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Figaro-6
Reviews
Possible Worlds (2000)
A film without any reason to exist
Robert Lepage takes an intriguing, clever premise and then steadfastly refuses to develop it for what seems a very long time, finally offering a resolution that follows the path of least interest. I cannot think of any element of this movie that has not been done better elsewhere, or a single compelling reason to see this film instead of any other. Take special pains to avoid this movie if you have seen one or more of: Dark City, Lost Highway, Groundhog Day, or Brain Dead (the Bill Pullman / Bill Paxton one). If you have it will only frustrate you to see such similar ideas, done so well elsewhere, done so poorly here. If you have not seen those movies, see them instead of this one. If you want to see a good Tom McCamus movie, rent "I Love a Man in Uniform". If you want a good Tilda Swinton movie, rent "Orlando". If you're interested in Robert Lepage, see any other Robert Lepage movie (but especially "Le Confessional"). If you want a good Genie-nominated movie, see "Maelstrom" or "waydowntown" or "New Waterford Girl".
Lepage treats his ultimately flimsy story with the naive glee of someone who has never read any science fiction, ever, or even seen a decent Star Trek episode. Like many previous non-SF artists who have done SF, they believe the sheer novelty of an odd premise can sustain an entire narrative while they concentrate on peripheral things like clever scene changes and convincing their actors to behave like zombies. This makes for a dreary, self-important film made only worse by its utter lack of necessity. The poster's nice, though.
West Beyrouth (À l'abri les enfants) (1998)
Great slice of history, but without a story to match
I was glad to have seen this film, since it showed me a part of the world that I have never seen in such detail before. And despite having no first-hand knowledge of the country, I nonetheless felt there was an authenticity and sincerity about the film that appealed to me. I have heard that there are some inaccurate details, but "West Beyrouth" does not presume to explain any of the larger historical or political events. Rather, it wishes to communicate something of the experience of living in a world being torn apart by forces that can seem nearly incomprehensible by those caught between them. And in that goal, I felt the film enjoyed some success.
I was interested by all the characters as they were introduced, but as the film progresses most of them wind up going in circles, repeating themselves, or just standing idly by. The story, which starts out effectively, loses its narrative drive, and things muddle ahead until eventually the movie is over. I thought it was a shame that a film that so vividly evoked a place and time, could not offer a story of similar strength.
The performances are good, though, and there is some fine music by Stewart Copeland as well. "West Beyrouth" may function better as a glimpse into history than as an engrossing cinematic work, but I still felt it to be worthwhile viewing.
Twin Falls Idaho (1999)
A curious and sincere delight
This is a remarkable film in its understated and sensitive treatment of its subject matter, that could too easily have become sensationalistic in the wrong hands. The Polish brothers were reluctant to let anyone else direct their film, and it seems highly unlikely that anybody else would have produced anything similar (even if it were as good).
The screenplay, performances, cinematography, and music are all very effective and work together to create a vivid character for this story that is refreshingly distinct and unusual, without straying into the bizarre or outlandish. (Not that I mind bizarre and outlandish, mind you, but it wouldn't have suited this film.)
According to their web site the Polish brothers have two other screenplays titled after American cities; I'm looking forward to seeing those as well. Maybe they can even be convinced to write one called "Moosejaw Saskatchewan" some day.
Zero Effect (1998)
Holmes for the 90s; an excellent film
It's one thing for a movie to introduce somebody as the World's Greatest Detective, and quite another to follow through and make you believe it. "Zero Effect" does exactly that; when Daryl Zero does bother to explain his reasoning, it's so convincing that any other leaps of deductive logic he makes also seem plausible. Too many movies like to take the lazy route of "this guy thinks he's great at what he does, but he's actually terrible and only succeeds through dumb luck". This film takes the road less travelled, much more challenging but far more rewarding as well.
Daryl Zero is a complete Sherlock Holmes for the 1990s, incorporating not only the genius and crafty mysteries to unravel, but also the substance abuse, social dysfunction, questionable musical talent, and loyal sidekick who acts as his link to the real world. Zero keeps his own diary, however, since his Watson-equivalent can't be bothered. Bill Pullman provides a masterful realization of this character, while Ben Stiller, Kim Dickens and Ryan O'Neill also do excellent work.
Those who panned the film probably expected a zany, madcap comedy, which "Zero Effect" most certainly is not. It is first and foremost a mystery in the Holmes style (with a dash of Columbo), with humour and romance added in. I found it to be invigorating, amusing, even poignant, and would be more than happy to see a new adventure of Daryl Zero every year.
Cosmos (1996)
A study of unity through disjunction
"Cosmos" is one of the rare anthology films where its composite nature strengthens, rather than detracts from, its cohesion and identity as an artistic work. Six stories are presented, all happening in Montreal but otherwise seemingly unrelated. In each story is an appearance by the cab driver Cosmos, and there are occasional glimpses of other stories' characters, providing a framework to bind them together. But each story also deals with themes of separation or disjointedness; either from society, loved ones, or within the characters themselves. There are also chance meetings and coincidences that occur throughout, bringing unlikely combinations of people together. The characters, like the six stories, are distinct and separate but also tenuously and unmistakably linked.
"Cosmos" is a film of great humour, pathos, poignancy, wit, even zany slapstick. I have seen precious few films like this one and recommend it heartily.
The Iron Giant (1999)
The Best of Two Worlds: Adult and Kid
All too often, "family films" are only infantile, simplistic formulas with a few self-referential and pop-culture jokes thrown in to try and keep adults awake. But then along comes something like "The Iron Giant", which is sophisticated enough to demand respect while maintaining a mythic and pure-hearted tone that actually does appeal to the kid in everybody.
"The Iron Giant" is refreshingly non-Disney in no end of ways. Characters seem real and chosen to fit the story, instead of being a superficial reshuffling of an old formula. The animation definitely has its eye-popping moments, but there are also scenes of great wonderment, pathos, and humour that only top-drawer animation can convey. The Giant itself is a great character, who only becomes MORE interesting as the film continues (another huge break from Disney). No scene is wasted in this film, either; every set piece, even the really funny ones, helps either to establish the "world" of the movie, or to advance the plot. At no time do you feel that you are merely waiting for the story to crank up again.
"The Iron Giant" is funny, exhilarating, and touching as well. It's sad to see it failing at the box office, as a blunt reminder that the success of films is often in direct proportion to their publicity budget. Hopefully, though, word-of-mouth will come to its rescue. Go see it! Tell your friends! Then go again! (Repeat as necessary.)
P.S. I find myself comparing the Iron Giant character to Martin Donovan's character in "Amateur". If there is anyone else on earth who has seen both films you may wish to entertain the notion yourself.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Star Wars and the Phantom Storyline
"Star Wars" gave us powerful icons; "The Empire Strikes Back" turned them into meaningful characters; "Return of the Jedi" turned them into action figures. "The Phantom Menace" flattens them even further, giving us a 2-D world where even the human actors are treated like CGI effects. Those who glibly state that "Menace" is wonderful because the visuals are impressive and story doesn't matter seem to have forgotten why we all anxiously awaited this movie for so long, namely, to see how the STORY began. Lucas was aware enough of this to include it in the film's marketing - "Every saga has a beginning", etc. - but neglected to include it in the film itself. Who is Qui-Gon? Where's he from? We leave the theatre knowing nothing of consequence about him, or Obi-Wan, or any other character (with the possible exceptions of Shmi Skywalker and R2-D2). Plot points from the other movies are simply referred to, without being elaborated or enriched in any way. We watch impressive things happen without any real understanding of the people that are doing them. You rooted for Luke and Han because of who they were, not because they were buried in a sea of CGI images. Lucas forgot that what has sustained "Star Wars" for so long is the strength of the story, and has expanded his "epic" about as well as "Tomorrow Never Dies" continues the story of "Dr. No".