More Spring Film Reviews
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1995 Michael John Legeros
Contents ========
i. Introduction ii. EXOTICA iii. MURIEL'S WEDDING iv. QUEEN MARGOT v. TANK GIRL vi. TOMMY BOY
Introduction ============
Look for some inspired casting in two of this week's new releases. The action/adventure/buddy-comedy/everybody-gets-shot BAD BOYS pairs television comics Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, while the romantic comedy DON JUAN DEMARCO teams Johnny Depp with Marlon Brando. (Hey, look what it did for Martin Landau!) The latter also stars Faye Dunaway. Other new releases: BOY'S LIFE, A GOOFY MOVIE, and SEX, DRUGS, AND DEMOCRACY.
EXOTICA Rated "R" / 103 min. =======
The mysterious, monotonous world of a Toronto strip club is explored in this mysterious, monotonous movie from Canadian director Atom Egoyan (FAMILY VIEWING, THE ADJUSTER). The layers of the story are peeled away every-so-slowly, as the film discreetly expands upon the relationships between a patron, a dancer, and a deejay. The mystery--and the promise of a payoff--is good for about an hour, after which point the evidence begins to mount that there's really nothing waiting at the center.
This onion's hollow.
Grade: C+
MURIEL'S WEDDING Rated "R" ================
Spring must be the time for wedding movies. Last year it was Hugh Grant attending FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL. This year it's newcomer Toni Collette in the crowd-pleasing MURIEL'S WEDDING. Though billed as a comedy, this Aussie import is really a revenge fantasy. Don't look for any role models in these shallow, callow characters who seem better suited to real-life than romantic comedy.
Thank goodness, then, for Toni Collette. With her ill-fitting clothes and some forty-odd pounds of extra weight, she the ungainly starlett that we've been waiting for. Her brain may be vacant--Muriel knows nothing more than a want to get married--but she's a joy to watch. Whether singing along to ABBA, or beaming at the altar, she radiates more charm than Andie MacDowell has ever known.
Badly edited, and played way too far over-the-top, MURIEL'S WEDDING still delivers the laughs. The film is overlong, though, with thirty minutes of unnecessary drama that's almost too much for this little film to have to bear.
Grade: B-
QUEEN MARGOT Rated "R" / 143 min. ============
Quite the racy love story, QUEEN MARGOT is dressed-up as a 16th Century period piece involving French Catholics, Protestants, and the entire court of King Charles XI. At the center is Margot (Isabelle Adjani), the King's Catholic sister, who would like nothing more than to forget her marriage of convenience to Henri of Navarre (Daniel Auteuil), also a Protestant. They were wed for peace, or so they thought, until most of Henri's guests (1000+) are slaughtered at the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre.
This is strong stuff, and certainly not for the squeamish. It's also quite confusing, thanks to the subtitles and the continuous stream of new characters. Have no fear, as all becomes clear in due time. After about ninety minutes, the actors take over and help transform QUEEN MARGOT into a simple--though quite twisted--love story that just *looks* like a big historical drama.
AWARD NOTE: Virna Lisi won Best Actress at last year's Cannes Film
Festival for her poisonous portrayal of Court Matriarch
Catherine de Medicis. Wicked.
Grade: A-
TANK GIRL Rated "R" / 104 min. =========
The first comic-book film of the year stars Lori Petty (FREE WILLY) as an impulsive, wise-cracking punkster who roams the wastelands of 2033 for the seemingly sole purpose of fighting the Water and Power Police. The latter is led by Malcolm McDowell, who did us all a big favor by killing Captain Kirk in STAR TREK GENERATIONS. She also steals a tank, hence the name, and, later, hooks up with some mutant Kangaroos, one of whom is played by rapper Ice-T.
TANK GIRL benefits from a hot soundtrack (supervised by Courtney Love) and a good production design. Of course, neither is enough to sustain viewer interest into the second hour. This poor film doesn't know what it wants to be, and so the narrative veers wildly in every direction. Don't be surprised when the characters break into a song-and-dance routine. You have been warned.
Next up: BATMAN FOREVER, then JUDGE DREDD.
Grade: D+
TOMMY BOY Rated "PG-13" =========
The rules must go something like this: if you're a current cast member of "Saturday Night Live," then you get your own movie. No questions asked. Now it's Chris Farley's turn. He plays the no-brain son of an auto parts manufacturer (Brian Dehenney), who's forced to go on the road to save the company. His travel companion: David Spade, also of SNL.
As expected, Farley makes an easy target for Spade's sarcastic barbs. It's "stupid" this, and "fat" that--inoffensive routines that fall somewhere between the material in DUMB AND DUMBER and PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES. The physical gags aren't bad either. The scene of Farley trying to change clothes in an airplane restroom is easily worth the price of admission. With Bo Derek, Rob Lowe, Julie Warner, and Dan Aykroyd.
Next up: STUART SAVES HIS FAMILY (with Al Franken).
Grade: C+
-- Michael J. Legeros Raleigh, North Carolina
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