Punch Drunk Love

"Punch Drunk Love" answers the question "What would happen if Adam Sandler, arguably one of biggest mouths in movies, were asked to keep his big fat trap shut?" The answer is that Sandler, when forced to rein in his usual mugging and frat party slapstick, is capable of giving a truly memorable performance.

Not that he wasn't just fine in "The Wedding Singer", my personal favorite of the Sandler oeuvre. And even in his worst efforts he seems to possess a kind of rakish charm. But here he displays a range and depth that I did not think he was capable of.

Sandler plays Barry Egan, the pathetic owner of a small business and the only brother of seven sisters. Because of his sisters' abuse he has been unable to fall in love and remains alone. When he decides to call a phone sex line just to talk to someone he is blackmailed when the service's operator steals his credit card number. His fortunes take a turn for the better, however, when he finds a loophole that allows him to earn 1 million free frequent-flyer miles by purchasing $3,000 of pudding. A mysterious woman (Emily Watson) and a harmonium enter his life, and romance flourishes.

The interesting thing about Sandler's performance is that there are elements of his character that resemble some from previous movies. Sandler has played people on the fringe of society before. He has busted up bathrooms before. I'm sure at some point he may have even have bashed in some heads with a crowbar, something Barry does at a certain point. But one thing Sandler has not done that much of is be quiet. And "Punch Drunk Love" requires him to do that much of the time. Director Paul Thomas Anderson takes us for a trip deep inside Barry's soul and Sandler bravely lets him in.

Anderson, who won Best Director earlier this year at Cannes, has pulled off a remarkable feat. "Punch Drunk Love" attempts to be a quirky character study and a romantic comedy simultaneously and it works. This can be a risky endeavor. There is always a risk that the comedy can be too cutesy or the romance too off-putting. But here it's as if they compliment each other. It's as if Anderson is saying, "hey life is weird haven't you noticed" Even when Barry is transformed by love it is done realistically. This is a guy who will always be a little out of step, love or no love.

I left "Punch Drunk Love" feeling good. Not like I had some saccharine treat stuffed down my throat. No, it was the kind of feeling you have after you've spent the evening in the company of old friends. I felt connected to the human race. Even if some of them, like Barry Egan in "Punch Drunk Love", are far from perfect.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

A little hobbit goes a long way. How's that for a tagline for "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"? Except it's not a tagline. It's how I feel. I'm not too much for little furry-footed creatures who eat mushrooms and are constantly looking on the brighter side of life. Maybe that's why I never got through the books. But "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" is only partly about Hobbits. It's also about war and how people tend to come together in the darkest of times. In some ways it's very much like a medieval war movie, less the fantastical creatures and the diabolical sorcery. There's lots of crunching metal and calls to arms. The grittiness of the battle scenes offset some of the more precious tendencies of Tolkien's fantasy world. I'd love to see what director Jackson might do with the story of King Arthur.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers continues where The Fellowship of the Rings left off. Frodo (Elijah Wood) and his faithful gardener Sam (Sean Astin) are heading towards Mordor as they encounter the weird creature Gollum (voiced by Andy Serkis), who like Frodo once bore The Ring. Sam has a bad feeling about Gollum but agrees to go along when Gollum tells the pair he can safely lead them to Mordor. Meanwhile the rest of the Fellowship has ended up at the kingdom of Rohan, where the king has been bewitched by one of Sauron's evil minions. After the King has regained his faculties more dangers lie ahead as word is received that a 10,000-man army is headed right towards Rohan. Their only hope is to unite with the people of Gondor, the last remaining stronghold of human existence.

Of course crunching metal and sweaty brows aside, this is still very much a fantasy, and in that category it does not dissapoint. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is known for interweaving existing mythological creatures into its own unique mythology. Peter Jackson has done a marvelous job bringing Middle Earth to life without ever making it seem too quaint. But if I had to name my favorite creature this time around it would have to be Gollum, hands down. He is a masterpiece of CGI. Next to Gollum, Jar Jar Binks looks and sounds like a sock puppet. He is at once pathetic, fascinating and an absolute hoot.

If there's one thing that keeps "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" from being a great movie it's not really Jackson's fault. The war angle is a little cumbersome at times. And there are some major implausibilities. I had a real difficult time believing that small army of men and elf archers could defeat 10,000 of Lord Saruman's finest, inspiration or no inspiration.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" may not be the masterpiece it could have been, but it's still a fine piece of filmmaking in its own right.

Eight Mile

What's this world coming to? First Paul Thomas Anderson wins the Best Director award at Cannes for directing Adam Sandler in "Punch Drunk Love." Now Caucasoid gangster rapper Eminem makes his film debut in "8 Mile" under the direction of Oscar nominated director Curtis Hanson ("L.A. Confidential"). What's next, Jerry Springer in a Merchant-Ivory production of "King Lear"? Well it appears that the joke is on me. Not only did the movie gross 54 big ones last weekend (not necessarily a sign on legitimacy I must note) but much more important. It's really good.

Eminem (whose birth certificate reads Marshall Joseph Mathers III) stars as Jimmy Smith Jr., a Detroit rapper who lives with his mother (Kim Basinger) in a trailer park. When he's not thanklessly slaving away at a factory he's nursing his dream of making it big in the music business. His self-esteem takes a huge hit when he freezes up at The Battles, a fierce competition during which rappers verbally attack each other in front of hundreds of very loud people. Tough room indeed. Word of his ordeal spreads beyond the hip-hop community and even his ex-girlfriend razzes him about it. But Jimmy's made of sterner stuff and with the help of his homeys and a new love interest he gets back on the proverbial bicycle and goes back.

I have read many comparisons in the past few weeks between Eminem and another bad boy of pop music who, some years ago, made the jump to the big screen. I risk the wrath of Elvis fans (and they can be full of wrath) but here I go. "8 Mile" is a much more auspicious film debut than "Love Me Tender", Elvis' first movie. Not only did Elvis have a supporting role but also the movie was set in The Civil War and thus did not really give The King a chance to show off his fabled performing gifts. Yes, he did sing a song or two but he really didn't shine until his next film, "Jailhouse Rock"

Not so with Slim Shady and "8 Mile". If this were a radio station its call letters would be WMNM and its motto would be "All Eminem all the time". Hanson and screenwriter have made a wise decision not take Eminem far from his milieu, and the movie is loosely based on Eminems' own experiences. I am reminded of an old Yiddish folktale about an archer who has been spotted getting all bull's-eyes by a curious passerby. When the passerby inquires as to how this is possible the archer is only too happy to answer. "That's easy", the archer replies, "I just aim and shoot and wherever it lands I draw a bulls-eye around it". In much the same way have Hanson and Silver drawn a bulls-eye around their mercurial star. Hanson and his cinematographer Rodrigo Pietro have perfectly captured the run down Detroit neighborhood that Jimmy calls home.

If "8 Mile" has a weak link it is its unrelenting optimism that borders on corniness. At its heart the movie is really about just another kid who wants his shot at the big time.
I'm sure many people will be surprised Eminem can act. I'm not. Rap, probably more than any genre of music, requires a sort of posing that takes a certain ability to act if nothing else. What surprises me is that for someone who has a reputation for being a hard case, he shows amazing vulnerability.

"8 Mile" represents an amazing step forward for a fascinating figure in recent pop culture. It tells the story of a thick-skinned by a survivor played the thick-skinned survivor. It is reeking with atmosphere and it never condescends to the subculture that is its main focus. The story is told with grit, compassion and healthy doses of humor. Time will tell as to whether or not Eminem will have a career in movies. But it's a great start.

The Santa Clause 2

The first question that came to mind when I left "The Santa Clause 2" is "why did they wait so long?". "The Santa Clause" came out 8 years ago. That's a lifetime in Hollywood. We should be up to "The Santa Clause 5: Rudolph's Revenge" by now. Don't you think? To be honest I wouldn't have thought there would even be an audience for a sequel. But what do I know? The movie grossed 29 big ones last weekend. I've been wrong before.

Tim Allen returns in the role of Scott Calvin, the reluctant Santa in "The Santa Clause". It's now eight years later and Scott is no longer reluctant about his job. He loves being Santa. He gets to make millions of boys and girls happy and still have time to play a little touch football with the elves. What's not to like? Then Scott gets a double shot of bad news all in one day. First, his son Charlie shows up on The Naughty List. Then Scott is dutifully informed by second in charge elf Curtis that if he does not find a Mrs. Claus and soon, he will cease to be Santa. Scott has no recourse but to return home to straighten out Charlie and find a mate.

What's the deal with Tim Allen's career? When he made his movie debut he defied the stereotype about sitcom stars not being ready for the big time. It's now 8 years later and he's not much further than he was then. Which is a shame because he has the screen presence, the likeability and the talent to be one of the great ones. Here's hoping that a decent director will take note of Allens' sadly underused talents and give him a legitimate shot.

That said, "The Santa Clause 2" does have many nice moments. One concerns a meeting with his fellow "imaginary" icons like Mother Nature, The Easter Bunny and the others. It's clever without being over the heads of the kids at which the movie's aimed. There is also an amusing subplot involving an animatronic substitute Santa who devolves into a ruthless dictator in Tim's absence. "Santanista", hyped up on cocoa, has a diabolical plan to deliver lumps of cocoa to all the boys and girls, regardless of who's naughty or nice. As Johnny Carson used to say, "Funny shtuff" You can credit screenwriters Ken Daurio, Ed Decter and veteran sit-com director Michael Lembeck for the guffaws.

Unfortunately, they must also be held accountable for the rest of the movie's shortcomings. Watching "The Santa Clause" reminded me of the times I've seen Rich Little, a famous impressionist, on tv. He can be very funny at times but he prefers to trot out the same old impressions time after time because that's what he thinks the audience wants to see. So invariably you hear applause rather than laughter because laughter takes more risks. And so it is with "The Santa Clause 2". They play it way too safe here. Give the people what they want. I really don't think most people go to the movies hoping to be underestimated and patronized. But I don't know everything. After all it did gross 29 million last weekend. But you knew that already. See, I didn't underestimate your intelligence.

Solaris

There are no light sabers in "Solaris". No creatures pop out of anybody's stomach. Nor does a charismatic leader with a fondness for alien women beckon the ship's engineer to take the ship to warp speed. Yet in its own thoughtful, creepy way "Solaris" makes an indelible mark on the sci-fi landscape as surely as Yoda needs a lifetime supply of Nivea.

A remake of Andrei Tarkovsky's 1972 cult film, it begins when Psychologist Chris Kelvin (George Clooney) receives a disturbing communiqué from the commander of the space station Prometheus, that has severed all communication with Earth. When Kelvin arrives the commander, who is a friend of Kelvin's, has committed suicide and the surviving two members are exhibiting strong signs of stress and paranoia. Then things go from weird to weirder when his dead wife inexplicably shows up.

Soderbergh has described this as a cross between "2001" and "Last Tango in Paris". I think it's more like a cross between "2001" and "Alien" with a little bit of "When Harry Met Sally" thrown in for good measure. When Kelvin first gets to The Prometheus the movie has a feel of a sci-fi horror film. I was sure someone was going to get his or her face sucked off but good. But after Kelvin's wife Rheya (Natascha McElhone) shows up it becomes a bird of a different color. Using flashbacks we get to see Chris and Rheya's relationship from their first meeting at a hip party to the dark days before her suicide. This is intercut between scenes of Rheya and Chris trying to figure out exactly what is going on. Rheya seems to be more concerned than Chris as to whether or not she is real.

It is a testament to Soderbergh's skill as a director that the movie is at its best when people are talking. Whether it is Chris or Rheya (so to speak) trying to figure things out or the ship's medic(Viola Davis) arguing with Chris about Rheya. "Solaris" is very cerebral but never boring. I think the eerie score by Cliff Martinez helps a lot.

But so does the acting, which is superb. George Clooney, to me at least, is the closest this generation has to a genuine movie star. He has equal parts charisma, talent and dashing good looks. Natascha McElhone, who plays Rheya, not only looks like someone who would attract someone like Kelvin but she does a fearless job making us feel Rhea's torment. Kudos must also go to Viola Davis and Jeremy Davies, who play the crewmembers.

I must take issue with the ad campaign for "Solaris." It depicts it as a thrill a minute action flick. It's not and you will be sorely disappointed if you're expecting one. But if you're looking for an intelligent beautifully made science fiction movie go no further.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Sequels are by nature not as good as their predecessors. The exceptions, like "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" or "Superman II", are so rare that they only serve to prove the rule. Fortunately, for us, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" can now join their elite company. It is not only funnier than "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" but it has something the first one sorely lacked. Magic.

This time around we join Harry as he is languishing at the Dursley's, waiting to start his second year at Hogwarts. He might be a big deal there but the Dursleys still treat him like dirt, even if he is given his own room. A strange creature named Dobby shows up to tell Harry not to return to Hogwarts. That he is in great danger. Harry ignores these warnings and goes back to Hogwarts. But soon Harry is hearing this strange voice that nobody else hears and people, including his buddy Hermoine, are turning up petrified. What exactly is The Chamber of Secrets and what is Harry's connection?

In "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" it felt that director Chris Columbus and the producers were scared to offend the many fans of the book. No notable scene or notable character was left out. But what they left out was the sense of fun and wonder that drew so many to the book. Not so here. Although the movie is still too long it seems like Columbus and company have loosened up a little. The movie is not only more magical but it possesses another quality in surplus. Humor. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is really funny. Before he became a big time director, Chris Columbus' first foray into movies was as screenwriter for the horror-comedy "Gremlins". He brings some of that sensibility here, and some of the movie's funnier moments include the strange creatures that inhabit Harry's world.

But none of this would work without the actors. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint return as Harry and his best buddies. It has been years since such a talented but natural group of child actors graced a movie. They are the glue that holds the series together. But if they are the glue then the stellar crew of veteran character actors like Maggie Smith, Kenneth Branagh, Alan Rickman and the late Richard Harris provide tha ballast. It is ironic that a whole generation of children will remember Harris as the benevolent, all-knowing Albus Dumbledore. This is a guy who was as comfortable in a fistfight or a bar (usually both) as on a sound stage or, I think, somewhere in Heaven (and I'm making a huge assumption). He probably won't deserve the posthumous Oscar that is almost certain to be awarded him, but who can complain?

At 2 hours and 40 minutes "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is still a little too long. There's just too much to cover from the book. But for most of the time you won't care. You'll be too busy smiling.

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