fu in slow motion, so we can see that they stand for justice. Then, the audience meets all the creepy townspeople of the terrorized province, including the probably corrupt priest, the one-handed gunsman, the governor, the governor's daughter, the crazy gypsies that shout warnings of future beast attacks, the women of the local brothel, etc. Everyone looks at least partly guilty, and the cinematography is mesmerizing. Imagine Sleepy Hollow, except with a better script. And in French.
The build up goes on for about an hour and a half, and just when you start to grow restless - wham. The last hour of the film is a nonstop full tilt boogie of blood, swordfights, beastfights, traps, tricks, accusations, and lines like, "The Beast has a master. I want him." The difference is, having taken the time to get to know everyone and dive into the mystery, all of this means something. When one of the leads re-appears after a premature burial, doused in warpaint and carrying two swords, you know exactly why he's there to kick some artistocrat derriere. I got my money's worth of mystery, action and adventure, and random nudity.
<I>Ice Age, 2.5 out of 5 stars
This movie has made 90 million dollars in two weeks. Domestically. I wish that were a statement of it's quality.I wish this film was better. I really do. The elements are there - Ray Ramano as a Wooly Mammoth, John Leguizamo as a Sloth, Dennis Leary as Dennis Leary, and a small squirrel that gets the crap beaten out of it at every turn. The story is simple enough for a decent cartoon - the creatures have to band together to save a human child and return him to his family. No, wait, that's the story to Monster's Inc.
Anyway, the ingredients are there. And individual sequences do work wonderfully. There's an encounter with a doomsday dodo cult that has a lot of chuckles in it, good chemistry between the leads and a fun sliding sequence in an ice tunnel, and the squirrel. Especially the squirrel. Every time the rabid little squirrel shows up is time well spent, and as the late Chuck Jones loved to show, you can't see an animated animal get beaten up enough.But it's also a testimony to the weakness of the film that all of these sequences could have happened in any order. The dodo doomsday cult, the sliding sequences, the running gags all don't really contribute to the story very much. As such, the film doesn't feel like it's building towards anything. We see Dennis Leary's conversion from bad guy to good guy coming a mile away, we never feel like the kid's in any real danger. And time spent at the beginning with Ray Romano constantly saying "I'm not going" is wasted because, hey, we've seen the trailers, we know he's going.
A running gag with two rhinos was apparently so hilarious on paper, the animators failed to follow through and explain why. They keep showing up, to less and less comic effect. Especially squirm-worthy is the final sequence, where the child is reunited with his father in slow motion and inspirational music. I've got nothing against happy endings in kid's movies, but this one lays on the syrup pretty thick.
As a kid's movie, it is successful. The jokes aimed for the 12 and under crowd hit their marks, and it will probably spawn a sequel or two. The animation is quirky and makes a distinct impression, a noteworthy achievement in a field getting so quickly crowded by Dreamworks and Pixar. That being said, this film is nowhere near the sharp satire of Shrek or the warmth of Monster's Inc. Ice Age is Fox's foothold in computer animation, but it's a shaky one. Ice Age 2 better be sharper, or they're gonna fall fast. And it better have more of that squirrel.
<I>Little Nicky, 2.5 stars out of 5 stars
In the past five years, Adam Sandler has built up a tradition of being in movies that cost nothing and make untold millions. So some fool decided to give him a big budget - as a result we have the first Adam Sandler flop. The trailers for this movie (released in Fall 2000) looked really, really bad and therefore no one saw it. Sandler hasn't released a film since, although there is one coming out this summer, and that also looks awful.What happened? I loved Happy Gilmore, I liked The Wedding Singer, I sorta liked Waterboy. Did he get suddenly unfunny, or did we just grow up? Little from column A, little from column B...
Little Nicky, despite appearances, isn't all that bad. At least not for a movie caught late night on cable. Satan (Harvey Keitel) has three sons (Sandler is the one with the face that looks like it got hit by a shovel, because it did) and decides to give his throne to... none of them. As a result, his two meaner sons (Tiny "Zeus" Lester and Rhys Ifans) escape to Earth to raise some hell, and Satan begins to fall apart. Oh, never mind. The question is, are the jokes funny?
Well, some of them, yes. A pineapple gets shoved up Hitler's ass, the Harlem Globetrotters actually get called for traveling, and there are so many plugs for Popeye's chicken that it becomes a great running gag. And the cameos! There are more cameos here (mainly SNL vets) than in Jay and Silent Bob, including some truly funny appearences by Ozzy Osbourne and a doomed Henry Winkler ("People of Earth, I give you Henry Winkler... covered in bees"). Regis Philbin shows up to joyfully recount some road rage, and an unrecognizable Dana Carvey plays the evil ref at the Globetrotters game.
The problem is Sandler himself. He's just not that funny here, using a bizarre accent and limping around like Igor from Young Frankenstein. The movie itself isn't half bad, but he keeps showing up and ruining things, like that annoying kid you mistakenly invite to a party. The budget itself is also an issue, as you can see 70 million dollars spent for no reason. Hell is rendered wonderfully, with huge sets and lots of demons everywhere. But this is an Adam Sandler movie. Why did they bother?
Why bother with a talking dog as a sidekick, when he's more distracting then funny? Why bother using computer animation to turn Sandler into a bunch of tiny spiders when he's attacked? Why have a special effects showdown at the end when, again, this is an Adam Sandler movie. All he has to do is get in another fight with Bob Barker for the movie to end.
Anyway, the movie isn't half bad, and if you want to see a textbook example of overconfident filmmaking, this is it. The film looks like it was a huge party to make, but the actual result feels like an in-joke with us on the outside. I can imagine the screenwriting sessions: "We'll put it in hell! With pineapple's up Hitler's ass! We can do whatever, they'll give us the money!" Yes, and now comes the decent into obscurity.
Or maybe not. Appearently, Sandler is going to be in the next P.T. Anderson (Magnolia) movie, and there's no quicker way to re-establish credibility than to be in a young, hot director's new film. Just ask Tom Cruise.
<I>Wet Hot American Summer, 4.5 Stars out of 5
This movie was released in about three theaters last summer, but now on video has a good chance to become a strong cult movie. It is, without a doubt, the most random, imaginative, caution-to-the-wind comedy I've seen in a long, long time. It's not a "good" movie, per se: it was shot for about four dollars, has all the seriousness of a Leslie Nielsen movie, and doesn't play by rules of logic or characterization. It is, however, very funny. There are many jokes that surprise you and blindside you, in a way that reminds you what it's like to really lose it.It's the last day of summer camp in 1981. Janene Garafolo plays the geek Camp Coordinator, who is more interested in seducing local fellow astrophysicist geek David Hyde Pierce. Then there's Coop (Michael Showalter of MTV's The State) who parodies the slightly-wimpy-but-caring-sensitive-guy so well that it was almost painful to watch. Almost. Then there's the camp slut, the camp horndog, the smelly kid who never takes a shower, and most importantly the camp cook, who is a Vietnam Vet and has many a conversation with a can of vegetables.
The plot roughly involves everyone trying to get laid and a piece of skylab falling towards the camp. I'm not going to pretend it makes any sense, or that it's a classic piece of cinema. But it's funny. It's really funny. Every time the film sets you up, and you think, "Ok, I know where this is going...," you don't. You really don't.
Especially not when the camp counselors go on a trip into town. Rent the movie. You'll see what I'm talking about.
