2002 Mega Movie Guide
(Page 11 of 49)
Staff *** On a more modest grass-roots level than "The Buena Vista Social Club," this documentary explores the Cuban musical heritage, following veteran singer-guitarist Miguel del Morales, better known as "El Gallo" (The Rooster), across Cuba. Director Dridi supplies little narration, leaving us to observe for ourselves how an oppressed island finds freedom in its culture. By M.K. Terrell
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Sex/Nudity: 1 scene with suggestive dancing. Violence: None. Profanity: 5 expressions. Drugs: 13 scenes with drinking or smoking.
Director: Peter Care. With Kieran Culkin, Emile Hirsch, Jena Malone, Jodie Foster. (110 min.)
Sterritt *** "Stand by Me" meets "Ghost World" in this coming-of-age story. It centers on two 1970s parochial-school students who express their frustrations by drawing a lurid comic book, but get into trouble when their discontents spill into the real world. It has no profound insights to offer, even when it tackles the grim topic of incest, but nimble performances and lifelike dialogue make it entertaining.
Staff *** Dark, thoughtful, captures the struggles of youth.
Sex/Nudity: 11 scenes, including innuendo. Violence: 12 scenes, including violent drawings. Profanity: 49 harsh expressions. Drugs: 13 scenes of drinking, smoking, and drug use.
Director Danny DeVito. With Robin Williams, Edward Norton, DeVito. (100 min.)
Sterritt *** Producers replace a bribe-taking TV clown (Williams) with a straight-arrow entertainer (Norton) who's shocked by the onslaughts of greed, corruption, and violence he gets from everyone in the kiddie-media world. This pitch-dark satire marked a surprising career change for Williams, who plays the vengeful clown with surprising ferocity. Don't take the kids!
Staff *** Dark, amusing, inventive.
Sex/Nudity: Innuendo in all scenes. 1 with implied sex, 3 with nudity. Violence: 12 scenes, including fights. Profanity: 87 harsh expressions. Drugs: 11 scenes of smoking, drinking.
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski. With Krystyna Janda, Henryk Baranowski. (550 min.)
Sterritt **** An apartment complex in Warsaw is the setting for this series of 10, approximately hour-long dramas, loosely based on the Ten Commandments and exploring a wide range of moral, ethical, and psychological issues, from the motivations for capital punishment to the meaning of God. Most are enthralling; some are small masterpieces. Originally produced as a miniseries for Polish television.
Directors: Kirby Dick, Amy Kofman. With Jacques Derrida, Marguerite Derrida. (85 min.)
Sterritt *** Who would have guessed a documentary about Derrida, the great French philosopher of deconstruction and "différence," would be so entertaining? He emerges as a nice guy as well as a brilliant mind, and he's certainly a master at evading questions. Still, the things he says on camera aren't as profound as the passages quoted from his books.
Director: Scott Kalvert. Cast: Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, Fairuza Balk. (93 min.)
Staff ** It's 1958, and tensions are high on the streets of Brooklyn. Marco, ex-con and leader of The Vipers, wants to deal drugs in the neighborhood, but Leon and The Deuces will have none of it. Threats, violence, and 90 minutes of tough-guy clichés ensue. The film is full of fury, and the ensemble tries hard, but mob boss Fitzy has it right: They're just kids who need to grow up. By Alex Kaloostian
Director: Guillermo del Toro. With Eduardo Noriega, Marisa Paredes. (106 min.)
Staff *** A remote orphanage during the 1930s Spanish Civil War is haunted by the ghost of a boy who has a story to tell and a score to settle. A new orphan bravely tries to solve the mystery and protect his friends. Top-notch acting by both the adult and child actors is marred somewhat by excessive profanity and sexual scenes. In Spanish with subtitles. By Gregory M. Lamb
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