May 5, 1997
Clandestins (1997) *
Six illegal immigrants are fighting, arguing and starving inside a sealed container on a cargo ship in the middle of Atlantic Ocean. If you like depressing allegories about human misery and suffering, brace yourself for a huge treat.
Mathusalem 2 (1997) *
First, we have a haunted house in a small Quebec town in the middle of a harsh winter. Then, a tropical island with pirates, treasures and a sexy Spanish seniorita. It's barely watchable and very disappointing. Director Roger Cantin, who made only two good movies ("Simon les nuages" and "L'Assassin jouait du trombone"), keeps trying, but again fails to repeat those achievements.
La Conciergerie (1997) *
It's supposed to be a murder mystery, but the pacing is so sluggish, the characters so ill-conceived, the story so boring and the suspense so non-existent, that even the most indulgent viewer will either fall asleep or walk out of the theater. The worst film by Alfred Hitchcock (like "Torn Curtain" or "Spellbound") is a masterpiece compared to this incompetent imitation.
La Comtesse de Baton Rouge (1997) *
Un desastre ennyant, degoutant and plein des confusions. Andre Forcier essaye d'imiter l'elan surrealiste de ses films precedants, mais ne parvient qu'a creer une monstruosite sans pareil.
Le Coeur est mon temoin (1997) *
This documentary about Muslim women won't tell us anything we don't already know.
De l'autre cote du coeur (1997) *
After making an award-winning film about sex and car crashes ("Crash") and a tasteful movie about necrophilia ("Kissed"), those Canadian perverts are at it again. This time, they made a touching and tender film about incest. A brother and a sister fall madly in love with each other.
Hot Sauce (1997) *
"The Taste" segment of Bashar Shbib's "The Senses". A self-reflexive film about an amnesiac filmmaker. It's the first segment of a five-part series.
The Perfumer (1997) *
Campy film tries hard to imitate a "Women On The Verge of A Nervous Breakdown" Almadovar, but fails miserably. The third installement in Bashar Shbib's five-part series, "The Senses". This one is, of course, "The Smell".
Panic (1997) *
The fifth, i.e. "The Hearing", segment of Bashar Shbib's "The Senses". It's the story of a transvestite who tells a story about a writer who writes a story about a woman.
A Taxi To L.A. (1997) **
One of the better segments of Bashar Shbib's five-part "The Senses" cycle. This one (the second) deals with "The Look", but it's actually a road movie about a trip from Montreal to L.A. Alexandra Woodward is excellent.
La Vengeance de la femme en noir (1997) *
An extremely disappointing sequel to "L'Assassin jouait du trombone" (1991). Inferior in every respect.
April 4, 1997
Everybody (1997) ***
Mo' Money Mo' Problems (1997) ***
Excellent rap music video. It received several MTV Video Music Awards nominations. Gently poking fun at Tiger Woods, The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy have created a genuine classic.
Adios mama (1997) ***
Da Funk (1997) ***
Barbie Girl (1997) ***
Aqua video about the famous doll. The song became quite controversial due to its sexual suggestiveness, and
the Mattel company filed a lawsuit against the Danish pop music band. Lyrics:
I'm a barbie girl, in a barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, this is your creation
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
I'm a blond bimbo girl, in a fantasy world
Dress me up, make it tight, I'm your darling
You are my doll, rock'n'roll, feel the glamouring thing
Kiss me here, touch me there, hanky panky
You can touch, you can play, if you say:
I'm always yours
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please
I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees
Come jump in, be my friend, let us do it again
Hit the town, fool around, let's go party
You can touch, you can play, if you say: I'm always yours
Come on Barbie, let's go party
Chainsmoker (1997) **
Inventive and clever film about a series of strange incidents. A German short directed by Maria Von Heland.
Trajectoire oblique (1997) **
A young girl wants to prove to her parents that she's no longer their baby. Bloody mayhem ensues. A Belgian short directed by Dominique Lolhe.
Noiseman Sound Insect (1997) ***
A scientific experiment gone wrong produces a creature of living sound, that turns music to crystal. An exciting thrill ride of a movie, with magnificent visuals.
Locked (1997) ***
Powerful condemnation of child labor in the Third World. An Indian cartoon co-produced with the National Film Board of Canada.
La Vieille dame et le pigeon (1997) ***
Duel (1997) ***
Books are shredded to pieces with scissors and other blunt instruments. Possibly inspired by Jan Svankmejer's "Dimensions Of Dialogue", it's another Czech film whose symbolism might be hard to decipher. Technique: drawings and animation of three-dimensional objects.
March 3, 1997
Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Wesolo jak nigdy (1997) **
"Szanta polityczna" *
"Inflacja marzen" ("Kulig w strusich jajach") **
"Ulica cynikow" *
"Uciszcie sie" ("Kulig w strusich jajach") **
"Lis" *
"My Narod" *
Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Prezent od sw Mikolaja (1997) ***
"Gdziezes ty Misiu byl?" *
"Puszka z Pandora" ("Kulig w strusich jajach") **
"Kanapy" **
"Homines unius libri" ("Kulig w strusich jajach") **
"Wrzesien" *
"Dyktatura wolnosci" **
"Zlustruj mnie" *
Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Kabina cieni (1997) ***
"Mysmy juz byli" **
"Polskie pieklo" ("Tok szol") **
"Czart w internecie" **
"Umarl Polak" **
"Parawaniki" **
"Malo nas" **
Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Gdyby nie raj (1997) **
Piosenki:
"Jak za komuny" *
"Upal w raju" ("...zza krzaka") **
"Gdyby Adam był Polakiem" *
"Pod Biala Lilia" *
"O raju raj" *
Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Wczasy od Polski (1997) ***
"Rinaldo" ("New age Niu Ejdz") *
"Na Mazowszu" **
"Gramy w kolory" ("Dajmy sie zwariowac") ***
"Kapitalisto" **
Kabaret Olgi Lipinskiej: Skok w Nowy Rok (1997) ***
"Pospieszmy do szopy" ("Kulig w strusich jajach") **
"Zespol Meniera" *
"Odlatuja artysci" *
"Bez mazura final" *
February 2, 1997
Jazz '34 (1997) **
Nostalgic re-creation of the Kansas City jazz scene in the 1930's. No narrative interruptions, just a series of great jamming sessions. Great jazz at its purest. The film was made with the same musicians, who worked on the musical score of Robert Altman's "Kansas City" (1996).
Red Corner (1997) **
Richard Gere plays a big-shot attorney who finds himself framed for murder while negotiating a huge satelite television deal in Beijing. The victim is a daughter of an influential Army general. Misguided political thriller will surely anger Chinese leaders, but it fails to condemn the real human-rights abuses in that country.
Clockwatchers (1997) **
It's hard to make a movie about boredom that avoids being boring itself, but this cynical comedy succeeds quite nicely. It's about four temps employed at a large credit company, where their bosses pretend to care about them and they pretend to care about their work. Parker Posey won an acting award at Sundance for this film (ex-aquo with "The House Of Yes" and "Suburbia").
Chinese Box (1997) **
An allegory about Hong Kong, Britain and China, starring Jeremy Irons, Gong Li and Maggie Cheung.
Zero Effect (1997) **
Bill Pullman and Ben Stiller star in this intelligent drama about a reclusive private eye investigating a blackmailing case.
Wild America (1997) **
If this were a silent movie, it would be highly watchable. The three young hunks are handsome enough to give any 12-year-old girl her first erotic fantasy and their encounters with wild animals (alligators, bears, wolves, snakes) are quite exciting, too. But the guy who wrote those dialogues should be pelted with rotten eggs. Cover your ears and enjoy.
Washington Square (1997) **
While it's inferior to the 1949 William Wyler's version ("The Heiress"), this adaptation is much more faithful to Henry James' original novel (probably his greatest work). Performances are uniformly excellent. It's a story of a shy, introverted girl torn between a domineering father who despises her and a callous, money-hungry suitor. It ought to be shown on a double bill with "In The Company Of Men" - both films offer prime examples of men's inhumanity to women.
Gridlock'd (1997) **
Two junkies (Tupac Shakur and Tim Roth) try to kick their habit while their girl (Thandie Newton) recovers in a hospital.
Gang Related (1997) **
This otherwise mediocre picture notheless achieves a perfect balance between a gritty police drama and a black comedy. Two evil cops (Shakur and Belushi) have a hard time framing an innocent man for murder. Every dirty trick they try blows in their faces. Some plot twists are ingenious, frighteningly cynical and very ironic. In this film, crime definitely doesn't pay.
The Game (1997) **
Many of Michael Douglas' previous films were misogynist ("Disclosure"), homophobic ("Basic Instinct") or even fascistic ("Falling Down"), but at least they were saying something and had a strong, ideological point-of-view. This movie is politically-correct, but completely empty and devoid of any message, good or bad. It's a pure stylistic exercise. The game in question involves a billionaire (Douglas), his brother (Penn) and a mysterious company called CRS (Consumer Recreation Services). There is no suspense, because we know that everything that happens is part of the game (otherwise, the movie wouldn't make any sense).
Fools Rush In (1997) **
Gorgeous Salma Hayek and Matthew Perry star in this romantic comedy about two young people who have sex, get married and then get to know one another.
Dante's Peak (1997) **
Instead of one disaster movie, we get four: one about an earthquake, another about a flood, yet another involving an exploding volcano and finally one set inside a collapsed mine shaft. There is also a boat trip on an acidic lake amid clouds of volcanic ashes. Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton have to get through all these ordeals. Special effects are superb; the screenplay is merely serviceable.
Contact (1997) **
Thoughful, but unexciting film about a contact with an alien civilisation in the Vega system.
Con Air (1997) **
The villains (John Malkovich, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi) are great, one-liners are sharp, but the film fails to deliver the most important element - good action scenes. A few nifty explosions aren't enough.
Most Wanted (1997) **
A perfectly fine action movie in the "Fugitive" mould. Not very original, but quite entertaining, enjoyable and very fast-paced. While Jon Voight overacts shamelessly, Wayans and Henessy forcefully underplay their roles (it's a nice way of saying they're stiff).
Metro (1997) **
Entertaining Eddie Murphy's action/police thriller with an impressive chase sequence.
Masterminds (1997) **
Evil terrorists take over a building, but the hero hides in the ventillation shafts and defeats them. No, it's not "Die Hard". A smart kid sets elaborate traps for adult intruders. No, it's not "Home Alone". Hero witnesses terrible injustices and saves many innocent people from the clutches of a madman. No, it's not "Schindler's List". There isn't a single frame in this movie that wasn't shamelessly ripped-off from another. "Masterminds" is actually quite entertaining, but it reeks of "deja vu".
Volcano (1997) **
An earthquake awakens a dormant volcano beneath the La Brea Tar Pits in downtown L.A. Better than "Dante's Peak", because its premise is more dramatic - instead of merely evacuating people, emergency crews actually have to stop the lava flow.
The Typewriter The Rifle And The Movie Camera (1997) **
Quentin Tarantino, Tim Robbins, Martin Scorsese and Jim Jarmusch are singing the praises of Sam Fuller, a great American filmmaker.
Kiss The Girls (1997) **
Morgan Freeman plays a DC cop tracking down a psychopath who kidnapped several young college girls. This is a routine crime movie, neither fascinated nor repelled by its subject matter, devoid of any deep psychoanalytical insights, burdened by slavish attention to generic conventions and often fairly tedious.
In And Out (1997) **
Flawed, but often hilarious comedy about homophobia. Inspired by Tom Hanks' Oscar-acceptance speech for "Philadelphia", it tells a story of a small-town teacher outed on national television by his former student. Comic highlights include: dialing a rotary phone, listening to a self-motivation audio tape and getting into a brawl over Barbra Streisand ("Yentl sucks !"). Tom Selleck steals the movie as an openly gay TV reporter.
I Married A Strange Person (1997) **
Directed by Bill Plympton. An outrageous animated feature. Obscenely amusing and amusingly obscene.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) **
Fine horror movies about attractive young people stalked by a monstrous fisherman.
187 (1997) **
Samuel L.Jackson plays a Dirty Harry with a teaching certificate. Kevin Reynolds, the grossly underrated, brilliant director of such expensive classics as "Rapa-Nui" and "Waterworld", returns to low-budget filmmaking, and the results are mostly disappointing. This film proves that Reynolds is a masterful stylist, capable of handling any material in a fresh and inventive way. But it also proves that he should be more picky with scripts - this must be Hollywood's 187th film about a sir with love standing, delivering and leaning on blackboards while substituting for dangerous minds in high school jungles. "187" is gritty and realistic, but so somber, it's dull. It would have worked better as a black comedy a la Tarantino.
Hoodlum (1997) **
Evil white gangsters, led by Dutch Schultz (Roth), want to take over Harlem's numbers racket, but local black gangsters, led by Bumpy Johnson (Fisburne), find an ally in Lucky Luciano (Garcia) and manage to defend their turf. Clear parallels are drawn between that vicious gang warfare of the 30's and the a noble civil-rights struggles of the 60's, with Bumpy Johnson presented as Martin Luther King, Dutch Schultz as the Ku-Klux-Klan and Lucky Luciano as JFK.
Mad City (1997) **
A remake of Billy Wilder's "Ace In The Hole". Once again, we've got an ambitious journalist who crosses the line between covering a story and creating one. The film tries hard to be cynical and uncompromising, but fails. But it's still a well-directed, tense drama.
The Headhunter's Sister (1997) **
A slice-of-life film about a carefree middle-age man, his sister and his wife.
The Apostle (1997) **
Slightly overrated film about a runaway preacher (Robert Duvall) yelling at the Lord, invoking "Holy Ghost power", converting racist troublemakers and attracting hordes of followers. Scenes in which Duvall works himself into a state of religious frenzy will strike you as either powerful or ridiculous, depending.
Love Jones (1997) **
Quiet and intelligent little film about two young people dating. A "Booty Call" for a more sophisticated audience.
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