The Big Chill, Dogme95-style

REUNION aka AMERICAN REUNION (2001)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

Independent films, that is films made on a shoestring budget, are often accused of having no story and no plot. Even worse are the films made under the Dogme95 rules, rules which hardly any Hollywood directors would abide by. The rules consist of using hand-held video cameras, ambient lighting, and found locations (meaning no studio shooting). "American Reunion" was made under those rules, but its strengths lie with sharp writing and strong characterizations. The Dogme95 rules hardly ruin the script or the actors.

Set in Ojai, California, we are introduced to the mayor of this town, Margaret (Marlene Forte) who is organizing the 20th high-school reunion of her class of 1981. The principals include the whining Mindy (Rainer Judd), who is having consistent crying fits over her divorce; the musician Ty (Corey Glover) who is trying to reconcile with the son he never knew; the black-haired Golden Boy, Brad (Billy Wirth), who had higher aspirations than being a bus driver; the former nerd Jeanie (Jennifer Rubin), once known as the "big loser of 1981," who is now a photojournalist; the retiring Army officer, Patrick (Dwier Brown, formerly of "Field of Dreams"), who has a secret to share with his disappointed dad (Steve Gilborn); and finally, the cokehead J.C. (Andres Faucher), the pizza parlor owner whose deceased brother was once the owner and a member of this reuniting class. It is no accident that the designated members of this graduating class share their secrets at the pizza parlor.

It is unlikely that what transpires in "American Reunion" will surprise you. It is also unlikely that the film's look, shot on digital video, will change people's minds about the choice of using an amateur medium. The truth is that perhaps the film would have been elevated had it been shot on film stock, but who cares? I mean, a lot of decent films were shot on digital video, everything from "Star Wars: Episode II" to "The Anniversary Party" to "Chuck and Buck" to several Dogme95 films like "The Celebration." The medium is not as significant as what takes place in front of the camera. Okay, enough of that, but I see that some critics are bothered by the cheap medium of choice lately among the independents.

Writer Kimberly Shane O'Hara does an admirable job of crafting so many characters into a 90-minute film with such different personalities. O'Hara's subtle touch is to thrown in small doses of humor to accentuate the action, namely the dialogue in different locations. For example, there is a regaling moment at a supermarket where Mindy confronts her ex-husband and her new girlfriend. After the confrontation, she speaks into the intercom telling him that she is leaving. Humor aside, characters come into clear focus from the moment they are introduced. Mindy's own crying fits may deter the audience, but soon she is showing how alert she is as a human being - she is able to move on despite her divorce. Even the frenetic Mayor, who seems to bounce from end of town to the other, discovers the real purpose of the reunion. And so does Brad, who knows it is more than about celebrating with red wine and pizza. These high-school graduates are not the same people they are now. Or perhaps they haven't changed as much as having undergone changes.

My favorite characters are Brad and Jeanie, who quickly develop as friends and have sex in the woods. Jeanie sees a certain beauty in everything. Brad is the realist, trying to understand his own curiosity about this reunion as much as Jeanie's. Scenes like the opening scene where the two of them meet at the town's cafe reveals their relationship instantly - their mutual curiosity and honesty. Billy Wirth (formerly a vampire in "The Lost Boys") and Jennifer Rubin (formerly Fred Krueger's punk-rock victim in "Nightmare 3") underplay beautifully, as does most of the cast.

"American Reunion" was initially titled "Reunion" with the Dogme95 moniker prominently used as its banner. The director Leif Tilden had shown the original film at a Swedish film festival, which had a sell-out audience. Thanks to extra funds, the film underwent extra shooting (including a scene where the Mayor visits a former graduate's grave) to appeal to a more mainstream audience. Though it is difficult to say if this new version will appeal to the mass tastes (I could have lived without the football game montages), I can safely say that "American Reunion" is like drinking a fine glass of red wine while listening to old friends reminisce about their lives. Though it is not as enveloping or as richly layered as "The Big Chill" (which most critics seem to be hailing it as), it is just as bittersweet and unsentimental. We need more films like this.

H. Rider Haggard is merely flipping a coin in his grave

KING SOLOMON'S MINES (1985)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

So let's get this off our chests immediately, shall we? "King Solomon's Mines" is not to be taken seriously nor is it a good action-adventure flick. It is also haphazardly shot and acted (with quite possibly one of the worst rear-screen projected scenes ever seen in a film, at least since 1934's "Tarzan the Ape Man"). And yet I had a moderately fun time watching it, maybe because it doesn't take itself seriously for a second nor does it apologize for being so hilariously bad.

Richard Chamberlain plays Allan Quatermain, a fortune hunter hired to help the blonde Jess Huston (Sharon Stone) find her father. You see her father has a map that can lead to the mines of King Solomon where priceless jewels and diamonds are hidden. Naturally, Jess is not the only one who wants it - a German commander (Herbert Lom) and a vicious Turk (John Rhys-Davies) want the mines for themselves. As the commander points out, if Germany had access to jewels and diamonds, they would have won World War II. I suppose the implication is that with enough money, the Germans could have armed themselves with enough firepower to destroy the whole world!

"King Solomon's Mines" is one of three remakes by my count of H. Rider Haggard's classic adventure novel. The 1937 and the 1950 version are infinitely superior with little of the cartoonish quality of this movie. The only reason this flick was made was to cash in on the Indiana Jones craze of the 1980's. Allan Quatermain is modeled more on good old Indy than on the novel's character, given lines like "Oh, sure. You take the thousand on the left and I will take the thousand on the right" (referring to the numerous members of an African tribe). Ms. Sharon Stone is made to seem as dumb as possible, but even the classic blonde bombshells from the 30's and 40's had more spunk and attitude than she does. Only Chamberlain maintains some level of dignity through this mess, though he is not your standard adventure hero (he lacks any real charm). As for Herbert Lom and John Rhys-Davies, well, they overact shamelessly and who can blame them. In fact, it is rather fun seeing Lom parading up and down Africa, lip-synching to a Wagner opera with plenty of gusto. I certainly would not call their performances boring.

The action scenes pack some heat and occasional thrills (a plane sequence, though, does leave a lot to be desired). But we do get alligators, dragons, quicksand, perilous traps, African men hanging upside down in trees, lava, explosions galore (even people explode when falling into lava), huge spiders and lots more. This is pure silliness and truly campy, not to mention completely unbelievable. I never thought I would say this but here is good advice when watching this movie: check your brain at the door.

Africa Screams at the unfortunate Quatermain sequel

ALLAN QUATERMAIN AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD (1986)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

It is funny that the trailer for this sequel to "King Solomon's Mines" had more action than the actual movie. I recall a moment in the trailer when Allan Quatermain (Richard Chamberlain) uses a bullwhip of some sort (nowhere to be found in the actual movie). I also recall some sort of wooden cage suspended on wires where Allan engages in some gunfight (also shown on the advertising poster, again nowhere to be found in the actual movie. The wooden cage is fleetingly seen in one shot). Whereas "King Solomon's Mines" at least had some action scenes with a little spin and an ounce of wit, this hastily patched-together sequel (reportedly shot simultaneously with the original) only gives Indiana Jones rip-offs a bad name.

This time, Allan Quatermain is in Africa on the search for his brother, who is hiding out in some sort of New Age temple looking for a white tribe. Along for the ride is returnee Jesse Huston (Sharon Stone), who only wants to get married and go back to America. There is also James Earl Jones on hand as Allan's sidekick, and a ridiculous villain with a bad hairdo played by Henry Silva. And to make matters worse, all Quatermain has to do to get a villainess to drop from an abyss is to simply...well, I would not dream of giving away the stupidity of the joke.

Though "King Solomon's Mines" was a poor man's Indiana Jones (and absolutely had nothing to do with H.Rider Haggard), it had the advantage of instilling a silly, parodic tone that gave it some leverage. This sequel is as shopworn as they come, and as adventure movies go, it is simply the most witless, least exciting one ever made.

Eddie Murphy sews his mouth shut

A THOUSAND WORDS (2012)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

When Eddie Murphy lets loose like a raging motormouth with words spoken at roughly 100 words a minute, he is unparalleled in his quick, caffeinated energy. Murphy also has the presence of a real actor, able to say much without actually speaking. The list of quiet, restrained moments in his ouevre are numerous. "A Thousand Words" has a great comic premise - each time Murphy speaks, a leaf falls from a tree and when they all shed, he dies. But this movie is one of those cases where Murphy strains too hard to keep up the momentum and that is thanks to a screenplay that doesn't play fair with the rules.

Murphy is Jack McCall, a greedy literary agent who has no time to wait in line at Starbucks for a coffee (he feigns a call about his wife in labor with twins). At work, he treats his assistant with minor meanness (let's say it is hardly a tenth of what Kevin Spacey's truly vile character did in "Swimming with Sharks"). Jack is married to Caroline (Kerry Washington) and they have a son together - she wants to move to a bigger house that doesn't resemble a bachelor pad.

Meanwhile, Jack decides to publish and make a mint out of an Indian guru's book that is only five pages long. Sensing a lack of spirituality in Jack, I had initially thought that the guru planted a bodhi tree in Jack's backyard, hence the main plot about each leaf dropping after every word is said by Jack. Apparently not. The tree just emerges from the ground and the guru has no idea how it happened. Eh. And Jack can't even write anything down because a leaf will fall out of the tree after every word that is written. Double eh. See what I mean by unfair? And to complicate matters, Jack can't form a single sentence, and why not? He has 1000 words at his disposal - can't he chuck 500 words out and make his wife believe that he loves her, especially during an S&M tryst at a hotel? She begs him to tell her his true feelings and he can't or won't - that just tries my patience.

I did not hate "A Thousand Words" unlike the critics who had a field day with it. For my Eddie Murphy experiences (exempting "Pluto Nash" which I never had the pleasure), "Best Defense" is possibly his worst and "Harlem Nights," his most savagely unfunny. This movie never fully exploits its premise and never goes the extra mile. In short, it doesn't give Murphy much of a chance to shine. "A Thousand Words" is yet another movie about a soulless, greedy, spiritually bankrupt guy who discovers money isn't everything and family is all he needs. However, Jack is hardly that greedy or that soulless, and he doesn't seem like a bad guy before all the madness sets in. Jack is a nice guy with some issues. Is that what we expect from an Eddie Murphy movie nowadays?

Go easy on this Oz tale

THE WIZ (1978)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

I've come across very few people who had any positive feelings towards Sidney Lumet's "The Wiz." L. Frank Baum's novel has been transposed to late 1970's New York City with a suitably urban theme and lots of elaborate disco-type musical numbers and a thirty-something Diana Ross as a 24-year-old Dorothy who happens to be a Harlem schoolteacher. Yeah, it lacks the whimsy of the 1939 classic but it has its own infectious rhythms and its own slant on perhaps the most famous fantasy of all time. It dares to be different and that is a plus.

In this unique version of "The Wizard of Oz," Dorothy runs after her dog, Toto, in a blizzard where a tornado happens to cross her path. She ends up in Oz except it is New York City yet strangely underpopulated and flashier. The Scarecrow (Michael Jackson) is teased by vultures. The Cowardly Lion (Ted Ross) is at first a statue outside the New York Public Library. The Tin Man (Nipsy Russell) just needs a heart. Oz the Powerful (Richard Pryor) lives in one of the top floors of the World Trade Center/Emerald City that has its own TV media crew direct from the Oz channel. The flying monkeys are now revolting creatures that ride on motorcycles. Garbage cans come alive with snapping jaws. Lena Horne has a wonderfully magic moment as Glinda the Good. And there is Evil Evillene (Mabel King) who is royally pissed that her sister was killed by Dorothy, accidental or not.

"The Wiz" was one of the last films to have a completely black cast after the blaxploitation era, at least for a while. The film was a financial and critical disaster and it also marked Diana Ross's last role in a film. What a shame. It doesn't hold a candle to its 1939 counterpart but 'The Wiz" is far from being the dreary experience that critics claimed it was. It is upbeat in tone and contains its share of dazzling musical sequences and resplendent stage design and visual effects. Of course, my favorite number would be "Ease on Down the Road" with Michael Jackson pulling out all the stops in a musical performance that is probably the most memorable and uplifting. I also love the graffiti people that come out of the walls and do a number, or the rotating colorful outfits of the dancers in Emerald City. There is also a rousing number by Mabel King as she sings "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News."

"The Wiz" is perfectly fitting and admirable entertainment but it does have its snail-paced moments that threaten the overall musical's jagged rhythms. At 2 hours and 13 minutes, the movie does wear out its welcome especially after Pryor's appearance where he looks a little too withdrawn (compared to Frank Morgan's Oz in the original, I wonder who is more depressed in this movie, Oz or Dorothy?) Diana Ross, however, is engaging throughout (who sadly only appeared in a couple of TV movies since), appearing rather unglamorous that suits her role as an innocent who is astounded by this new world that mirrors her own. I did miss the significance of the opening scenes where she is clearly unhappy. We understood the reasons behind Judy Garland's Dorothy in the bare wasteland of sepia-toned Kansas, the kidnapping of her dog, etc. But we miss any understanding of this Dorothy's sorrow from the beginning - she finds herself at the end by clicking on her heels and heading home. But does she want to be there? Or does she miss being south of 125th street?

I still hope "The Wiz" can have a renewed lease in light of the rekindled interest of musicals in general. Who wouldn't want to ease on down the road again?

Merida could be a fitting Katniss Everdeen ally

BRAVE (2012)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

"Brave" is one of the most pleasurable, romantic and charming Disney films I've seen in quite some time. I'll go further - it is a sumptuous fantasy with a heroine we can root for and believe in. Sound hokey to cynics out there? Read further.

Merida (voiced by Kelly McDonald) is a long curly-red-haired girl who is also an expert archer. She is daughter of the strict Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) and the carefree and boisterous King Fergus (voiced by Billy Connolly) who both hope to have their feisty daughter married to a prospective suitor from one of the clans of Macintosh, MacGuffin and Dingwall. An archery contest will prove who can hit the bullseye and marry Merida but Merida will have none of that. She is a free spirit who wants to follow her heart's desire. Merida loves to ride horses, shoot arrows, and watch the waterfalls.

She doesn't see eye to eye with her mother - so much so that Merida visits a witch and puts a spell on her mother to persuade her to not force her daughter into marriage. Queen Elinor has become a bear (not quite what Merida had in mind) and King Fergus (who had lost his leg while fighting a bear) is ready for another confrontation, unaware his wife is an oversized animal.

The film had me entranced from its beautifully orchestrated opening shot of the Scottish Highlands - it is so richly detailed and so intoxicating to watch that Pixar outdoes itself. The animation is amazingly gorgeous, from the lush greens of the countryside to the cascading rivers, to the foggy forest where will-o'-the-wisps reside in bluish disappearing streaks, to the scary bears and scarier-looking crones. Of course, as always, all this would make a sweet empty visual treat if not for the characters who are believable and come alive in bewitching ways.

Merida is full of sass, as is her father. The mother learns to see that her daughter is more worthy and brave than she had thought. One scene in particular has Elinor as the bear witnessing how her daughter makes the warring clans see how marriage should not be arranged and seeks to break an ancient tradition - it is a cliched moment to be sure but it is given a touch of humor (Elinor uses charades to guide her daughter) and depicts an emotional truth in Merida.

"Brave" is Pixar's first fairy tale and uses elements of Hans Christian Andersen and Brothers Grimm to tell its story (it is also Pixar's first attempt to have a female lead headlining their movie). Some critics found the plot underwhelming but it had me hooked, though I wasn't surprised by how it ended - the quixotic journey of getting there is what makes it so transfixing. "Brave" has got magic, fantasy, a stunning conclusion, some terrific gags involving Merida's younger, pie-loving brothers, and a brave heroine whom I won't soon forget - she has as much pluck and determination as Katniss Everdeen from "The Hunger Games." More young female types like this should be encouraged. "Brave" is perfect entertainment for kids and adults without a false moment in its 93-minute running time. Bravo!

A Banal Risk

GENUINE RISK (1990)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

"Genuine Risk" is a train wreck of a film, dependent on implausible coincidences and rampant gunfire than on building the mood of a genuine film noir. The opening has that promise and, for a while, we lurch along noir tropes such as the typical femme fatale, the screwed-up antihero who needs a job, the threatening big boss, and so on. But the filmmakers then decide to chuck it all to the demands of an overwrought melodrama. To end a noir picture with a car chase is to underestimate the audience.

There is the gambler and petty thief, Henry (Peter Berg) who always bets big and always loses. He lives in a small apartment above the town bar in Anywhere, USA. One night while playing pool, Henry sets his eyes on a mysterious woman (Michelle Johnson), simply known in the credits as the Girl, seen sitting at the bar (the kind of low-rent bar where a glamorous woman has no place). He asks her to his room for a free drink, and they almost have sex until her beeper sounds off. Henry has a beeper as well when he is offered by his childhood friend, Cowboy Jack (M.K. Harris), a job with the mob kingpin Paul Hellwart (Terence Stamp). Henry doesn't want the job, knowing it involves violence, but he takes it anyway. Eventually, we are privy to a bloody shootout, a fistfight involving a jockey, more sex, more bloody shootouts, etc.

The overall effect is not nauseating since the violence is punctual and explosive, but what is the point? Same with the sex scenes - Peter Berg and Michelle Johnson are attractive looking but they are barely believable as a pair of lovers. There is no real tension or sense of peril since the Girl and Hellwart's intentions are never clear - she is Hellwart's moll and carries a beeper and that is all we learn about her. As for Hellwart, we just learn he is mean, abusive and a former 60's British pop star! This thin material is written by Kurt Voss (who also directed), who wrote a similarly wafer-thin noir called "Delusion."

Most of "Genuine Risk" is superficial and glossy yet Terence Stamp rises above the material as the icy Hellwart. He has a great line about women and racetracks: "A racetrack is like a woman...a man weathers so much banality in pursuit of the occasional orgasmic moment." A great line in a movie full of cliched, banal line readings, uni-dimensional characters and the occasional orgasmic moment.