All I know is people say I am influential

EVERY EVERYTHING: THE MUSIC, LIFE AND TIMES OF GRANT HART (2013)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

If you have zero knowledge of Grant Hart or the band Husker Du, it will not affect your viewing of the riveting new documentary by director Gorman Bechard, "Every Everything: The Music, Life and Times of Grant Hart." I have heard of both but in small increments, thanks to my wife who is a hardcore fan. This documentary takes the quasi-similar approach of Errol Morris's equally riveting, "The Fog of War," and gets as intimate with the subject as possible.

For the uninitiated, Grant Hart was the drummer and co-songwriter for the influential punk rock band from Minneapolis - Husker Du (how the band got their name is one of many surprises, for me anyway). The band itself was seen by Nirvana bassist Krist Noveselic as the inspiration for Nirvana. Husker Du began in 1979 and lasted till their demise in 1988 due to creative differences and intensified disagreements. Bob Mould was the guitarist/vocalist and Greg Norton was the bassist.

Director Bechard ("Color Me Obsessed") focuses on Grant Hart who occupies every minute of this documentary. Grant talks about his talent for making abstract collages (he also designed every one of the Husker Du album covers); his remembrance of where every object was in his old house that burned; his recollection of the band being discovered by Black Flag - the same night there was a bizarre splashing blue paint incident; the song "Diane" from the "Metal Circus" EP that focused on the murder of a 16-year-old waitress; his frank discussion on his heroin use; his close personal relationship with William S. Burroughs; how he plays drums and where the cymbals should be placed, etc. If you are a diehard fan of Grant Hart and the band Husker Du, there is plenty here to divulge from the man. Just listening to his every word is breathtaking - he is a skilled storyteller.

Greg Norton (mustache), Grant Hart (center), Bob Mould

Despite such frankness, Husker Du fans might be miffed that we do not hear Mould's or Norton's side of the story regarding the breakup of Husker Du (Hart suggests that all should be forgiven - "let's get over 1987"). Nevertheless, Hart also discusses another band he started called Nova Mob, a name he derived from the Burroughs novel "Nova Express," and his solo work in the intervening years that includes his latest, a reworking of Milton's "Paradise Lost" as a concept album called "The Argument." Bob Mould went on to be part of other bands, whereas Norton tried and failed and switched to the restaurant business.

Grant Hart is basically himself - he does not want to be anyone else (Husker Du was pressured to be more mainstream and "normal"). Mostly seen wearing a Columbo raincoat, pink shirt and red shoes, he might be confused for anyone other than a musician. And watching him parading around a field of grass where his house once stood can be sad to watch, but he is not too sad about it. Grant Hart refuses to sentimentalize anything or anyone.

Director Bechard doesn't exactly mimic the style of "The Fog of War"  where Errol Morris had his subject look directly at the camera and see Morris on a small monitor. Bechard uses the camera to reflect the man intently and his surroundings (the scene where Grant keeps the stuff he almost lost in a fire shows a man looking ahead rather than giving his belongings a new home. It is also interesting watching Grant in a closet surrounded by mikes and cables while darkness surrounds him). Darkness may follow Grant but he is too busy looking forward.

I am nobody's old man

BULLET TO THE HEAD (2012)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Like fine vintage wine, Sylvester Stallone has aged and has added a few nuances to his abilities - he has also become a better actor. His gravelly voice and his amazing physique complement his world weariness - a man who has seen and heard it all. Except Stallone, pushing past his mid-60's, is not weaker nor weak-minded - he is just as physically imposing as he ever was. He has also developed a wicked edge, something which none of his past roles ever elucidated. Stallone is not just the best thing in "Bullet to Head" - he is the movie.

Stallone is an impulsive hit man and long-term criminal named Jimmy Bobo who loses his partner in crime to a vicious stabbing by another vicious killer (Jason Momoa, from the unfortunate "Conan the Barbarian" remake). Jimmy is now in hot water, especially after he and his partner killed a corrupt cop who was working for the devious businessman Robert Morel (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Morel is handicapped, walking around with two canes, and he is plotting to demolish some low-income housing development and build condos instead (considering this violent tale takes place in New Orleans, I am sure there is an element of truth there).  An investigation is spearheaded by a Washington, D.C. detective, Taylor Kwan (Sung Hang), into the death of that corrupt cop whom he deduces that Bobo had a hand in. Guess what happens next? Bobo becomes an unlikely partner to Kwan and they both become embroiled in digging deeper into Morel's network of corrupt cops, masked balls, bathhouses and, lastly, an abandoned factory.

Director Walter Hill ("48 HRS.," "The Warriors") does an expert job of making the action fast and furious for its near-90-minute running time. I could have lived without the shots of solarized freeze-frames that interrupt the flow and rhythm of Hill's jazzy nighttime city streets (most of the film takes place at night) and his exemplary use of blues and bayou music riffs - the latter add to the atmosphere and overall mood but solarized images in frequent bursts diminish the impact.

I have lost interest in Christian Slater, an actor who back in the "Heathers" heyday seemed to be headed in the direction that Jack Nicholson went. Here, he plays Morel's lawyer and it doesn't give Slater much to do except play a one-dimensional weasel. Also lacking much charisma is Sung Hang, far too inanimate to be Stallone's partner. Faring much better is Adewale Akinnuoye-Agjabe as the always smiling villain whose toxic charms get under your skin. And despite a small role, Sarah Sashi as Bobo's daughter, a tattoo artist, gives the film a little lift as well - she has intoxicating charms that can only lead to better roles.

"Bullet to the Head" is nothing new in the action film world (though I can't recall the last time that a cop and a hit man were paired in the buddy-buddy genre) yet Stallone and director Hill make it far more tolerable than the cartoonish whiz-bang explosions of "The Expendables." The movie is sleek, crisp, lean and doesn't waste time. And Stallone proves that, in remarkable close-ups, he is nobody's old man even when wielding an axe.

A female 'Big'

13 GOING ON 30 (2004)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

(Originally viewed in May, 2004)

Jennifer Garner has an electric presence (rather fitting that she is in pre-production for "Elektra"). She simply dazzles on screen with her wide grin and a killer curvaceous body. She also has ample charm and a dynamic physicality that makes you want to join her up in the screen. The press is already saying she is the next Julia Roberts and they are right.

"13 Going on 30" is Garner's first major leading role as Jenna Rink, a 30-year-old fashion magazine editor in New York City. However, she doesn't feel 30 at all - when she was 13, she made a wish to be 30 (all it took was some sprinkling wishing dust). And presto, she is 30! She has bigger breasts, no braces, a handsome boyfriend (some hockey player), a bitchy co-worker (Judy Greer), a fast-talking, goateed boss (Andy Serkis), a nice apartment, an autograph by Madonna, and a limo service to go to any party. She seems to have it all until she realizes she had sold ideas to a rival magazine, had ignored her parents and, even worse, ignored her best friend Matt since high school. The grown-up Matt (Mark Ruffalo) is a photographer who is confused by Jenna's need to be friends with him again. Meanwhile, Jenna shows she is caring and can dance a storm, especially to Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

"13 Going on 30" is sort of the female version of Tom Hanks' "Big," but the difference is she switches bodies in her mind (unless that wishing dust can really work miracles. It is never made clear). The humor quotient is derived from the adult Jenna's lack of memory of what happened to her since she was 13. But what makes the movie irresistible is Garner's convincing notion of a 13-year-old girl inside a 30-year-old body. She plays it to the hilt, calling grown men "gross," getting a group of 13-year-olds together to talk about love, confused by the ringing of cell phones, responding with a chuckle to being called a bitch and having to repeat it, looking away with disgust at hairy bare-chested men, and so on. Garner is so damn convincing that she makes the movie worthwhile since she occupies almost every single scene.

But there are screenwriting fallacies that may make you wince (you'll remember them after you are finished laughing). For one, doesn't anyone in the entire movie ever realize she acts and talks like a 13-year-old girl? Not even her parents. Not one at the office especially. And what seems like a cringe-inducing sequence where Jenna delivers the new look for the magazine (something to do with photo collages) is not given the proper payoff. Or let me just say that the editor-in-chief should've known better than to react the way he does.

The star of the movie is clearly Jennifer Garner and, flaws aside, she makes the movie her own. She also has a nice rapport with Mark Ruffalo in what may be his most sincere performance yet. "13 Going on 30" will make you laugh and for audiences nowadays, that may be enough.

Dashing, virile, cowardly Prince of Denmark

HAMLET (1996)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

(originally viewed in 65mm format in 1996)

Leaving aside Orson Welles, nobody else has tackled Shakespeare in all its guts and glory, and in the beauty of the language. Kenneth Branagh's full-throttled, four-hour version of Hamlet is the exception, and a model for others to follow. Too often "Hamlet's" text is truncated, eschewing some of the relationships and complex themes for simple emotions. Mel Gibson looks like a wimp in the 1990 film version by Franco Zeffirelli; this new "Hamlet" will leave you cheering and weeping with delight at Kenneth Branagh's bravura performance.

Branagh ("Henry V") stars as the virile Prince Hamlet who is torn by the unexpectedly quick marriage of his mother, Gertrude (Julie Christie), to the callous, manipulative Claudius (a scene-stealing Derek Jacobi), who is stealing the throne of Denmark. What gets Hamlet to the boiling point of madness and despair is that he is told by his associates that Claudius murdered Hamlet's father - this is told in an eerie sequence by the ghost of Hamlet's father (Bard veteran Brian Blessed). When Hamlet becomes aware of this, he turns anxious, jealous, manipulative, depressed, vengeful, and...yes, murderous. He also has a lost love whom he pines for, Ophelia (Kate Winslet), but he can never bring himself to admit his love to her, or do anything about his father's death - he's a coward in denial. His cowardice becomes more evident when he's continually walking through his palace becoming overbearing and obviously theatrical - this Hamlet thinks nothing of insulting everyone, including staging a play for Claudius where a prince's father is killed alarmingly the same way as Claudius had killed Hamlet's father! Hamlet gradually becomes more overbearing, and even cheerful, devilish. It is no wonder that Ophelia is understandably confused by Hamlet's behavior, she becomes crazy herself.

Kenneth Branagh is the perfect actor to play the bleached blonde, virile Hamlet - he successfully brings all the character's emotions to life in a performance I will never forget. It is outstanding how he makes us, the audience, unable to keep up with his fast-talking rhythms and plans, but it is clear that his madness and arrogance is leading to a path of doom - his lack of restraint within himself is his own undoing. Derek Jacobi is simply marvelous as the scheming Claudius - at times, he seems more dashing and in control than Hamlet, yet it is noteworthy how Jacobi manages to mask Claudius's villainy and bring a sense of sympathy. A round of applause must go to the return of Julie Christie to the big screen - her Gertrude is the maternal, emotional force who tries to heal Hamlet (I might add that Christie is at the appropriate age to play Gertrude when comparing to the youthful Glenn Close in the Zeffirelli version). Major pluses also go to Jack Lemmon as the doleful Marcellus, and the haunting expressiveness of Rufus Selwell as Prince Fortrinbas who eventually brings the throne to its knees. Kate Winslet ("Sense and Sensibility") is the ideal Ophelia; beautiful, sad, sexy, and madly insane.

Despite the great performances, there are some that are superfluous at best. I would have preferred other actors playing the First Gravedigger (Billy Crystal) and Osric (Robin Williams) - they distract us from the genuine power of the play and makes us feel as if we entered a Saturday Night Live special. Gerard Depardieu's walk-on bit as Reynaldo also feels unnecessary.

These are minor complaints for what is a superbly crafted work of art by Branagh. Serving as director as well, he makes the play into a visionary landscape of both the internal and external workings of Hamlet's mind. The vastness of the palace; the nocturnal bluish moors; the wintry scenery; the dazzling sword duels; Rufus's army marching symmetrically into the palace; and the moment when Hamlet tells his famous "To be or not to be" speech - these scenes, and many more, are beautifully realized by Branagh and cinematographer Alex Thomson. Branagh's first film was Shakespeare's "Henry V," a powerful, stirring film that made me want to join Henry in his battles. Since then, Branagh has fashioned a wonderful body of work ("Dead Again," "Peter's Friends," "Much Ado About Nothing"), and he continues to amaze. This vivid, breathtaking "Hamlet" finally gives Shakespeare and Branagh the respect they both deserve.

Pinhead is Jesus, Cenobites use CD's as weapons

HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH (1992)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

The initial concept of the original "Hellraiser" was the dilemna of its antihero, who had to feed off the living and live in a world with the love of his life. "Hellraiser" was reminsicent of a latter-day vampire film, and all was well until the Cenobites rediscovered the antihero and forced him to deal with pleasure and pain as equal, not separate, principles. "Hellbound: Hellraiser II" basically had its lead heroine running through endless passageways and making peace with Mr. Pinhead. Now with this sequel, there is more running around, lots of gory killings with chains and little imagination.

The last film had the Cenobites encased in a wooden box forever, or so it would seem. The lovely Ashley Laurence from the last two films has conspicuously disappeared, and has a cameo as a mental patient in some video explaining who the Cenobites are. This time, we are in New York City where a female TV reporter, Joey Summerskill (Terry Farrell), has a hot news story. She witnesses some young kid brought in from a nightclub to the emergency room where he is literally ripped apart by chains. Joey wants answers and is led to the nightclub itself called "The Boiler Room" (a possible nod to Fred Krueger's domicile?) by the kid's girlfriend (Paula Marshall). This girl decides to help Joey as long as she is allowed to stay in her apartment and make breakfast! Needless to say, the club's owner owns the sculpture where Pinhead is trapped in, and decides to help Pinhead lure female victims for flesh and oh, so much more. Somehow, Pinhead is the incarnation of Captain Elliott Spencer (Doug Bradley, playing both roles) and the soul was separated (some of this exposition was already mentioned in the last film in a nifty prologue). Instead of the menacing and clever villain of the original who lured his victims with his voice of torment, we have Pinhead becoming a slasher villain who is quick with the batty one-liners and wants to kill everyone and make them into Cenobites. My favorite one-liner is his response to a priest who damns him to hell: "Oh, such a lack of imagination," utters Pinhead. He may as well be describing the movie.

"Hellraiser III" is a cut above "Hellbound" Hellraiser II" but nowhere near the imagination and sheer horror of the original. Too many scenes of Pinhead scaring his victims with his witticisms - less is always more. Terry Farrell basically reacts to all the gory happenings without a shred of charisma - she looks like she belongs on a television sitcom, not a horror film. The film is pointless and purposeless. The gore is high on the meter, as are some twisted new Cenobites - one with a camera lens that fires missiles and the other uses CD's. Are the filmmakers joking? Did creator Clive Barker really approve all this? The best scene in the film is Pinhead mimicking Jesus Christ's crucifixion with the use of pins driven through his hands. Yes, sacrilegious and blasphemous indeed. Otherwise, you may as well raise bloody hell over this interminable series.

A waste of good suffering

HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II (1988)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

There is pain and then there is pleasure. "Hellbound: Hellraiser II" is damn near unwatchable, a painfully boring, torpid mess of a movie. It appears to be assembled from other parts of better films adding up to nothing but a pain in your butt from having to sit through it.

We have a brief recap of the original film followed by a sequence where we learn about Pinhead's origins. Apparently, Pinhead (Doug Bradley) was a World War II soldier who discovered the magic box, known as the Lament Configuration, and inadvertently opened a portal to Hell where nails are driven through his head and, presto, he becomes Pinhead. This brief section of the film works best.

But "Hellbound" begins a few hours after the original where we observe Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) in some mental hospital declaring she is not crazy. She is eager to save her father's soul, which is trapped in Hell, but she has to get through Frank Cotton (Sean Chapman), her crazed uncle, and Julia Cotton (Claire Higgins) who is reanimated by a truly insane doctor who wants to take a peek at Hell. The rest of the movie follows Kirsty entering one dusty passageway after another. Hell turns out to be a labyrinth but there is little in it that looks the least bit pleasing to the eyes. I half suspected Kirsty to yawn at all these supposedly remarkable sights.

And that is it folks. There is Kirsty running from one passageway to another with a blond female mute in tow, with Kirsty screaming and hollering at every turn. Pinhead and fellow Cenobites show up briefly and disappear. There is some of the sexual tension of the original but nothing too dramatic ever occurs. In the original film, there was a real sense of fear, particularly when confronting the Cenobites. Kirsty faces Pinhead again but, this time, a little negotiating and bantering is all it takes to escape. Who are the filmmakers kidding? And whatever happened to Kirsty's boyfriend from the original who only gets a passing mention?

"Hellbound: Hellraiser II" is a frenetic, gore-laden freak show that leads nowhere. If you are a fan of the original, you might follow what's happening and understand who some of the recurring characters are and their motivations. Several sequels followed but it all seems like such a waste of good suffering.

Jesus wept at Pinhead

HELLRAISER (1987)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Despite flaws in its narrative and some undernourished characters, "Hellraiser" is one of the most provocative, intriguing horror films in many years. It has incredible images one may not soon forget and a dark, ugly feeling of dread that most horror movies hardly capture, if ever. In a sense, this is a true Gothic sadomasochistic delight that will twist your stomach into knots and give you bad dreams for a long time.

Larry Cotton (Andrew Robinson) and Julia Cotton (Claire Higgins) move into an old house that Larry inherited from the "old lady." The house seems frightening and ominous enough, complete with religious artifacts, statues and a kitchen full of scraps eaten away by maggots (though there are not as many exterior shots as one would like, there is a feeling of menace in the interior shots). Larry likes the house and Julia seems hesistant to move in but decides to settle for it ("I suppose it is better than Brooklyn.") It turns out that Larry's estranged brother, Frank (Sean Chapman), had been living in the house conducting himself with some mysterious magic box. Meanwhile, Frank's daughter, Kirsty (Ashley Laurence), has moved into the area and loves her father yet has a troubling relationship with his new bride. Not quite a functional family but close enough until we discover Julia's secret love affair with Frank in beautifully executed flashbacks.

The magic box, known in later sequels and in the Clive Barker book as the Lament Configuration, is a gateway to Hell and a means of summoning the Cenobites who provide pain as pleasure by wielding chains and piercing several parts of one's skin. The Lead Cenobite (Doug Bradley), later nicknamed Pinhead in the countless sequels, introduces his hapless victims to the boundaries of pleasure and pain. They look like dead punk rock musicians wearing leather garb with several bloody piercings. Pinhead wears what looks like nails on his head. One other Cenobite has chattering teeth. Another one wears sunglasses and appears to be heavyset. They are essentially demons, or as the lead Cenobite says, "Demons to some. Angels to others."

"Hellraiser" has many surprises in store but its constant bloodletting may put off many audience members. This is, however, not the kind of gross-out extravaganza built on gore for the sheer pleasure of shock value (even Pinhead would agree with that). Clive Barker, who wrote and directed the film from his own book "The Hellbound Heart," has crafted a witty, disturbingly heightened sense of reality with his own look at family values in the face of unimaginable horror. It is what the human characters do that scares more than the brief appearance of the Cenobites.

One vivid characterization is Julia Cotton (exceedingly well-played by Claire Higgins), a sensual, cold, aloof, sympathetic, murderous vixen who is shown in flashbacks to be quite the innocent, virginal type. Julia mistakenly reanimates Frank Cotton, who had escaped from the Cenobites and needs human flesh to be in human form again. Julia does his bidding, he is her former lover after all, and picks up men at various restaurants and bars to be used as flesh for Frank. Julia at first resists and is frightened by what she does but then she grows accustomed to it. The naive Larry and the suspicious Kirsty are unaware of what lies in the floorboards of the attic (it makes you wonder why they do not use it for storage space but never mind). Julia remains the scariest character in the film - if she had been in a film noir story as a seductress, she would fit the bill brilliantly.

My main quibble is that "Hellraiser" never places as much emphasis on characters such as Larry and Kirsty. Julia's character remains the most full-bodied but Larry is only shown in truncated form - one of his few good scenes is where he relishes a boxing match with glee while Julia merely is transfixed by it. Kirsty appears more as the latest in the "Friday the 13th"-teenage-screamer leads but she is effective enough in her confrontations with the Cenobites and crawling monsters in hidden passageways. I would have loved more scenes between Kirsty and Julia - one scene almost suggests that Julia is ready to use Kirsty as flesh food for Frank. Seeing Kirsty running around from monsters and screaming can get on one's nerves but, as played by Ashley Laurence, she is a sympathetic, strong-willed heroine. Who can hate someone that tells the Cenobites to go to hell? I suppose a good horror movie can't have everything but obviously Clive Barker is aiming for more than an average slasher flick, which this decidely is not. But its characters are fascinating enough to have expected so much more.

The ending of the film is a bit anticlimactic but the scene where Frank, using his brother's skin as cover, is chained up by the Cenobites where he utters the film's most famous line captures the film's theme of pain and pleasure in all its glory. "Hellraiser" is not a great film but it is good enough to be rendered a classic in the horror canon. You may get more pain than pleasure from watching it but it has an undeniable sense of fright and terror.

Yoda watches Night of the Living Dead

GHOST CHASE (1987)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

There is nothing worse than seeing an old 1980's flick with precisely all the elements of bad 1980's flicks. Bad hair days, bad music synthesizer sounds (there were some good ones back then, like the Axel Foley and  Fletch scores), an old-hat plot that Sherlock Holmes and the Hardy Boys would've figured out in ten minutes, a Yoda-like creature with a British accent, a clumsy German spy and excessively hammy acting. I am talking about a forgotten curio from 1987 called "Ghost Chase." 

This is an early effort by Roland Emmerich who went on to do so-so movies and truly horrendous blockbuster remakes - "Godzilla" anyone? Jason Lively plays an actor of extremely low-budget slasher films who discovers he is entitled to an inheritance. Only problem is that the inheritance is actually a grandfather clock but something odd happens - the clock is inhabited by the ghost of a former butler who has firsthand knowledge of valuable cash bonds that are kept in the walled-in section of a basement in an old mansion. It also turns out that a greedy movie executive (Paul Gleason) is very interested in the location of those cash bonds.

The ghost of the butler looks like Yoda, and manages to manifest itself in a puppet that looks just like him. This is odd because neither looks remotely human, hence the Yoda reference. Jason Lively tries his damnedest to make his character appealing, as does the bright shining star of Jill Whitlow as the actress/waitress. "Night of the Creeps" fans will delight in seeing these two again, but it ain't worth the trouble (just watch "Night of the Creeps" again). Neither is the film director, puppet maker and horror movie buff named Fred (Tim McDaniel) - an insufferably whining kid who makes film in-jokes every few minutes in the midst of jeopardy. Speaking of in-jokes, why do movies that show clips from other movies always show them out of order? When Master Yoda watches "Night of the Living Dead" through a projector, you'll see what I mean.

Unless you are the most devoted Jill Whitlow fan on earth, any VHS and DVD copies of "Ghost Chase" belong deep, deep underground.

Give 'Em Hope Katniss

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (2013)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is a potent, energized, super sleek and far more solemn sequel than the original - a darkening of the saga has begun. It is far more political though no less emotional than the powerhouse original. The stakes are still high in the Katniss Everdeen character yet the movie, as a whole, leaves you wanting more - maybe because one more book follows and I can only imagine where this fascinating dystopian tale leads. 

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) resides in District 12 after winning the 74th Hunger Games, but a sadness persists in her. She is a victor for having killed various tributes in those violent games, and she lost a friend, Rue from District 11, an allying tribute. The other victor is Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) who is Katniss's friend whom she cares for, yet she also has feelings for Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), who now works in the mines. Trouble is afoot when President Snow (Donald Sutherland), the president of the Capitol, insists that Katniss and Peeta makes appearances, show their support for each other by getting engaged and utter banal dialogue to the districts who know better - they know Katniss is their rebel-in-the-making. All this leads to Snow announcing a special Hunger Games, the Third Quarter Quell, where selective tributes from previous Games will once again fight to the death. Katniss is in and Peeta volunteers, though Haymitch (the heroes' mentor) is initially picked (still played with quirky humor by Woody Harrelson). If none of this makes any sense to you and if are unsure who Cinna is, or Rue or what the hell the Hunger Games are or what the Capitol stands for, watch the original film or read the first book, still a startlingly suspenseful, fast-paced book by Suzanne Collins.

"Catching Fire" never falls out of step or loses our connection to the characters, many of whom bring a lot of emotional baggage. Like Gary Ross' original film adaptation, "Catching Fire" is short on spectacle and CGI effects and long on story, political maneuvering and a dystopian society that is separated from the Capitol. The Games are just as vivid and tantalizing as they were before but the strategies have changed (though I would not reveal how they changed). Just as tantalizing is watching Philip Seymour Hoffman as the new gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee (I love these names, maybe Plutarch is a play on the word plutocracy?), who wants to kill Katniss, and his conversation with Snow over how to handle the growing rebellion - two powerful men who convey malice with words. I also love the attachment that Katniss has to previously killed tributes and her attachment to Peeta and Gale - two men who deeply love her and want her to succeed. 

Jennifer Lawrence, an actress slowly becoming something of an institution, makes Katniss a sympathetic heroine - someone who has not lost sight of her impoverished roots. She wants to help the people of District 12 and others but she is unsure of how to do it. Lawrence has a special gift, as shown in radically different roles such as "Silver Linings Playbook," of making us cling to her and share the intimacy and connection she has to her characters. Katniss Everdeen is on her way to becoming instrumental in the rebellion and spreading hope - her last scene is a stunning transformation of a disheveled girl on fire into a woman that may lead an uprising.

A few characters, that is certain tributes, are tossed aside rather abruptly in the Games. Although I only started reading the book, I wanted to see more of the tribute with specialized teeth that can tear flesh. Amanda Plummer plays one other tribute who is not given much screen time. Still, newcomers such as Jenna Malone's intensely manic Johanna and Sam Claflin as the arrogant Finnick lend much gravitas to the proceedings. 

A fine cast that fills their roles with precision and tact, not to mention superb special-effects (the poisonous fog is an indelible image) and stunning production design, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is clearly a labor of love for all involved. I can't wait to see Katniss shoot and score more direct hits with the next two installments. She gives me hope. 

Recycling Daniel LaRusso

THE KARATE KID, PART III (1989)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

If the then 27-year-old Ralph Macchio could no longer convince the audience he was the 17-year-old Daniel, the Brooklyn kid who could kick with the flair of a praying mantis, in the regrettably awful and crudely entertaining 1989 sequel, "The Karate Kid Part III," then what was left except sheer boredom? Amazingly, this latest chapter is not boring at all, but it is so sloppily written and acted in such a ham-handed way that it is almost impossible not to laugh.

Daniel LaRusso is back in L.A. from Okinawa with his mentor and friend, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), and is about to start college. Instead of an education, though, he takes his tuition money and helps Miyagi build his lifelong dream, a bonsai tree shop! Daniel is also interested in defending his title at the tournament he won against the drained and practically soused Kreese (Martin Kove) and his Cobra Kai school of karate thugs. Miyagi says no, and eventually Daniel concedes. But not before virtually bankrupt Kreese decides to go after the Karate Kid and his teacher with the help of a millionaire buddy, Terry (Thomas Ian Griffith), who has a magnificent home, dutiful servants, a profitable business involving dumping toxic waste, and is a hell of a martial artist. Terry is not about to let his old war buddy down, so he recruits the new karate "badboy" in tournaments, played by Sean Kanan (who was in a different kind of good/bad movie called "Rich Girl"). Terry's intention is to get the badboy to force Daniel to fight in a tournament, thus leading Terry to befriend, train and fool the blindsided and terminally stupid Daniel.

Let's face it: the "Karate Kid" movies were never truly believable. The first film had some ounce of credibility but what made it sing was the developing relationship between Daniel and the Zen-like master Miyagi (not to mention a sweet, credible romance between Macchio and Elisabeth Shue). The second film was merely a dull rehash without much else to recommend it except some beautiful locations. This movie is a recycled joke that merely recycles the airy dynamics of the first two movies. The exception is that Daniel no longer resembles the character Macchio created in the first film - he is a refrigerated replica of the smart-ass Daniel from Brooklyn. Miyagi is about the same, though there could have been some attempt to enhance his character and his origins. Daniel, though, is the one who hasn't learned anything from his master - he does, then he doesn't, and then he realizes his mistakes all too late in the game. The character in the original would never have fallen victim to the charms of Terry or his violent philosophies. And, for the first time, Daniel is such a sweet, sensible teenager that he befriends rather than dates the Cute Leading Girl (Robyn Lively). At least one honest trait remains in Daniel - he tries to apologize to a kid whose nose he broke.

Despite such glaring flaws, including the increasing stupidity of the main character, "Karate Kid Part III" is a fun bad movie, something that acts as sincere as an episode of Nickelodeon. It is hard to say what makes it so watchable despite the fact that nothing in it works. It is the kind of bad movie where Daniel is stuck in an unreachable pit at the bottom of a mountain, thanks to the bad guys who stole the suspension ropes, and all Daniel-son can say is (paraphrasing), "You suck man!" You get the idea.

Judas Priest! The kid can play

42 (2013)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Jackie Robinson's story was once told with the real Jackie himself in a rousing 1950 picture called The Jackie Robinson Story. 63 years later, Hollywood tries to do it again and with improved results. "42" is an equally rousing and often powerful film dealing with the first black baseball player to play in an all-white baseball team.

Chadwick Boseman is the enigmatic Jackie, playing for the Negro Leagues before being inducted into the Brooklyn Dodgers in the late 1940's. Cigar-chomping Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford, in his most colorful, dazzling performance to date), the Dodgers' general manager, takes a chance on a rookie whom Rickey knows will make history. Rickey has a talk with Jackie, telling him that racist language is likely to be thrown at him from every white player. Rickey has a simple stipulation: Jackie has to restrain from fighting back and take the verbal abuse.

Verbal and physical abuse is in store for Jackie Robinson. I am not talking "Passion of the Jackie" here but an opposing team player does stab Jackie in the foot at one point. Mostly, when Jackie steps to the plate, a lot of hollering and boos from the stands takes center stage. The difference is that Jackie is a hell of a baseball player - he can hit home runs and he runs like a jackrabbit, stealing bases with ease. He taunts the pitchers, egging them with his "superhuman" athletic abilities. The audience of jeering patrons is stunned (also stunning is seeing how blacks sat at one end of the stadium, while the whites sat on the other though that does change in different states where Jackie's wife can sit comfortably among whites).

As written and directed by Brian Helgeland ("L.A. Confidential"), I do wish the film focused on other aspects of Jackie Robinson. In this film, he is presented as a hotheaded rebel, a far cry from the 1950 version of yesteryear, but there is not much else beyond being a good baseball player and a good husband to his wife Rachel (Nicole Beharie). Only one scene shows Rachel's own recognition of racism and how it divided everyone - the ladies' bathroom for whites only. At the beginning of the film, Jackie also expresses disgust when a gas station owner doesn't let him use the bathroom at all. Mostly, Helgeland is more focused on Jackie's complex relationship with Rickey, and the dynamics of playing off and on the field. Most brutal scene is when the Philadelphia Phillies’ racist manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk), shouts an endless barrage of racist insults. It is so bad that Jackie has to run off the field and smash his bat to smithereens. Even more telling is seeing how Jackie's teammates are alarmed as well.

These aspects of Jackie Robinson are shown to great and powerful effect - it moves you and you can't help but sympathize. Another less obvious angle is the portrayal of Wendell Smith (Andre Holland), a black sports writer/Jackie's driver who had to type his sports column in the stands with the audience - no black sports writers were allowed in the booths. It is essential that Jackie break down all barriers to allow Wendell a chance as well as other black baseball players to integrate with the whites.

"42" is largely an entertaining, old-fashioned sports picture painting an ugly portrait of racism - it is as if Jackie's abilities on the field were the precursor to the Civil Rights era. As I had mentioned, these elements are handled as well as expected, particularly a scene where a young kid mimics his father's racist tirade only to then realize that something is aflutter. But the movie doesn't see Jackie as anything other than an icon - the screenplay displays the character's justifiable anger when necessary but otherwise he keeps his cool. Chadwick Boseman does keep the character lively enough with a sense of humor - he is forthright and knows when to display mischief and smiles and angry looks to keep us wondering if he, just once, might lose his cool. The tension is blatant and keep us on edge and Boseman is too good an actor to make us think we are looking at a statue. I just wish there was more insight into the man himself.

Acid-tongued Office Space

IN THE COMPANY OF MEN (1997)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
(Originally reviewed in 1997)

Men and women are likely (and understandably) to be disturbed by the acidly amusing and intoxicating "In the Company of Men," a new film about how pernicious and hateful men are towards women, and men. The film is a devilish surprise: a morbidly comical and terrifyingly real expose on what happens between men and women in today's society.

Newcomer Aaron Eckhart (resembling a young Harrison Ford) stars as Chad, a malignant office worker who continually shares his hateful views on other workers and women to his bumbling colleague, Howard (Matt Malloy). Chad hates everyone, hates his job and especially hates women. One night at a restaurant, Chad proposes an idea to Howard: they will find an insecure, sweet woman whom they will woo and then dump with a major thud. The idea is that they must be complicit in their wounding an innocent woman, which leaves Howard unsure whether to proceed with such a plan. Chad finds the right victim - a fragile, deaf secretary named Christine (Stacy Edwards). Chad's only objective in this game is to inflict emotional injury by only pretending to love Christine. Howard, however, really starts to develop feelings for her, and feels that this game is immoral.

There are many ways in which "In the Company of Men" makes us see how complex this triad is. Chad is eminently lethal and hateful whereas Howard is more caring and has some shred of humanity. The film doesn't make Christine a complete saint, though, considering she dates both men simultaneously until Chad tells her he really loves her. Essentially, Christine dumps Howard for Chad. Then Howard becomes envious and feels he has to do something to prevent this false union. But does Howard suddenly care because she's deaf, or because he loves her? And is Chad really doing more damage to Howard than to Christine?

"In the Company of Men" is both darkly comic and scathingly serious in its treatment of a curious subject - it is written by first-time writer-director Neil LaBute, and at times, you won't know whether to laugh or cringe. A major reason for this imbalance is the depiction of its characters who are acutely performed by all three leads: Eckhart is brilliantly effective as the insulting and obnoxious Chad; Matt Malloy makes Howard as pathetic and cumbersome as you can imagine; and Stacy Edwards is a revelation as the flattered Christine unaware of her doomed relationship with Chad; she projects sympathy and heedfulness.

"In the Company of Men" is a film you're not likely to forget and shouldn't - it is profound, shrewdly written and masterfully directed. LaBute composes this world in bland, colorless ways such as the anonymous offices; the employees dressed in white shirts; the dreary cafes, restaurants and rental cars; and roofs that seem to offer no discernible view. What will stay with you, though, is Chad's malice thereby evoking the most uncommon and complex behavioral portrait of the year.

Smile and smile again

POLICE ACADEMY (1984)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Frequent laughs dominate "Police Academy," a 1984 comedy that lampoons, I'd gather, police academies. Still, for the number of scattershot laughs and humorous situations, "Police Academy" is generally high on the goofy meter. It gets off on general goofiness and goofball characters to muster enough to get by as an adequate comedy.

Steve Guttenberg is Mahoney, a parking lot attendant who is forced to join the police academy or else he will be jailed. He is one of many proposed cadets to the police academy which has abandoned strict credentials, such as an education, to join. Why? I dunno but this is merely the template for some cartoonish types. There is Larvell Jones (Michael Winslow), who mimics various sounds; George Martin (Andrew Rubin), a Spanish lothario who beds any and every woman; Kim Cattrall as a female cadet whom Mahoney keeps his eye on; Eugene Tackleberry (David Graf), a former security guard who is gun-obsessed, volatile and ready for action; Leslie Barbara (Donovan Scott), a desperately whiny sissy; and Moses Hightower (Bubba Smith), the intimidating former flower-shop owner whose stare is enough to bring anyone down on their knees. Short-tempered Lt. Harris (G.W. Bailey) is responsible for making sure these cadets quit, per the Chief of Police's orders. 

"Police Academy" could have been excessively raunchy and downright mean-spirited like the following year's  moronic and racist comedy, "Night Patrol," but it opts for easygoing laughs that do not gross out or bludgeon you till your numb. I love watching Bailey's Lt. Harris losing his cool (used to far better effect than the tired shenanigans of 1987's "Mannequin") in front of the cadets, or getting fooled by Larvell's mimicking of a police transmitter (in fact, anytime Winslow's Larvell shows up on screen, it is hilarious). The scene where a fight instructor holds down Leslie between her legs had me rolling with laughter. Even scenes that could have fallen flat are juiced up and make me smile, such as the visit to the Blue Oyster club or the marvelous George Gaynes as Commandant Lassard who receives special oral treatment behind the podium.

"Police Academy" is miles ahead of its sequels, far too many to mention and none nearly as fun as this one. I would not call "Police Academy" uproarious or even close to the Zucker (ZAZ) brand of comedy spoofs but as a pleasing hour and a half of general goofiness, it will do. Laughs are scattershot but smiles are aplenty.

Interview with Jill Whitlow: Perky Girl-Next-Door-With-Attitude

INTERVIEW WITH JILL WHITLOW: 

THE PERKY GIRL NEXT DOOR WITH ATTITUDE

By Jerry Saravia

Jill Whitlow - That was Then, This is Now

No matter how small her screen time is, Jill Whitlow memorably stands out. Whether it is as the perplexed girl who is a bit shocked by Rocky Dennis's appearance in Peter Bogdanovich's "Mask," or the sassy boutique girl who wonders how two nerds have girlfriends in "Weird Science," her appearances stay with you and strike a chord. Of course, she has not just appeared in small roles. Jill Whitlow is synonymous with cult horror favorites such as "Twice Dead" and "Night of the Creeps" with full-bodied lead roles. Jill has also accrued a few television credits, including roles in TV shows such as "T.J. Hooker" (episode: "Two Faces of Betsy Morgan" where she played a runaway who is a prostitute by night), "Gimme a Break," "Silver Spoons," "Swamp Thing" (which lasted three seasons), "Freddy's Nightmares," and "Growing Pains."

Jill Whitlow (Center) in Peter Bogdanovich's Mask

Jill Whitlow usually played the girl-next-door, but with far more spunk and attitude. She could be vulnerable but she was also assertive and stood her ground - she was more woman than girly and probably would not fit in with the Valley Girls of 1980's cinema (I can't imagine her in any of the various Spring Break sex comedies of that era). Even in the episode of "Freddy's Nightmares" (entitled "Mother's Day") playing literally the girl-next-door, her character was a bit manipulative, egging the new neighbor to throw a party that turns into a bloody disaster. You haven't lived until you see her inspired way of flipping the bird in "Night of the Creeps." Speaking of horror roles, Jill Whitlow is considered by some as one of the first female empowered action heroines as proven with her Cynthia Cronenberg role in 1986's "Night of the Creeps" (just in front of Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor in 1984's "The Terminator").

I had the good fortune to interview Jill Whitlow and here, you will learn about her early days, how she got discovered, her thoughts on her male co-star in "Twice Dead," and whether or not she will return to the cinema screens in the possibly forthcoming "Night of the Creeps 2."

Jill Whitlow in a still from a Pepsi commercial - jillwhitlowfan.com

Jill Whitlow as Mindy in 1982's Porky's, Jill's film debut

1.) Let's start right at the beginning. What influenced you to become an actress, and how did you get the role of Mindy in "Porky's"?

Jill Whitlow: "I was hired to be in a ketchup commercial when I was 3 yrs old by an agent who saw me at the mall with my mom and it all started from there. When I was 16 I auditioned for the role of Mindy in Porky's and got it! After being on the set and working with Bob Clark I knew it was what I wanted to do!"

Winger's Hungry video

 2.) You appeared as a newlywed in the music video for Winger's "Hungry," quite a tragedy that your character dies in a horrible car wreck (even more horrifying that Winger's own fiancee died in an auto accident later on). Who decided you should play the dearly departed, or maybe you were a fan of the band?

Jill Whitlow: "I auditioned for the Winger video...I had never heard of the band before then! Great song though, eh?"

Two different Jills in 1988's Twice Dead

3.) Let's talk "Twice Dead." A curious little horror flick, though I am wondering why you have so much chemistry with actor Tom Brashanan when you are supposed to be playing his sister. Didn't it seem more like a boyfriend/girlfriend scenario to you, looking back, or maybe just on the set  ;) ?

Jill Whitlow: "Uh oh...LOL, You could tell? Yes, we were dating! I know...sick!"

Jill Whitlow as Cynthia Cronenberg in Night of the Creeps

4.) You have worked with film directors like Fred Dekker, Bob Clark, Peter Bogdanovich, John Hughes, etc. Any experience that stands out the most, aside from "Night of the Creeps,"  or one you are most fond of.

Jill Whitlow: "Fred Dekker, of course, is my favorite. John Hughes was very sweet...but Bob Clark kinda become my father. He took such good care of me and really was the reason I moved to LA. He introduced me to my first agent, flew me to LA and believed in me so much!"

Jill as Tena Tidy in an episode from Adventures Beyond Belief TV series (1988)

5.) Other brunette actresses had a tough time getting roles in the 1980's, up through the early 90's - seems like the blonde bimbo was the role for women in teen sex comedies and horror flicks, to some extent. Clearly other qualities came through beyond the girl next door in "Night of the Creeps," or your brief cameo as a boutique salesgirl in "Weird Science." Were there any roles you auditioned for that you regret not getting, or any you regretted taking on, that is symptomatic of casting agents looking for a particular type? 

Jill Whitlow: "No actually, I always did the best I could, and it is what it is, right? That's how Hollywood works."

Jill in TV's Swamp Thing episode: "Mirador's Brain" (1992) 

6.) An episode of the TV series "Swamp Thing" is listed as one of your last credits, circa 1992. I know you raised a family afterwards but was that the sole reason for leaving your career, or were you planning on coming back at some point?

Jill Whitlow: "No, I was not planning on returning. I loved being a 'mom'. And really, I am very glad I was there for my kids every moment. I never missed a thing watching them grow up and loved every minute. Now that they're at college...hmmm...you never know."

Jason Lively and Jill Whitlow in 1987's "Ghost Chase"

7.) How did 1987's "Ghost Chase" come about? And what was your working and personal relationship with Jason Lively, considering it was the second time you two worked together? 

Jill Whitlow: "About Ghost Chase...after Night of the Creeps, the director of Ghost Chase - Roland Emmerich - thought Jason and I would become the "pair of the eighties" kinda like the Breakfast Club clan...so he did not even audition us, just hired us. Many people don't really like the film cause they don't understand it. I liked it! It was a blast and great memories working in Germany. As for Jason and I? Just very good friends.

8.) Lastly, speaking of coming back, any word on "Night of the Creeps 2" (though I think your character meets an unkindly end in the theatrical version, unless we are supposed to prefer the alternate version)?

Jill Whitlow: "We have talked about it and it would be exciting. BTW...my character did not die. I blocked the little creep. They just didn't see it...LOL"

Jill Whitlow films available on DVD/BluRay/VHS:

Ready for prints, 2 for the price of one

ONE HOUR PHOTO (2002)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

(Originally reviewed in 2002)

Loners like Seymour Parrish are fascinating because they lead such insular lives. They are not necessarily rejects of society nor are they deviants in the strictest sense. They want to belong but simply do not know how, thus alienating themselves from everyone in the process. In "One Hour Photo," Seymour Parrish is one loner who wants to belong to a family, and starts to develops an attachment to one.

Seymour ("Sy") Parrish (Robin Williams) works at a one hour photoshop in a department store not unlike Walmart, here called SavMart. He is a fine employee and always looks to give the customers the finest prints he can make, despite problems with maintenance who know next to nothing of the finer details of photo processing. Sy is committed to his job and knows his customers well. There is one customer he is fond of, perhaps a little too fond of. The customer is Nina (Connie Nielsen), who always wears black leather and lives with her aloof husband, Will (Michael Vartan), an architect, and their young son, Jake (Dylan Smith), who plays violent video games. Nina's existence is one of comfort despite having a husband who is never there for her or her son. Sy knows nothing of their marital problems - he just knows the pictures he has printed of them for years. They seem like a happy family and Sy wants to be one of them, often imagining himself as Uncle Sy. He has also made extra prints of their pictures and, in one truly eerie scene, he has collectively pasted all their prints on one wall space in his living room.

Sy does not live a charming existence. He works in a photo shop that seems sterile and bland at best. His home is grayish and completely devoid of color. He watches "The Simpsons" on television and never flashes a smile. This man has no pleasures in his life. But by getting close to Nina at his workplace, he looks for details. She reads the spiritual lessons of Deepak Chopra and finds himself reading it as well. In one scene that sums up the character's insularity crossed with populated public places, Sy seats himself at a fast-food restaurant in a mall where Nina happens to be. Needless to say, Nina is surprised at Sy's interest in Deepak Chopra. We may also be surprised that perhaps Sy never goes to eateries at the mall because there are so many people - he seems more comfortable alone or talking to Nina. Sy even tries to buy Nina's son a warrior action figure but her son refuses to accept it. Will considers the "photo guy" a "stranger" and is alarmed by his appearance. But eventually Sy discovers a secret involving Will that he uses to his advantage. Of course, this also opens the doors to Sy's lack of reality about families in general. Sy is now at a boiling point and we are not sure what he will do his next. Even his firm boss (Gary Cole) is driving him crazy.

"One Hour Photo" is directed by music-video director Mark Romaneck, but don't let his background turn you off. He does not bombard the screen with flash cuts and fancy editing tricks but rather cools off the dramatics in favor of a Kubrickian mode - sets, lighting and color play more substantial roles than camera moves. The gray colors inside the photo mart, the malls, and Sy's apartment make us feel queasy. This is not just Sy's insular existence but his own state-of-mind, and some of it may remind us that malls are not exactly bursting with color and imagination - they look just as dull and placid as Sy's apartment. Mostly "One Hour Photo" is not in-your-face. Like Robin Williams's performance, it is subdued and this factors in how creepy the film is. At times, it is nearly unwatchable. Anytime Sy talks with Nina or her family, we feel we are on edge, unsure of what he may say or do.

Robin Williams, fresh from a quietly menacing turn in "Insomnia," makes Sy compassionate and harmless yet still threatening. His own search for a perfect family and the flaws he finds shows how unrealistic his expectations are. He reminds me of Jerry, the psychopathic, smiling stepdad in "The Stepfather," who also craved the perfect family and basically went berzerk when they did not fulfill his promise. Sy is not as prone to such murderous tendencies as Jerry was, but his insularity and his needs prove to be as explosive and surprising. It is one of Williams' most powerful roles in a long time, far more reserved than usual. If Williams did this to wipe out the thick sentiment of "What Dreams May Come" and other post-"Patch Adams" oddities, he has succeeded admirably.

"One Hour Photo" never veers into familiar thriller cliches, nor does Sy Parrish prove to be some one-dimensional monster in need of psychiatric help. I could have lived without the flashback structure, however, and would have liked more emphasis on Nina - the fact that she calls her husband neglectful is only skimming the surface of her troubled family. Taking visual cues from "The King of Comedy" and "The Conversation," Romaneck still finds a way to make"One Hour Photo" grate our nerves. We want Sy to belong to a family, and we would like to him to be happy. Sy wants all the familial trappings that life has to offer - in short, the American Dream. He just has a creepy way of showing it.