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XXY

XXY

Directed by Lucia Puenzo

Argentina's submission for last year's Academy Awards graces this year's fest, and is a striking, thematically resonant first feature for director Puenzo. In this often gut-wrenching but ultimately sweet coming-of-age drama, a fifteen-year-old medical hermaphrodite named Alex (Ines Efron) struggles with intense feelings of alienation while also trying to weather the tide of her raging hormones and increasing sexual curiosity. This becomes especially trying when her parents - including her fiercely devoted father - invite a renowned surgeon and his troubled son Alvaro (Martin Piroyansky) to board with them, hoping to get a fresh (and clandestine) opinion on Alex's options. The bond formed between Alex and Alvaro is made compelling through their contrasting struggles with, respectively, difficult biology and emotionally abusive parents. When they come togather by the film's midsection, it's a moment both startling and tender. A gem.

* * * 1/2

Simon Howell

Another Gay Sequel

Another Gay Sequel

Directed by Clark Johnson

It must be said that I am emphatically not in this movie's target demographic - Johnson's series - and especially this second entry, which compltely eschews the American Pie-isms of the first - makes no attempt at concession to a wider ("non-gay") audience, nor does it need to do so in order to maintain its popularity. In fact, its complete immersion in gay signifiers both amusing (the many awkward sexual encounters its steadfast its protagonists suffer) and irritating (Perez Hilton) is its stock in trade. By the immortal measure of "doing hat it sets out to do" - in this case, to create a dayglo comedic universe to be enjoyed specifically by the gay community - Johnson's films must be considered successes.

(no rating)

La Léon

La Léon

Dorected by Stantiago Otheguy

Another Argentinian film to go with XXY, this one indebted to Terrence Malick's slow, contemplative style, while enjoying a stark sense of individuality derived from its authentic supporting cast and location. An abstracted tale of a repressive, quietly violent community that resides in Argentina's remote wetlands, Otheguy's directorial debut is presented in luminous, enveloping black-and-white, unapologetic in its use of long takes and quiet contemplation to create an all-encompassing pall of despair and dread. The use of real-life locals to make up the supporting cast adds to the feeling of otherwordliness as we witness their ceaseless routine - ride the titular boat down to the reeds, swing the machete, rinse and repeat. If you want to catch the particulars of its plot, you'll need a magnifying glass, and it moves at a pace that could be called "deliberate" at best, but the engrossing visuals and pervasive atmosphere make it an intriguing debut.

* * *

Simon Howell

Otto, Or Up With Dead People

Otto, Or Up With Dead People

Here is a movie that uses the zombie genre cliche has a flexible methaphor for aids and gay bashing, but also explores themes of schizophrenia. Bruce La Bruce`s films are always interesting and worth a look and Otto is no exception. His films dangle along the lines of smut, art, the underground and the indie scene and he remains a true disciple to Andy Warhol. If blood, gore and blowjobs can be stomached, I say give it a try. Taking from the pages of Vagabond, Cecil B. Dimented, My Own Private Idaho and Shadow of A Vampire, La Bruce delivers his most disciplined film in his oeuvre.

*** 1/2

Alex Ross

mulligans Mulligans

Mulligans

Directed by Chip Hale

2008

For a film that has one of the biggest budgets in this year's Image+Nation film festival, Mulligans sure does disappoint. A gay boy falls in love with his best friend's good looking dad who just so happens to be gay. Of course, the son and the mom both walk in on them in the act. What did you expect? Who locks doors anymore anyway, right?

The film exhibits a batch of deal-breaking irritants - among them, a deeply repetitive soundtrack, near-invisible character development and forced, unnatural writing. Many of the performances are rote and much of the dialogue is laughably silly. The only positive comment I can make is the choice of casting for the lead role; Charlie David is not only easy on the eyes but has a great screen presence. Hopefully for his sake (and ours) he will in future stick to acting, and not writing.

**

Alex Ross

The Lost Coast

The Lost Coast

Directed by Gabriel Flemming

2008

The Lost Coast begins with a lousy voice over to describe the events of a lousy Halloween night in which the narrator goes on to say how he discovered a dead body. The film has been described as "moody" and "dreamlike," but I would rather call it shoddy and forgettable.

The film's plot is centered around an e-mail that Jasper (Ian Scott McGregor) is writing to his fiancée overseas. The email explains what happened the previous night. We gather from his tone that the events were of some importance, but the film never convinces us to care. If you are interested in HandiCam moviemaking that seems to come directly out of a bad film school, then this film is for you. The sound appears to have been taken directly from the camera, and the cinematographer went missing. Even if you're able to deal with its Dogme 95-like like approach it still suffers from below-average performances and little character development. Thankfully the film is only 74 minutes long.

*

Alex Ross

The Blob (review)

THE BLOB (1958)
Dir: Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.
Writers: Irvine Millgate, Theodore Simonson, Kay Linaker
Prod: Jack H. Harris
Starring Steven (Steve) McQueen and Aneta Corsaut
CRITERION DVD release #91
16X9 Anamorphic transfer in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1
Let’s get straight to the meat and potatoes of this DVD; the digital transfer is unlike anything you’ve ever seen of this film before. The color just jumps out at you and the contrast in the night shots are just perfect and enhance the creepiness of the scenes.
It is one of the earlier Criterion DVD releases as you can see by the spine number of 91, and is just about the time they had started releasing their catalog titles with anamorphic enhancement which makes viewing this particular DVD on widescreen plasma/LCD such a treat.
The film is one of McQueen’s earliest headlining roles and you can clearly see in his performance shades of later mannerisms which would make him the coolest actor around in the 60’s and early 70’s; watch how he uses his eyes and breaks eye contact by looking down a lot (that particular detail would become his trademark in later films i.e. Bullitt, The Sand Pebbles and The Cincinnati Kid). His acting is a little over the top and doesn’t come across too well in the romantic bits, but he definitely shines over the other cast members. The flaw is to cast 30 year olds to play teenagers, it just makes it harder to believe and you shouldn’t have that issue in a Science-Fiction context where the nature of the material also has to be made believable for the story to work; the film can distract your attention because of this.
The story revolves around a shooting star that impacts near a mid-western American everytown, and unleashes an alien substance that will end up wreaking havoc in the city. The crash is witnessed by McQueen and his girlfriend (played by Aneta Corsaut) as they are romancing each other at “the point” (where 50’s teens and cars used to congregate in many Hollywood films of the 50”s). Thinking he knows where the rock crashed, McQueen heads out in the direction of the site.
A farmer discovers the rock and uses a stick to touch it, and it opens revealing a gelatinous mass inside which attaches itself to the stick defying gravity as it moves up and engulfs his hand; he screams in pain and runs amok among the trees and winds up almost being hit by McQueen’s car. The “kids” bring the farmer to the local doctor who tries to examine him and now we see the mass has grown larger and now covers the farmer’s whole arm. The main plot point is established right there, the thing feeds on human flesh and is getting larger as it ingests more victims, and if it is not stopped it will cover the town.
Once that point is established, it remains for the “teens” to wake up the town to the danger facing them and as this a 50’s film, the adults are hard to convince. The film becomes a typical exploitation rebellious teen story from then on as the kids create a loud commotion to wake up the adults in order to gather them all to McQueen’s fathers’ convenience store. The police, firefighters and townspeople al show up and believe the whole story to be a prank until “the blob” invades a local theatre showing a horror film double-bill sending the patrons screaming for their lives out onto the street.
Now convinced, the authorities take over the situation to restore calm and devise a plan to destroy the alien. McQueen discovers the creature is allergic to cold, so the teens led by the prim and sexually repressed school principal rush to the high school to gather as many Co2 fire extinguishers as they can carry; finding the doors locked, the principal (with utmost repugnance) breaks the window with a rock, and the teens cheer him on. He has committed the ultimate act of defiance of the time, breaking a school window; little did the nation know then that worst civil unrest was just around the corner outside their living rooms.
The blob is frozen and dumped in the Artic where it will remain frozen for ever?????
The story moves fast and is never boring to watch; it’s classic sci-fi still enjoyable to watch in late night TV land (make it a 42 inch Plasma).
The print shows very little damage, just a few speckles at the edges of the frame in a few scenes. There is no discernable digital artefacting that distracts the eye, however I’m inclined to believe there was a bit of image boosting and edge enhancement employed in the transfer. There are 2 excellent commentary tracts, one by producer Jack Harris and film historian Bruce Eder which is really great, it covers most aspects of the production and his memories of working with McQueen (which proved to be very difficult indeed); one of the better commentaries I’ve heard a producer give regarding a film. The second track is with the director Yeaworth and actor Tony Fields which is OK, but not as entertaining as Harris. There is an image gallery that collects photos and blob paraphernalia from a private collection owned by Wes Shank, and the original theatrical trailer; there is no making of included.
Fantastic to see Criterion restoring a “B” film like “The Blob” as if they were working on an Ingmar Bergman DVD. It would not end there for “B” films and Criterion as they recently released another such film, “Robinson Crusoe on Mars” directed by Byron Haskin to be reviewed soon, till then pick up this disc before it goes out-of-print as such Criterion titles have a tendency to do, and happy meteor hunting!
Mark Penny

The Descendant

The Descendant

Philippe Spurrell’s feature debut is an intriguing story revolving around a small community, and its shared secret past history, and how an outsider pushes those secrets to the surface for all to see.

Since the film does rely on the element of surprise for it to work as a mystery, I will not be too explicit on the story itself, but will concentrate on the crafting of the film.

I saw the film digitally projected in a setting that did not in any way detract from the lush images on the screen. Mr. Spurrell was available for a short Q and A after the show, and explained that due to financial reasons up to this point, he could not produce a sub-titled 35mm print to exhibit yet; although I hope that with increasing interest in the film by Quebec historical scholars as well as film critics and/or professors, that situation will lead to an influx of extra funds required for this to be remedied soon.

The story begins in Montreal with the main protagonist, James, finding a few details of his past via an old shoebox, left to him by his mother, full of old photographs and birthday cards from his grand-parents whom he had no contact with since he was 3 years old. His partner, Kim, suggests that he should go and visit them to re-establish contact with his past, and possibly find answers to the reasons his mother exiled herself from her family.

When James reaches the small isolated community of St-Harmonie, Quebec, he finds himself warmly welcomed by an old friend of his Mother’s, but looked on with suspicion by others in the local bar.

James meets up with his Grand-Parents at their farm, and intends to stay for a few days. He proceeds to unearth stories about his Mother’s past, and finds deep secrets that the community collectively keeps buried deep in their history.

The film makes for a very good mystery, and succeeds on many other levels as well; but to reveal those would be to give too much away.

The cinematography by Lorenzo Negri and Ivan Gekoff (CSC) is quite sumptuous and serves the story well. The muted colours and close attention to the surface details and textures of the surroundings is very reminiscent of Kim Ki-Duk’s “The Isle” (the look of the farmhouse and the wood specifically).

The art direction, the costumes that were created for the inhabitants of the little community (literally transports the viewer in a past era; trucks and vehicles being the only details of a vague contemporary setting once James is at the farm.

There are fabulous shots over the farm’s windswept cornfields that beg the question of how they were achieved with such a small budget (I did not want to ask the question of how they did it in order to maintain the illusion in my mind).

The actors delivered very convincing performances that at first glance appear off-kilter, but as the film progresses, you realize how true they are for the characters involved; I would say almost Lynchian in subtlety (specially the grand-father played by Jim Reid).

The sound design by Dan Lagacé and music by David Kristian are absolutely outstanding; he does not overwhelm you with recognizable themes, and the background sound effects are so subtle that they induce the mohawk effect (as one of “The Exorcist”’s sound designers was referring to his own sound work was meant to achieve in that film); the hair at the back of the neck definitely rises.

For a film that was shot over the span of 5 years on a shoestring budget, the continuity is spot on and doesn’t betray the lack of funds.

Philippe Spurrell has really achieved a great deal with this film which is garnering interest across a broad spectrum of History and Film scholars, and the public at large.

The story explores a little known part of our local history, and makes a strong case for re-examining it in greater detail so that future generations realize how similar we (as a nation) were to our American neighbors.

The filmmakers should congratulate themselves on a job exceedingly well done.

I strongly urge the public to go and see this film wherever possible; one of the best Quebec English Canadian films (yes they are distinct from the rest of English Canadian films) I’ve seen in a long while.

Mark Penny

Production Team

Executive Producer: PHILIPPE CHABOT
Co-producer: DAVID RIGBY
Producer/Director: PHILIPPE SPURRELL
Written by : PHILIPPE SPURRELL & JOEL MILLER
Cinematography: LORENZO NEGRI & IVAN GEKOFF (CSC)
Editor: ERIC LAVOIE
Music: DAVID KRISTIAN
Sound design: DAN LAGACE
Make-up FX: CJ GOLDMAN, (DAWN OF THE DEAD, DAY AFTER TOMORROW, LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN)
Special Participation: SERGIO MACHADO

Entre Les Murs

Entre les Murs [The Class] (dir. Laurence Cantet)

* * 1/2

Hey, have you seen the fourth season of The Wire? If you have, there's nothing for you here. Laurence Cantet's Palme D'Or winner is unfailingly realistic, yes, but seems reluctant to draw in the viewer as thoroughly as it should. It could pass as a documentary, certainly, but that wouldn't have made it a better film. As it follows the life of a homeroom class in inner-city Paris over the course of a scholastic year, and we find ourselves engaging with the often distanced personalities of the students, there's a nagging sensation that there should be an added layer of subtext to be found - yet there's little to be derived from the old process of trying to turn "animals" into reasonable young people. The presentation is novel, but the content is too familiar by half.

Synecdoche, New York

Synecdoche, New York
Directed by Charlie Kaufman

Perhaps the apt comparison to make is not to Fellini's 8 1/2, as a few have been in a mad dash to do. It's actually only necessary to turn the clock back a couple of years in order to find an appropriate bedfellow for superstar screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's debut film as a director; it's Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain. In both cases, a much-lauded and fairly young talent received more or less free reign to explore an original concept and run wild with every last impulse - in the case of The Fountain, the results were divisive at best, and disastrous in many circles. You can expect a similarly mixed reception for Synecdoche, New York, a film so incredibly overstuffed with ideas and allusions that many will be tempted to give up on it before the last reel.

Before they do, however, they'll have ushered in one of the most audacious sights and concepts to appear in an American film in some time. At their center is Philip Seymour Hoffman's Caden Cotard, a successful playwright who's received a "Genius Grant" in order to fund a project of his choosing. He decides to mount a massive-scale production that will incorporate all of the players in his life - all of whom happen to be women. (Hence the 8 1/2 fixation.) These women, and their theatrical representations, are tackled by one of the most prestigious female casts in recent memory: Catherine Keener, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michelle Williams, Samantha Morton, Hope Davis and Emily Watson. They work to embody Cotard's muse in its many forms, and as such their roles aren't always particularly plum (particularly for Williams, whose actress character is particularly petulant), but as an ensemble foil to Hoffman's often (deliberately) insufferable Cotard, they do wonderful work.

Synecdoche is predominantly concerned with suffering and death, and as such will leave many audiences feeling vaguely annoyed at having been subjected to such a deeply depression experience. Cotard constantly suffers from mystery ailments, and time seems to collapse in on itself, with characters (and their surrogates) dying, being married and having children in seemingly short periods of time, while Cotard's ever-expanding production - eventually including a life-size replica of Schenectady, in which the film is set - takes decades to become realized. Similarly, Synecdoche rolls back in on itself numerous times, repeating many scenes with different performers. Hoffman is more than capable of keeping the film grounded throughout these sequences, even as the film itself seems to grow tired of its endless machinations within machinations.

Ultimately, however, the clockwork has to come to an end, and when it does, audiences will either feel a sense of bemused relief, or find themselves moved. I found myself somewhere in between, but I'm nevertheless anxious to delve back into its intricately annoying and delicate ways in a few months' time.

Simon Howell

Wendy and Lucy

Wendy and Lucy (dir. Kelly Reichardt)

* * *

A girl and her dog find themselves stranded on their way to a better life Kelly Reichardt's follow-up to her warmly received Old Joy. Michelle Williams stars as Wendy, a luckless drifter looking to find work in Alaska, and Lucy (the director's dog, which also appeared in Old Joy) is her faithful canine companion. when Wendy's car breaks down, she finds herself stranded in a nowhere town in Oregon. Reichardt favors simple, unadorned storytelling, and here she chronicles Wendy's mounting troubles in an unhurried and level-headed way - there's no room for Von Trier-ian histronics, just the plain fact of a life lived on the ever-furthering margins. Williams keeps things close to the hilt, only letting us in at key moments - a confrontation with a stranger, and an act of touching sacrifice. As we hear a predictable new round of hyperbole about the coming of new New Deal in American society, cinematic representations of such bleak struggles become increasingly relevant. Modest, and a success.

Surveillance

Surveillance (dir. Jennifer Chambers Lynch)

* * *

Reviled by critics expecting something a little more, well, Lynchian, Surveillance has more in common with Verhoeven or Cronenberg than with her father's considerably more obtuse output. Instead, it's a darkly comic thriller with an erotic bent where every killing is a punchline and every characterization is over-the-top. Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond star as a pair of eccentric detectives looking into a series of murders by separately interviewing the people who crossed paths with the killers - including a family of four, two crooked cops, and a coked-out couple. Lynch has her eye on pure pulp entertainment here, and she delivers in spades - even when depicting scenes of intense brutality, there's a detached sense of levity to much of the film. The "twist" that seems to be required in such films is hardly a surprise, and doesn't feel meant to be. If you're looking for Lost Highway you'll find yourself disappointed, but fans of colorful, entertaining thrillers should find themselves right at home.

Zack & Miri Make a Porno (review)

Zack & Miri Make a Porno

Directed by Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith's debut feature, Clerks, was a potty-mouthed revelation when it came out fourteen years ago. But in the intervening years of Judd Apatow, South Park and American Pie, what was once an outrageous breath of fresh air has quickly come quotidian. And so the question becomes: does Smith as a director try to raise the bar in filthy comedy, or move on to different, more "mature" pastures. The answer is a bit of both.

Smith's latest film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, tells the story of two platonic best friends, Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) who live together in suburban Pittsburgh. Best friends since grade school, their friendship seems to be based largely on the fact that they are such total social misfits that they are the only two people who can stand each other. And like most lost, late 20 something souls, they are both pathetically bad with money, leading to mountings bills and the constant threat of eviction or the shutting off of utilities.

After particularly embarrassing themselves at their ten year high school reunion, the two friends return home to find that in fact, their power and heat have finally been shut off. Desperate and despondent they hole up in their local bar to try to brainstorm a way out of their dire financial straights. The usually unambitious Zack, inspired by a chance encounter with gay porn star (a particularly funny cameo by Justin Long) Brandon, somehow manages to convince Miri that the answer to their problems is to make and sell an adult film that they themselves will star in.

The plot then turns into a sort of Andy Hardy style "let's put on a show" story, with Zack and Miri assembling a rag-tag crew to help them in with their lofty and looney plan. In a lot of ways this is where the film really starts to shine as one of Smith's definite strong points is his ability to gather together comedic talent and the cast contains more than a few treats for both film nerds and fans of Smith's films in particular.

View Askew standbys Jason Mewes (Jay) and Jeff Anderson (Randal) make appearances as a porno stud and cameraman respectively, the notorious Traci Lords stars as the matronly Bubbles, while contemporary porn star Katie Morgan shows considerable comedy chops as the ditzy Stacy and Craig Robinson practically steals the show as Zack's coworker/producer, Delaney. Notable cameos include effects whiz (and Pittsburgh native) Tom Savini as a shady garage owner, Superman Brandon Ruth as a deeply closeted former high school hottie and Canada's own Kenny Hotz of Kenny Vs. Spenny fame as the deeply annoying Zack II.

Despite all the bare boobies (there are plenty) and a little bush, make no mistake: this is a romantic comedy, with the real dilemma being how Zack and Miri's friendship will survive their on screen carnal encounter. And while it is easy to dismiss both Smith and Rogen as belonging to some sort of man-boy chauvinist’s club, the drama of the film really comes from Smith's exploration of the differences between the sexes. While Rogen is basically playing a slightly more eloquent version of his Knocked Up persona, Smith smartly puts his focus on Bank's Miri, who turns in a touching and relatable performance as a sensitive but unconventional girl trying to protect herself from yet another heartbreak.

However, like most films in this genre, the central love story does require quite a bit of suspension of disbelief in order to play out. The idea that a shlub like Zack would not have already slept with someone as hot as Miri (or at least made a serious attempt) is particularly hard to swallow, as is the reason these two losers still hang out together. But film is fantasy, and if you are able to let these two minor details slide, the inevitable conclusion does contain some of Smith's most genuine and touching dialogue about love since Chasing Amy.

The biggest problem with the film is more that the conclusion really is telegraphed too far in advance, particularly if you are familiar with Smith's brand of vulgar romanticism; and the overuse of the "misfits make good" plotline. But, as was pointed out earlier, this is a romantic comedy and these types of films rely on formula, even if the formula in this case happens to include shit-showers and strap-ons. The central characters also feel somewhat underdeveloped, but the performances and charm displayed by Rogen and Banks mostly make up for this.

While far from Smith's best (that would be Chasing Amy), Zack and Miri Make a Porno is a far sight better than Jersey Girl, and should appeal to both View Askew fans and girls who think that testicle jokes are funny. And you get to see Jason Mewes' penis, if you're into that sort of thing.

Mariko McDonald

The Good, The Bad, The Weird

The Good, The Bad, The Weird

Director Kim Jo-Woon (Tale of Two Sisters) brings the biggest and most expensive Korean film to date. This isn’t surprising considering its ingenious special effects, massive chase sequences and non stop acting from start to finish. Unapologetic, over the top, absorb and it never give you more than a minute to breathe without hammering in enough violence and action to have you grinning from ear to ear. Kim Jo- Woon brings a mash up of Spaghetti Westerns, Mad Max with the touch of John Woo direction. If you’re a fan of classic western stand offs, Kung Fu wire work, and some great comedy, this is for you.

Man On Wire

Man On Wire (dir. James Marsh)

* * * 1/2

Through an artful blend of staged reenactments and archival footage, James Marsh has assembled a compelling look at Philippe Petit, a mischievous high-wire artist who performed a series of breathtaking wire walks, culminating in his walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Much of the film is focused on the mechanics of pulling off the stunt - an act compared to an elaborate bank heist, complete with a motley crew of like-minded conspirators. The film gets a lot of deserving traction out of the idea that it is necessary to circumvent society to create true moments of beauty. Petit's work is indeed beautiful - only a hardened cynic could look upon his midair grace and not be moved - but Marsh doesn't idealize his subject, refusing to gloss over a key moment of betrayal that is at once tragically in-character and completely callous. As it turns out, however, Petit's art is far larger than his hubris, and we can only delight in witnessing his accomplishments.

Detroit Metal City

Detroit Metal City

Based on the Japanese manga come the first time feature from director Toshiro Lee. DMC follows Negishi Soichi a small town farm boy who makes his way to Tokyo for the first time with dreams of becoming a trendy pop star. While attending University, he joins the songwriter’s club and practices his acoustical set, but fails to make any career within that genre. Flash forward a few years and Negishi finds musical success in the metal band DMC where he takes on the persona of Sir Krauser and is viewed upon as a Metal God. The only problem is Negishi secretly hates metal music and tries t break free from his monstrous identity.

Teen Icon Ken`Ichi Matsuyama plays double roles as the painfully nerdy Negishi and the outrageous and offensive Krauser. Watching his performance in juggling the two indemnities is worth the price of admission alone. However audiences will find themselves just as pleased with the soundtrack, supporting roles and physical comedy gags.

JCVD

JCVD (dir. Mabrouk El Mechri)

* * * 1/2

One of the year's most bracing films, Mabrourk El Mechri dark comedy JCVD is likely to divide audiences and critics with its intensely post-modern approach and love-it-or-hate-it commentary on fame, self-worth and pectoral muscles. JCVD stands for the film's star, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the film follows a fictionalized version of Van Damme as he dredges his way through a dreary existence based loosely on the star's real life. His finances are in ruins (Steven Seagal has cut off his ponytail to steal a role from under his nose), his young daughter provides damning testimony at a custody hearing, and his years as an action star are taking a toll on his dignity and health. When he needs an emergency influx of cash to pay his legal bills, he finds himself caught in a very Dog Day Afternoon-esque heist at a post office. (One goon's similarity to John Cazale can't be accidental.) Forget Pascal Laugier's arty gore flick - Van Damme is the year's true martyr, wilfully and explicitly setting afire his scores of two-dimensional action films and delivering a vulnerable (though admittedly limited) performance as a man tired of playing hero when he feels like a failure. The litmus test for many viewers will be the dramatic moment in which Van Damme obliterates the fourth wall (and the ceiling) to discuss the nature of celebrity, his feelings of inadequacy as a human being, and the nature of the very film you're watching. Some will feel used and preached to. I, for one, was touched, and when Van Damme's eyes welled up, I must admit that mine did the same.

Adoration

Adoration (dir. Atom Egoyan)

* * * 1/2

After a string of critical flops, Atom Egoyan is back in a big way with the rich and vibrant Adoration, a complex portrait of teenhood, grief and simmering sociopolitical tension. Smart but oddball teen Simon (Devon Bostick) makes an unusual association while translating an article regarding Israeli airport security for an assignment from his French teacher Sabine (Arsinée Khanjian) - he envisions himself as the unborn baby kept in the womb of a woman carrying a bomb intended to obliterate a plane. In this new context, the woman is innocent, the explosive having been planted by the woman's husband - the unborn "Simon"'s father. As Simon works through the real-life family tragedy that informed the association, he also inadvertently stirs up a heated debate on the nature of victimhood and the wider ramifications of terrorism. Egoyan's ear for dialogue is impeccable, the performances are first-rate (particularly Bostick and Scott Speedmann as Simon's withdrawn but stalwart uncle) and, most importantly, the film is smart enough to evoke a potent mix of issues and emotional responses without pretending it holds the solutions to the complexities at hand.

881

881 (dir. Royston Tan)

* *

Sometimes delivering on the language held in press materials isn't actually a good thing. Described as a juxtaposition of Moulin Rouge and Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark, 881 works mostly as a showcase for some extravagant costume design and the occasional memorable tune. Taking place during the seventh month of the Chinese calendar, in which the spirits of the dead are said to emerge in the streets, 881 works more efficiently as a window into Singaporean social mores than as a coherent statement. In a state infamous for its repression of free speech and creative _expression, the Getai singers (competitive groups who face off in singing contests in the seventh month), with their outlandish costumes and often suggestive dance moves, seem to stand in for the wilder elements of society the state won't ultimately tolerate. After all, behind every flashy dance sequence there's the lingering threat of seperation or death if either of the principal demale characters enjoys "the touch of a man," and indeed, one of them is ultimately punished. Director Tan, previously a victim of the Singapore film board's strict censorship laws, uses an expressive visual palette, but the happy-go-lucky nature of the performances - as well as the largely comic nature of most of the film's dialogue - simply don't mesh with its numerous attempts at pathos (largely through the belabored use of cancer-derived imagery).