Reviews by members of the AWC Film Group of films slated to open in Hamburg in July 2003

Full Frontal

(Becky T) Opening July 3, 2003

After successes such as Traffic; Ocean’s Eleven; Erin Brockovich; Out of Sight; sex, lies and videotape, etc., director Steven Soderbergh can afford to sit back and make a little experimental film. Full Frontal was made under almost dogmatic conditions: 18 days of filming by natural light on a video camera without monitors. The actors were responsible for their own clothes, hair-dos and makeup and had to drive themselves to one of the 11 locations around Los Angeles. Actress Catherine Keener said, “When I read the script, I called Steven and said I’m sure it’s brilliant, although I don’t understand anything about it.” I know what she means; I did not understand it either. Seven people (writer, vice president of human resources, hotel masseuse, three actors, and a producer) connect in some way within 24 hours. All meet unhappily in the end for the 40th birthday of Gus, the producer (David Duchovny), who is probably the most miserable as he is lying dead in his hotel room. Other cast members are Mary McCormack, David Hyde Pierce, Julia Roberts, Blair Underwood, and Nicky Katt, who was the only one with a single spark of personality as an actor portraying Hitler. He was as funny as Hitler in Mel Brooks’ The Producers. Perhaps there is something Fellini-like to be read between the lines; but if you want a film about connections with characters that arouse sympathy, see Things You Can Tell by Looking at Her instead.

Piglet's Big Movie for adults, for kids

(Kirstan B) Opening July 3, 2003

Ho-hum . . . can Disney ever make a sequel to any cartoon movie that equals the original? Certainly not in the case of its new release, Piglet's Big Movie, which bored this grown-up to tears. Children under 6, will certainly enjoy Piglet's movie, but the older ones are aware that it is not all that sparkling, comparatively speaking. Piglet's endearing humbleness and small size are the themes for his big movie. Piglet's buddies overlook his desire to help them in a ridiculous scheme to harvest honey, and the rest of the film showcases three A.A. Milne stories, illustrating how useful and special Piglet really is, despite his size. Carly Simon does the music, so there are a few catchy tunes to ease the pain. If it were not for the free invitation to bring my kids along, I would have been reluctant to go in the first place. Here's why:

1. The original Winnie the Pooh movie, (which was actually broken up into 3 separately-released 30 minute segments), was a Disney masterpiece as far as art, style, vocals, music and theme are concerned. Each episode (Blustery Day, Honey Tree, Trouble with Tiggers) was televised; the repeats were cherished for years, and kids loved them.

2. In the 1980's, Disney began to cash in on past successes. The birth of the 20 minute New Adventures of Pooh cartoon, with each episode delivering a moral storyline, exploited the quiet excitement of the original characters. They all became locked into a stereotype of themselves. In comparison, the art was shoddy, the voices squeaky and the songs became downright hokey. They were pure fodder for the Disney Channel and video sales (ka-ching!).

3. Of course, new feature movies are in order, so bring on Pooh's Grand Adventure, The Tigger Movie and now, Piglet's Big Movie. The films are an improvement over the sappy cartoons, but really lack in every area that makes the 1965 original so special.

Most importantly, the poetry and reflection of the world through children's eyes that A.A. Milne brought to print (and was so perfectly captured in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh) is missing. I am sure that we will be seeing Eeyore and Rabbit movies soon, not to mention Owl, Kanga and Roo. Like Tigger's uniqueness and Piglet's size, most probably these future films will be built around each character's personality with a force-fed moral message. Why can we not just see the forest friends in really good stories? Perhaps it soothes the Disney soul to think they are teaching children something instead of just trying to squeeze every penny out of the Pooh world. Poor A.A. Milne . . . if he could only be alive to get the royalities!

What a Girl Wants

(Osanna V) Opening July 3, 2003

Colin Firth (Bridget Jones’ Diary) stars in this light, teenie comedy with Amanda Byrnes, Kelly Preston, Jonathan Pryce and Oliver James, directed by Dennie Gordon.

Daphne Reynolds (Brynes) is a lively seventeen year old American girl who shares a close relationship with her singer mother, Libby (Preston). All her young life she has heard the story of how her mother fell passionately in love with her father, Lord Henry Dashwood (Firth), somewhere out in the African desert and married him there according to local tradition. However, tradition back at Henry’s family seat in London and the shrewd manipulations of the family advisor, Alistair Payne (Pryce), soon put an end to the affair. Libby, believing she was doing the best for Henry’s future, returned to the US without telling him that she was pregnant.

Daphne has always clung to the dream that her father will turn up one day but, as he hasn’t done so by her 17th birthday, she decides to take the initiative and fly to England to find him. Unfortunately, while Henry soon gets over the initial surprise and is obviously delighted to discover he has a daughter, his fiancée, Glynnis (Ann Chancellor), her daughter, Clarissa (Sylvia Syms), and, above all, her father, Alistair Paynes, are far from thrilled…

The storyline of What a Girl Wants is predictable, yet the presentation is quite charming and humorous, making it a fun mother/daughter outing for those who enjoy the genre.

Der Letzte Lude

(Becky T) Opening July 10, 2003

You’ll look in vain for trailer trash in Hamburg, but you’ll find it in Der Letzte Lude. The word Lude is slang for “pimp,” which puts you right in the heart of Hamburg St. Pauli. Lotto King Karl sells sandwiches to prostitutes on the Reeperbahn, but he has aspirations for the bigger picture. Hired to guard a high-priced go-go dancer, he is dogged by an actor who wishes to study the scene for a new role. These three create a lot of nonsense, all of it so simple to follow that you needn’t worry about understanding the Hamburg dialect. You’ll recognize scenes in Hamburg, and perhaps you’ll be inspired to buy a ticket for the next concert of Lotto King Karl, who is a German pop singer and TV talk master in real life.

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

(Geysa W) Opening July 10, 2003

Natalie (Cameron Diaz), Dylan (Drew Barrymore) and Alex (Lucy Liu), the sexiest trio in the world of secret agents, are on a mission to recover two stolen rings containing microchips about an FBI protection program. Some people have already been revealed and murdered so every minute counts. There are no holds barred as they change from motorcade to horses to jumping from bridges or helicopters. With phenomenal special effects as well as their beautiful bodies in bikinis while surfing or swimming, they hold the attention of the fascinated public from beginning to end. They also change outfits very often, and look fabulous dressed in leather. Demi Moore's comeback was great in this film of superlatives.

FearDotCom

(Becky T) Opening July 17, 2003

As horror films go, this one is scary enough. Detective Mike Reilly (Stephen Dorff) and health official Terry Huston (Natasha McElhone)—two fine leading actors--discover that people who type into a website called feardotcom.com must die 48 hours later. Polidori dies on a subway, his face contorted to a scream worthy of Edvard Munch. Turnbull burns in his car; Denise is overrun by cockroaches. The two sleuths deduce that the victims have been frightened out of their wits by their worst nightmares. Mike and Terry beg each other, “Promise me one thing: that you won’t visit that site.” And they visit that site. Of the two, only one survives and the riddle is solved. FearDotCom looks a lot like The Ring, or Ringu, as it is called in the original Japanese, the film where people watch a certain video and also die shortly thereafter. In spite of being filmed in Luxembourg and Canada (made to look like New York), there are enough torrential rains and blue lights on a fuzzy screen to qualify as a good old Japanese thriller. And then there is the small blond girl in a white dress, who plays with a white ball. Perhaps it’s not that scary, or would you really believe that nice Stephen Rea from The Crying Game could really be a doctor who takes pleasure in the screams of a young girl? I must admit, I dialed into www.feardotcom.de and got – not the question, “Are you ready to watch?”—but a website full of information. What better way to advertise a film! Although the story is partly confusing and partly predictable, it certainly will keep you awake and on the edge of your seat for 102 minutes.

Marry Me (Heirate Mich)

(Mary W) Opening July 17, 2003

In Havana on New Year's Eve 2000, Gladis, a single mother born in Cuba, becomes engaged to Erik, a reserved German. Their romance, marriage and subsequent life together with Gladis' seven-year-old son Omarito are intimately followed by two German directors, Uli Gaulke and Jeannette Eggert. Over two years, Gladis and Erik learn about each other with the added complications of having grown up in two totally different cultures. We watch Gladis partying with her friends in Cuba. She is relaxed, exuberant and obviously enjoying herself. Later, in Hamburg, we watch Gladis and her son share Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) with Erik and his parents. Everyone is very polite, the conversation simple and reserved. Gladis signs up for German lessons where she haltingly converses with her teacher. Her son begins public school. Erik tries to help when a problem arises between Omarito and some local kids. Taping everyday life would be stressful for most newlyweds under any circumstances and it is truly astonishing how open and honest Gladis, Erik and Omarito are about living together. Anyone who has lived in a foreign county or simply wants to vicariously experience real relationships will enjoy this film. Omarito is darling from beginning to end. He tells his mother if they stay in Hamburg, she will have to learn German. At the Berlinale press conference, Omarito continued to delight with his exaggerated facial expressions that provided wordless commentary on what was being said about their film. Two years in a foreign culture have not dampened his outgoing, perhaps Cuban, nature.

Legally Blonde 2

(Kirsten G) Opening July 24, 2003

Über-blonde Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) gets a chance to have more fun in the sequel to the hit 2001 comedy Legally Blonde, Legally Blonde 2 (secondarily titled Red, White, & Blonde in the U.S.). This very American comedy has all the makings of a popcorn movie for the female population: a likeable female lead with a hunky fiancé, some good laughs, and healthy doses of female bonding. Having conquered Harvard in the first film, Elle now sets out to conquer Washington D.C. When she discovers that her dog Bruiser’s mother is being used as an animal testing subject for a make-up company, she moves to D.C. to fight for animal rights, joining the staff of a liberal, fellow Delta Nu sorority sister congresswoman, Victoria Rudd (Sally Field). Though she encounters many obstacles, Elle finds a way to navigate the political minefield of Washington in her own unique way, all the while inspiring those around her to find voices of their own.

Although it is refreshing to see a movie that celebrates a good kind of girl power (i.e., one that shows you can be “girlie” but still have brains and accomplish your goals through empowering others vs. using your sexuality to manipulate others to get your way), overall Legally Blonde 2 was a bit of a disappointment. There are too many unbelievable plot elements, too much roll-your-eyes-at-it dialogue, and a bit too much pink. Plus, a lot of the humor is very U.S.-based, meaning most German audiences will probably not “get it” (if my mostly-German press screening audience is any indication). In all, while young girls (blonde and non-blonde alike) will love this film, everyone else will likely find it a frothy, though entertaining, 90-minute diversion.

 

Sinbad, Legend of the Seven Seas 1/2

(Geysa W) Opening July 24, 2003

Famous artists were selected to provide the voices for the English version of this animated film and their participation very much colors the characters in it. Cute, charming Sinbad (Brad Pitt) sails into the seven seas, looking for the Book of Peace. He has only one chance to find this precious book, and if he fails, his best friend Proteus (Joseph Fiennes) will die. Marina (Catherine Zeta-Jones) follows Sinbad to see that he completes this difficult mission and also, to fall in love with him. Eris (Michelle Pfeiffer), the Goddess of Chaos, causes nothing but trouble, doing battle with Sinbad, who according to the crew, has to take orders from Marina. This screenplay by John Logan (Gladiator) is a lot of fun, not only for children who will love this modern Sinbad.

 

Lichter (Distant Lights)

(Kirsten G) Opening July 31, 2003

The German film Lichter (Distant Lights) interweaves the stories of people on the “wrong” side of the border with those of people on the “right” side. Here, the border is between Germany and Poland, and the stories are of people living in the small towns that dot the River Oder, as well as of Ukranian immigrants hoping for a better life in the West. According to director and co-writer Hans-Christian Schmid, the film grew out of experiences he had after moving from Munich to Berlin three years ago. “From Berlin you are just an hour from Poland,” said Schmid, “but I hardly know anyone who has been there. In most cases, contact is restricted to a Polish cleaning woman.” On one level the film addresses the situation of vastly different societies struggling to grow closer in an expanding European community, but on another level it is about individual relationships.

Soul of a Man

(Mary W) Opening July 31, 2003

Wim Wenders pays homage to three legends of the blues in this part docu-drama, part documentary film. Willie Johnson, blinded by an abusive mother at an early age, wrote and sang religious songs on the dirt roads of Texas creating gospel blues. In 1927 he recorded two songs for Columbia Records that became classics. Although he died a poor man, his music lived on to be played over and over again; and his rasping voice is being spirited out of our world on the Voyager which was launched in 1977 with his recording of "The Soul of a Man". Since there were no films made of Johnson, Wenders convincingly recreated Johnson by filming Chris Thomas King in black and white, using a hand-cranked camera.

Nor were any films made of Nehemiah 'Skip' James (played by Keith B. Brown), born in Betonia, Mississippi, in 1902, who developed his own unparelleled "Betonia Sound". For twenty years James played in clubs, and then in 1931 he won a contest with Paramont and recorded eighteen songs in one amazing session. All he received for his original works was expense money back home (about $40). Disillusioned, he became a Baptist preacher for more than thirty years. Then in 1964, a promoter for the Newport Folk Festival found James in a hospital and brought him to play. An incredible success, James was then able to pay for an operation that gave him a few more years to perform. He died in 1969 of cancer.

Born in Mississippi in 1929, the third artist, J.B. Lenoir became interested in the guitar from his father. He spent time in New Orleans and Chicago and had his first hit single in 1951, "Korea Blues". He recorded for several labels and began to challenge political issues of the times with such songs as "Vietnam Blues", "Alabama March" and “Eisenhower Blues". He died tragically in 1967 from lack of proper medical care after a car accident.

You may not recognize these artists, but no doubt you have heard their music or music influenced by them. Their music is introduced as it was played during their lifetimes, then played again by contemporary artists such as Los Lobos, Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt, Eagle Eye Cherry, Lucinda Williams and Cassandra Wilson, just to name a few. Just try to sit through this entire film without tapping your toes!

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines 1/2

(Stephan W) Opening July 31, 2003

After a ten-year pause, the Terminator is back. This film is action, action, action. The 18-year-old John Connor (Nick Stahl) lives an "abnormal" life, being without telephone, jobs, credit cards, or home. In his dreams he knows that when the machines make a renewed appearance, they will be powerful with only one thought in mind: destruction. Not only he, but also Dr. Kate Brewster (Claire Danes), is in danger because Sky Net Killer T-X (Kristana Loken) has been following them. Doomed to death, all was not lost because the Terminator (Arnold Scharznegger) is alive and standing by to help. From this point on, there isn’t even any time to breathe! In the film the facts are treated with incredible speed. Everything is harder. It is destruction with superlatives and the Terminator's jokes are really funny as well. Another highlight is that the enemy, being a girl, is more intelligent and sexy. This the best Terminator film, especially for those who want to see a "multimedia" battle.