Bully bears the unmistakable stamp of director Larry Clark, who is known for his documentary-style cinematography and graphic depictions of teenage excess. Clark’s films luridly amplify teen sexuality, drug use and violence; true to form, Bully, an in-your-face portrait of a group of aimless youths, makes the crowd from Fast Times at Ridgemont High look … Continue reading
After running away from home at age 16, Frank Abagnale (Leonardo DiCaprio) successfully poses as an airplane pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, all the while cashing millions of dollars in forged checks. When a tenacious FBI agent (Tom Hanks) picks up his trail, a lively game of cat-and-mouse ensues. Buoyed by spirited performances from … Continue reading
“With a better director, The Chateau might have been a better film. As it is, watching old home movies may well be more entertaining. They’d certainly be better produced.” French Resistance Poor production values in culture-clash farce are non amusant A sort of cinematic paradox, The Chateau represents, to a degree, everything that’s good and bad with … Continue reading
Baz Luhrmann “reinvented” the movie musical with his deliriously over-the-top Moulin Rouge. Now, director-choreographer Rob Marshall’s Chicago takes the genre right back to its roots, proving that a savvy story, a sizzling score and a series of scorching musical numbers can send shivers down the spines of viewers even without flashy cinematic gimmickry. Just how … Continue reading
Bob Fosse’s shrewd satire of crime as entertainment makes a stunning transition from the stage to the multiplex in a big-screen version overflowing with razzle-dazzle. Director-choreographer Rob Marshall doesn’t attempt to reinvent the movie-musical genre; instead, he wisely allows the cunning story and sizzling score to thrill viewers. When mousy chorine Roxy (Renee Zellweger) lands … Continue reading
From the start, Come Undone illustrates the differences in sexual attitudes between European and American films. In an early scene, after an afternoon of cruising on the beach, a boy retires to his room to masturbate. Where an American film might imply the act, French director Sébastien Lifshitz instead presents close-ups of the boy’s penis … Continue reading
In a truly inspired performance, Sam Rockwell plays Chuck Barris, the eccentric creator and host of _The Gong Show_, who stumbles into a career as a contract assassin for the CIA just as he finds success as a TV game show producer. Finding he enjoys both jobs, he assumes a bizarre double life, juggling risky … Continue reading
Is it just me, or is Chris Kattan kind of cute? Okay, it’s just me. Okay, he’s not really cute… at all. But, hey, he sure is funny. Which is a good thing, because if he weren’t, there would be absolutely nothing positive to say about his new flick, Corky Romano. Despite Kattan’s comic abilities, … Continue reading
Martial arts dynamo Jet Li teams with rapper DMX in this exceptionally convoluted urban kung fu caper. Li, whose dramatic range includes exactly one facial expression, plays Su, a Taiwanese government agent looking for the precious “black diamonds” recently pilfered by professional thief Tony (DMX), which are now in the hands of a powerful crime … Continue reading
Say what you will about Britney, but she’s no dumb blonde. Unlike fellow pop diva Mariah Carey, whose acting debut was a wooden performance in a melodramatic vanity project of epic proportions, Britney has chosen a cheery road-trip flick in which to launch her film career. It’s a smart move; Crossroads is silly and exuberant … Continue reading
Mike Rucker Writes 