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Secret Honor (1984)
A Must See
If you ever get a chance to see this film, grab it! Phillip Baker Hall doesn't simply portray Nixon, he inhabits him. The familiar hunched shoulders and odd poses employed by every Nixon impersonator, in Hall's hands seem less like imitation than brilliant artistic choices, revealing the inner struggles of a remarkable, tormented man. No disrespect to Anthony Hopkins, unquestionably a very talented actor, but his Nixon doesn't hold a candle to Hall's.
This is of course a work of fiction, but like the best fiction it lies in order to reveal a deeper truth. Nixon never made the tape we see him creating through the course of this film, but what is revealed through it is both psychologically and historically honest. The portrait that emerges is unsparing and sympathetic. Nixon emerges as a hero in a Greek tragedy with the same grandeur and the same tragic flaw.
Fans and critics both of Richard Nixon will find their judgements challenged by this complex, revealing portrait. Even someone who has never heard of Nixon couldn't help but be fascinated by this powerful, complex man.
Note to PT Anderson fans: According to Anderson, this was the performance that convinced him he had to work with Hall. It's no accident that Anderson's first full-length film, Sidney (or Hard Eight), was a showpiece for Hall's amazing talent.
After Alice (2000)
A Treat For "Alice" Fans
Working the night shift in a seedy police station, stumbling through life in an alcoholic haze, Detective Mickey Hayden can hardly be said to have a firm grasp on reality to begin with, but when a bump on the head unleashes terrifying psychic visions, things get truly weird. Soon he's on the trail of a serial killer and unraveling the mystery of his beautiful first victim, the elusive Alice.
The role of an embittered burn-out seems tailor-made for Keifer Sutherland and he makes the most of it. The plot's typical serial killer stuff, but it has enough quirks, twists, and genuine surprises to raise it above the usual genre fare and even make up for a painfully low budget. (One wonders what this film could have been if there'd been money for a few more rewrites and a few more takes.)
All in all, 'After Alice' is a pleasant diversion for anyone, but for fans of Lewis Carroll's 'Alice' books, it's a real treat. From the topsy-turvy reality in which things are rarely what they've seem, to more obvious references -- a killer called 'The Jabberwocky', who leaves playing cards on his victims' bodies -- there's an 'Alice' reference at every turn. Below is a list of the ones I uncovered. Since finding them yourself is half the fun, I've marked them as spoilers.
SPOILERS
Cast of Characters
Mickey - In a sense he's Alice himself wandering through strange landscapes, encountering odd characters, but Harvey, recognizing his true nature, identifies him as the hapless, bumbling White Knight.
John Hatter (Mickey's boss) - Is he really 'mad'? You be the judge
Claudette - An African-American transvestite. Obviously, the Black Queen
Margaret Ellison - Mickey calls her the Red Queen, but her brutal nature suggests, more specifically, the Queen of Hearts.
Gideon Wood - Suspected of being the Jabberwocky killer, his ambiguous role is more suggestive of a snark (or a boojum perhaps).
Harvey - His role as unofficial guide to 'wonderland' and his name, evocative of another famous cinematic rabbit, makes me think he must be the White Rabbit
Dr. Vera Swann - Her last name and relationship with Mickey suggest the White Queen.
Other Connections
Mickey's adventures begin when he chases a man in white and falls down a (rabbit) hole.
Mickey drunkenly tells his cat to stop grinning at him (Cheshire Cat)
The killer is revealed 'through the looking glass'.
The climatic showdown ends in a swirl of playing cards, just as Alice's adventure did in the book.
The statues in the garden look like giant chess pieces.
Just a Kiss (2002)
Been There, Done That
I can't help wondering if some of the positive comments here were written by people involved in making this film, not only because it's a movie only its mother could love (though it is), but because they seem to reflect what the filmmakers intended, not what the audience sees. It's screamingly obvious that this was intended to be an 'original' film, the interspersing of cartoony footage, the 'alternate reality' stuff, but all in all this is just a rehash of 100 film school indies you've seen before, urban hipsters having sex, having relationships, engaging in the forced clever banter that passes for wit in such flicks. The characters are intended to be unique and interesting, but instead of personalities, they just have quirks. It's not unbearable, there's just not enough here to make it worth the time it takes to watch.
Pink Cadillac (1989)
Better Than Average Screwball Comedy
Q: What's hotter than a blond in a pink cadillac convertable? A: a blond in a pink cadillac convertable with a trunkful of money. So hot, in fact, she's got her hapless husband, his white supremist buddies and a bounty hunter on her trail.
This a true screwball comedy, not just because of the absurd situations and unlikely romance, but for its warmth, humor and intelligence. Some of the laughs are pure slapstick, others pure wit, but through it all, the lovers sparkle. Burnadette Peters, probably the best screwball actress of her generation, is a delight as the smart, silly Lu Ann. Eastwood displays a surprisingly light touch as the bounty hunter who gets drawn into the hurricane she's inadvertantly released.
If you're looking for the Great American Film, try Citizen Kane. If you want braindead humor, try Dumb and Dumber. But if you want a light, funny, sexy, smart flick, you might want to check out Pink Cadillac.